AIDS/LifeCycle 8 to Raise $10.5 Million to Fight AIDS

2,150 cyclists to start San Francisco-to-Los Angeles ride May 31

SAN FRANCISCO and LOS ANGELES, May 31 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- More than 2,150 bicyclists from 41 states and 14 nations will stream out of San Francisco on May 31 en route to Los Angeles as participants in the colorful and emotional AIDS/LifeCycle, the world's largest annual HIV/AIDS fundraiser.

The 545-mile trek is expected to raise $10.5 million to support vital HIV/AIDS-related services at the L.A. Gay & Lesbian Center and the San Francisco AIDS Foundation. The event also raises awareness about the disease, particularly significant this year following a recent survey* revealing a dramatic drop in the sense of urgency about HIV/AIDS and persistent misconceptions about HIV transmission and treatment among Americans.

Participants on the weeklong ride include cyclists and a volunteer support crew of hundreds of "roadies" who range in age from 18 to 78. Whether gay or straight, HIV-positive or HIV-negative, expert cyclists or novices, they share a commitment to reducing new infections and the suffering caused by AIDS.

"People come to AIDS/LifeCycle to fight a disease," said Mark Cloutier, CEO of the San Francisco AIDS Foundation and one of the cyclists. "But the event is also a celebration of health. Participants have the physical strength to complete a challenging course, and the emotional connectedness to help others succeed on an exhausting, yet exhilarating journey."

Riders train for months to prepare for the rigorous ride, and raise a minimum of $3,000 each to support the work of the two sponsoring organizations. The event has raised approximately $50 million to fight AIDS since it began in 2002.

"The economic recession has deeply impacted HIV/AIDS service providers on all fronts. Charitable giving and government funding of HIV/AIDS support services are dropping while the number of people who need free or low-cost services is going up," said Lorri L. Jean, CEO of the L.A. Gay & Lesbian Center. "Our participants and their supporters recognize the urgent need for HIV prevention. I'm proud of the AIDS/LifeCycle community, and I'm deeply grateful."

This year's ride is the first since federal health officials reported that new HIV infections are much higher than previously thought.** During the seven days of AIDS/LifeCycle, an estimated 1,080 Americans will become infected with HIV. There are 1.1 million Americans living with HIV--the highest number in the history of the epidemic--1 in 6 of whom are Californians. Gay and bisexual men bear the brunt of the disease, representing 73 percent of all HIV/AIDS cases in California and 53 percent nationally. Communities of color are also disproportionately affected; although African Americans comprise 6 percent of the state's population, they account for nearly 19 percent of those living with HIV/AIDS.

AIDS/LifeCycle's presenting sponsors are Shopoff Properties Trust, FedEx Corporation, and Gilead Sciences.

* In April 2009, the Kaiser Family Foundation released survey findings that showed that only 6 percent of Americans call HIV/AIDS the most urgent health problem facing the nation, down from 44 percent in 1995; see: http://www.kff.org/kaiserpolls/posr042809nr.cfm

** In July 2008, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released a study that the annual HIV infection rate in the U.S. is 40 percent higher than previously estimated. See: http://cdc.gov/hiv/topics/surveillance/resources/factsheets/incidence.htm

FACTS AND VISUALS:

As they make their way through eight California counties, the cyclists collectively consume 420 gallons of coffee, 6,200 pounds of vegetables and 5,400 Pop Tarts. But they likely end up somewhat lighter, according to event organizers, because a 170-pound cyclist burns an average of 3,410 calories a day during AIDS/LifeCycle.

Each day of the ride, 500 roadies set up and break down tents, kitchens, and mobile bathroom and shower facilities. They provide riders with directional signage, first aid and bicycle repair services. They serve snacks to weary riders at rest stops and ensure a steady stream of entertainment by flamboyantly costumed performers. And they drive "sag wagons" that scoop up riders whose energy runs out before the road does.

Many riders stop at hills to cheer on other cyclists. They're often joined by locals, who turn out at many points along the route to applaud, offer refreshments, and hold signs bearing the names of loved ones lost to AIDS.

Beginning June 1, event photos and journals can be viewed at http://experience.aidslifecycle.org. Additional information about the history of the event, a list of sponsoring organizations and profiles of several participants can be found in AIDS/LifeCycle's online pressroom at www.aidslifecycle.org/press-room/.

DETAILS OF THE RIDE:

The route of the ride and the location of overnight campsites are as follows:

Sunday, May 31: Opening Ceremony at the Cow Palace, 2600 Geneva Ave., Daly City. Ride 79.4 miles to Santa Cruz and camp at Harvey West Park, 326 Evergreen Street.

Monday, June 1: Ride 107.6 miles to King City and camp at San Lorenzo County Park, 1160 Broadway.

Tuesday, June 2: Ride 63.4 miles to Paso Robles and camp at the Mid-State Fairgrounds, 2198 Riverside Avenue.

Wednesday, June 3: Ride 94.1 miles to Santa Maria and camp at Preisker Park, 2301 Preisker Lane.

Thursday, June 4: Ride 67.7 miles to Lompoc and camp at River Park, Sweeney Road & Highway 246.

Friday, June 5: Ride 85.5 miles to Ventura and camp at San Buenaventura State Beach, 901 San Pedro Street.

Saturday, June 6: Ride 61.5 miles to Los Angeles. Closing Ceremony at the VA Center, 11301 Wilshire Boulevard.


SOURCE AIDS/LifeCycle

UMass Lowell Graduates Record Number

LOWELL, Mass., May 30 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Chancellor Marty Meehan presided over Commencement ceremonies on Saturday, May 30 at the University of Massachusetts Lowell when 2,200 graduates -- a record number for the university -- received bachelor's, master's and doctoral degrees.

Meehan challenged the Class of 2009 to seize the power of their education to take an active role in their community and the world.

"Nelson Mandela said, 'Education is the most powerful weapon, which you can use to change the world.' This is an unprecedented moment of change in our nation and in the world. Going forward, I hope all of you will be active citizens who are deeply engaged with public affairs, from local issues to global concerns," Meehan told graduates.

Harold Ford Jr., a former Congressman from Tennessee and a news analyst for NBC and MSNBC, was the Commencement speaker.

"The core challenge for these graduates is to use their gifts of knowledge, kindness and courage to help shape a future as bold and daring as the ones our forefathers dreamed of and fought for," said Ford.

UMass President Jack Wilson praised this year's graduates for the work they are doing on sustainability and green technology, and in business, education and health care, both in Massachusetts and around the world.

Abbey Denaro, an exercise physiology major and one of the recipients of this year's Chancellor's Medal for Student Service, was the student speaker.

The University presented honorary degrees to Bernard Amadei, founder of Engineers Without Borders; George Duncan, chairman of Enterprise Bank; Chaz Maviyane-Davies, a professor and artist; and Robert Pozen, chairman of MFS Investments and a former Fidelity Investments top executive. The Distinguished Alumni Award recipient was Kathleen Beaumont Allen '77, former corporate vice president and chief financial officer of Millipore Corp.

A pre-Commencement scholarship fundraiser on Friday, May 29 raised more than $300,000 for scholarships.

UMass Lowell, with a national reputation in science, engineering and technology, is committed to educating students for lifelong success in a diverse world and conducting research and outreach activities that sustain the economic, environmental and social health of the region. It offers its 12,000 students more than 120 degree choices, internships, five-year combined bachelor's to master's programs and doctoral studies in the colleges of Arts and Sciences, Engineering and Management, the School of Health and Environment, and the Graduate School of Education. www.uml.edu


SOURCE University of Massachusetts Lowell

Tool Shows Promise for Measuring Productivity of Mid-Level Oncology Providers

A pilot study of a new productivity tool developed by the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) shows potential in measuring the impact of mid-level oncology providers in outpatient oncology settings. Refining productivity metrics for this group can help inform workforce projections given reports of a looming shortage of oncologists. The results will be presented at the ASCO Annual Meeting on May 30, 2009 in Orlando, Florida.

ORLANDO, Fla., May 30 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Mid-level providers have the potential to mitigate the impending workforce shortage of oncologists; however, their impact on clinical practice and productivity has been challenging to measure. A metric and tool developed by the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) shows promise in the ability to quantify the productivity of mid-level oncology providers, physician assistants (PAs) and nurse practitioners (NPs), in outpatient oncology settings. The results of a pilot study evaluating this tool will be presented at the 2009 American Society for Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Annual Meeting on May 30, 2009.

"In many cases, mid-level providers do not bill for their services separate from the physician making it difficult to assess their productivity in an oncology setting," says author F. Marc Stewart, MD, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center. "We developed this tool in an attempt to facilitate staffing and workforce projections, especially in the face of future physician shortages."

The study analyzed eligible responses from 176 mid-level providers from 15 of the 21 NCCN Member Institutions. The online survey included questions on work characteristics, allocation of time and labor, and productivity. Productivity was defined by the authors as the average number of new or follow-up patients seen per half-day clinic. In addition, the survey asked questions with the intent to identify any significant differences between NP and PA productivity within a variety of oncologic specialties including Medical Oncology/Solid Tumor, Hematologic Malignancies/Bone Marrow Transplant, and Surgical Oncology.

"We found that the tool was a useful instrument in gauging the impact of mid-levels, and that NPs and PAs do seem to have a measurable effect on the number of patients seen in the participating academic outpatient oncology clinics," says lead author Jennifer Hinkel, MSc, Manager, Business Insights at NCCN.

The authors noted that, as expected, NPs and PAs in the surgical oncology specialty saw more patients than mid-levels in other specialties. Brief pre- and post-operative visits may account for a large percentage of these mid-levels' clinic time allowing for a larger volume of patients to be seen.

In the majority of the data collected, there was no significant difference between the number of patients NPs and PAs saw within each specialty except in the medical oncology specialty, where NPs reported seeing significantly more follow-up patients than PAs.

"This variation may be due to different practice patterns or the use of PAs for more procedure-oriented tasks rather than for outpatient clinic visits," says Hinkel.

The authors plan to repeat the survey using a broader sample and in conjunction with an existing oncology physician productivity tool developed by NCCN to better determine the direct impact of mid-level providers on overall clinical productivity.

Recent data from the American Society of Clinical Oncology's Workforce Study published in 2007 has shown that by the year 2020 there will be a shortage of between 2,350 and 3,800 oncologists, a problem that will be magnified by a 48 percent increase in the overall demand for oncology visits.

Additional authors include Jonathan L. Vandergrift, MS, National Comprehensive Cancer Network; Sara J. Perkel, National Comprehensive Cancer Network; Marcy B. Waldinger, MHSA, University of Michigan Comprehensive Cancer Center; and William Levy, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center.

About the National Comprehensive Cancer Network

The National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN), a not-for-profit alliance of 21 of the world's leading cancer centers, is dedicated to improving the quality and effectiveness of care provided to patients with cancer. Through the leadership and expertise of clinical professionals at NCCN Member Institutions, NCCN develops resources that present valuable information to the numerous stakeholders in the health care delivery system. As the arbiter of high-quality cancer care, NCCN promotes the importance of continuous quality improvement and recognizes the significance of creating clinical practice guidelines appropriate for use by patients, clinicians, and other health care decision-makers. The primary goal of all NCCN initiatives is to improve the quality, effectiveness, and efficiency of oncology practice so patients can live better lives.

The NCCN Member Institutions are: City of Hope Comprehensive Cancer Center, Los Angeles, CA; Dana-Farber/Brigham and Women's Cancer Center | Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center, Boston, MA; Duke Comprehensive Cancer Center, Durham, NC; Fox Chase Cancer Center, Philadelphia, PA; Huntsman Cancer Institute at the University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT; Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center/Seattle Cancer Care Alliance, Seattle, WA; The Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center at Johns Hopkins, Baltimore, MD; Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center of Northwestern University, Chicago, IL; Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY; H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center & Research Institute, Tampa, FL; The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center - James Cancer Hospital and Solove Research Institute, Columbus, OH; Roswell Park Cancer Institute, Buffalo, NY; Siteman Cancer Center at Barnes-Jewish Hospital and Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO; St. Jude Children's Research Hospital/University of Tennessee Cancer Institute, Memphis, TN; Stanford Comprehensive Cancer Center, Stanford, CA; University of Alabama at Birmingham Comprehensive Cancer Center, Birmingham, AL; UCSF Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, San Francisco, CA; University of Michigan Comprehensive Cancer Center, Ann Arbor, MI; UNMC Eppley Cancer Center at The Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE; The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX; and Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center, Nashville, TN.

For more information on NCCN, please visit NCCN.org.


SOURCE National Comprehensive Cancer Network

Women's Health Foundation, POISE(R) Brand Look for Passionate Women's Health Advocates

Passion Award Winner to be Recognized at Annual "Below the Belt" Gala

CHICAGO, May 29 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Women's Health Foundation (WHF) has teamed up with the POISE(R) brand to recognize champions of women's pelvic health by announcing a call for entries to the Passion Award sponsored by POISE(R).

The Passion Award sponsored by POISE(R) acknowledges either a survivor or a pelvic floor champion. The survivor is a woman who has overcome pelvic conditions (i.e. incontinence or prolapse) through personal effort and found strength through pelvic fitness and lifestyle changes. The pelvic floor champion is a woman who is willing to share her story, inspires others and educates through harnessing her pelvic power.

"The annual Passion Award celebrates a woman who either overcame pelvic conditions or helps develop a sisterhood of strength by empowering women who struggle with pelvic health issues," said Missy Lavender, Women's Health Foundation CEO & Executive Director.

The 2008 winner was Linda Michael of Portage, Indiana who overcame incontinence after decades of pain and now is a vocal supporter of women taking proactive steps to live without pain.

"We hope that by celebrating the winner of the 2009 Passion award, other women will feel supported not only to seek the bladder control treatment that's right for them, but also to help eliminate the taboo often coupled with the topic by talking about it," said Joe Kuester, POISE(R) Senior Brand Manager.

The Passion Award winner will be applauded at the 5th Annual "Below the Belt" Gala, June 27, 2009 in Chicago, IL. "Below the Belt" is a memorable evening, which brings together the nation's most passionate champions of women's pelvic health in an intimate setting. In addition to a ceremony for the Passion Award recipient, Grammy-Award winning musicians and activists, the Indigo Girls, will be performing a private concert to attendees. The "Below the Belt" Gala helps further WHF's mission to provide life-enhancing strategies to achieve pelvic health and wellness for every woman.

Nominations call for a 250-word description of the nominee sent by June 17, 2009 and are available at www.poise.com or www.belowthebeltgala.org.

To learn more about Women's Health Foundation, visit www.womenshealthfoundation.org

About POISE Brand and Kimberly-Clark Launched in 1992 by Kimberly-Clark Corporation, POISE(R) brand is the market leader in absorbent protection products for women. POISE products come in three different forms (liners, ultra thins and pads), five absorbencies and offer custom product features such as longer length and wings. For more information and to request a free consumer sample kit, visit www.poise.com.

Kimberly-Clark and its well known global brands are an indispensable part of life for people in more than 150 countries. Every day, 1.3 billion people - nearly a quarter of the world's population - trust K-C brands and the solutions they provide to enhance their health, hygiene and well-being. With brands such as Kleenex, Scott, Huggies, Pull-Ups, Kotex and Depend, Kimberly-Clark holds the No.1 or No. 2 share position in more than 80 countries. To keep up with the latest K-C news and to learn more about the company's 137-year history of innovation, visit www.kimberly-clark.com.

About Women's Health Foundation

Women's Health Foundation (WHF) is a nonprofit organization focused on providing life strategies, community-based programs and services, and events to encourage women to optimize their pelvic health and wellness. Dedicated to eliminating the Sisterhood of Silence and creating a Sisterhood of Strength, WHF is becoming the nation's most visible and passionate champion of women's pelvic wellness issues. Women's Health Foundation is headquartered in Chicago and sponsors programs nationally through partnerships with medically based fitness facilities, residential living centers and hospitals. To learn more, visit www.womenshealthfoundation.org.


SOURCE Women's Health Foundation

Join Men's Health Network in Celebration of Men's Health Month

WASHINGTON, May 29 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- June is Men's Health Month and groups across the country and around the globe are joining Men's Health Network (MHN) in celebration of this awareness period. The purpose of Men's Health Month is to heighten the awareness of preventable health problems and encourage early detection and treatment of disease among men and boys.

The month is anchored by National Men's Health Week, June 15-21, the week ending on Father's Day, a special awareness period recognized by Congress each year, and signed into law by President Clinton in 1994. Additional support comes from the more than 45 governors who declare Men's Health Week in their states.

Men's Health Month is celebrated with screenings, health fairs, media appearances, and other health education and outreach activities. These events help ensure a healthier future for men and their families. For a partial listing of events, visit: http://www.menshealthnetwork.org/calendar.htm.

"While men continue to live sicker and die younger," Scott Williams, Vice President for MHN explained, "awareness and outreach efforts like those conducted in June reach men and their families where they live, work, play, and pray."

Mark Pitts, President of Urban Music for Zomba Label Group (ZLG) said, "I'm blessed to be able to give back and be a part of the men's health initiative. Since being diagnosed with Bell's Palsy, my life has definitely changed but I am now stronger than before and am giving back to help inspire not only those around me but others on a global level. Men's Health Network is important because they are helping men understand how important it is to be proactive about keeping up on our healthcare and not just for ourselves but for our families and communities; I hope I can be an example to many young men through my support of MHN."

Additionally, Men's Health Network has developed a new program called Wear BLUE, designed to raise awareness and educate men, women, and their families of the need to end the silent crisis in men's health. Workplaces, community groups, places of worship, and others are encouraged to host a Wear BLUE event in their community. Information, tools, and resources can be found at www.wearblueformen.com.

Health care providers, public policy makers, the media, and individuals can use Men's Health Month and the Wear BLUE program to encourage men and boys to seek regular medical advice and early treatment for disease. In celebration of Men's Health Month, MHN is launching a number of larger awareness campaigns including ones focused on fibromyalgia, incontinence, fertility, bladder cancer, uninsured issues, public service announcements, and prostate health.

"With prostate, cardiovascular, mental, and other health issues adversely impacting the lives of our men, awareness periods like this help end the silence surrounding men's health and make it OK for men and boys to talk and take action about their health," shared Theresa Morrow, Program Director for Women Against Prostate Cancer (www.womenagainstprostatecancer.org).

"This Father's Day we all should try to help the men we love take charge of their health. MHN has resources and programs that can help them do that," added Dr. S. J. Giorgianni, Asst. Professor Pharmacy, Belmont University School of Pharmacy, Nashville.

For interviews or to learn more about Men's Health Month contact info@menshealthweek.org or 202-543-6461x101 or visit us online at www.menshealthmonth.com.

Men's Health Network (www.menshealthnetwork.org) is a national non-profit organization whose mission is to reach men and their families where they live, work, play, and pray with health prevention messages and tools, screening programs, educational materials, advocacy opportunities, and patient navigation.


SOURCE Men's Health Network

MacArthur Foundation Commits $68 Million To Support Regional Cooperation for Peace and Security in Asia

SINGAPORE, May 29 /PRNewswire-Asia/ -- The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation is committing $68 million over seven years to a new Asia Security Initiative that will increase the effectiveness of international cooperation in fostering peace and security in Asia. The Initiative brings together 27 institutions from around the world to develop new ideas to address Asia's many security challenges.

"The growing economic and political power of Asia is transforming the globe," said MacArthur President Jonathan Fanton. "Over the coming decades, the Asia-Pacific will be the world's economic engine, helping millions in the region to find new prosperity. Yet, in this time of great opportunity, security challenges - from power conflicts to resource scarcity - threaten to undo the region's many gains. As China, India, and other Asian nations become regional and global powers, Asia-Pacific nations must think anew about how our societies can work together to foster peace and prevent conflict."

MacArthur's initial grantmaking focuses on three particularly critical security issues: strengthening regional cooperation, preventing conflict in Northeast Asia, and building international cooperation to respond to internal challenges. In each area, a group of grantees will work together to conduct analysis and suggest new ways forward. The work of each group will be coordinated by a leading Asian institution. These three core institutions were selected through an exhaustive two-year search to identify regional leaders in the field of security studies:

China's Peking University Center for International and Strategic Studies will oversee the regional security cooperation group, advising policymakers on how to make better use of multilateral institutions, bilateral relationships, and alliances to prevent conflict, manage differences, and foster peace and security.

Korea's East Asia Institute will coordinate work on Northeast Asia, developing plans for international cooperation to decrease tensions over North Korea and Taiwan and among Northeast Asian nations.

Singapore's S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies will direct the internal challenges group, which will concentrate on the need for international cooperation to help manage emerging transnational challenges. Such challenges include heightened demand for energy creating competition over scarce resources, the effects of natural disasters, and domestic political instability that creates pernicious cross-border effects and outbreaks of violent conflict.

MacArthur will help build long-term capacity to conduct policy research by funding new research positions, improving communications among institutions, and assisting in the publication of research and analysis in print and online. Today, the Foundation launched a new website - asiasecurity.macfound.org - to showcase the network's policy research.

The Foundation also plans to start a program of year-long fellowships in 2010 for mid-career leaders in academia, government, non-government organizations, the private sector, and media to undertake policy research on Asian security challenges. Fellows will be identified through an open application process and will be placed at the three core institutions.

The Initiative comes out of MacArthur's 25 years of grantmaking in peace and security. Specifically, the Foundation has invested in training, research, and policy engagement to reduce the danger posed by weapons of mass destruction. MacArthur supported research and track-two diplomacy between U.S. and Soviet officials and nuclear scientists, which helped lead to the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty. MacArthur grantees also helped develop the conceptual framework for cooperative threat reduction programs that helped Russia and other former Soviet states reduce stockpiles and secure nuclear weapons and fissile materials. The Foundation's Science, Technology, and Security Initiative strengthened university-based centers of science, technology, and security, creating a new generation of scientists engaged in the study and development of security policy on issues like nonproliferation and arms control.

The MacArthur Foundation, one of the largest private philanthropies in the United States, supports creative people and effective institutions committed to building a more just, verdant, and peaceful world. In addition to selecting the MacArthur Fellows, the Foundation works to defend human rights, advance global conservation and security, make cities better places, and understand how technology is affecting children and society. More information is available at www.macfound.org


SOURCE The MacArthur Foundation

National Archives Announces Homecoming of Long-Lost Lincoln Letter

National Archives Logo. (PRNewsFoto/National Archives)

WASHINGTON, DC UNITED STATES

Private Collector Lawrence Cutler Donates Original Lincoln Letter to Archives

For hi-res images of the letter and the conservation report, see:

http://www.archives.gov/press/press-releases/2009/nr09-88.html

WASHINGTON, May 28 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- In a press conference today, the National Archives announced the homecoming of an original Abraham Lincoln hand-written letter to Secretary of Treasury Salmon P. Chase. Lawrence M. Cutler, a private collector from Scottsdale, Arizona, donated the letter to the National Archives.

(Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20080925/DC35252LOGO)

Written on Executive Mansion letterhead, the November 14, 1863, letter states:

Hon. Sec. of Treasury

My dear Sir

Mr. Stevens, late Superintendent of the Mint at San Francisco, asks to have a copy, or be permitted to examine, and take extracts, of the evidence upon which he was removed. Please oblige him in one way or the other.

Yours truly, A. Lincoln.

In presenting the Lincoln letter to Acting Archivist Adrienne Thomas, Mr. Cutler said, "It is both a great honor and a pleasure for me to give this very important Abraham Lincoln letter back to the citizens of the United States of America, especially during this bicentennial year of Lincoln's birth. It may always remain a mystery as to how this letter left the public domain and has remained in private hands for as much as a century. However, what is more significant is that today I am returning this letter to its long lost home."

"The National Archives is pleased to accept this important gift, the return of President Lincoln's November 14, 1863, letter to Secretary of the Treasury Salmon P. Chase," said Acting Archivist Thomas. "This brief note, written five days before President Lincoln delivered the Gettysburg Address, provides us with a window to look at a difficult personal crisis faced by Lincoln in the midst of the Civil War," she continued.

The National Archives became aware of the existence of this Lincoln hand-written letter in 2006. Because the letter was written from the President to the Secretary of Treasury concerning a federal government matter, the National Archives launched an internal review to determine whether the document belonged in the National Archives.

The investigation revealed that at one time the letter was part of the General Records of the Department of Treasury, series 82 "Letters Received from Executive Officers, 1831-1869." These included 141 volumes in which original letters were bound. According to the index to Volume 91, the letter should have been on page five. Upon examination of page five, it was discovered that only half of the page remained pasted into the volume -- it included a one sentence summary of the letter, the date, and the author of the letter. The body of the letter was missing.

In part, the newly-found Lincoln letter is significant because the information in it was not known to Lincoln scholars or historians. The multi-volume Collected Works of Abraham Lincoln by Roy P. Basler, published in the 1950s, does not include a copy of this letter. Although it is unclear exactly when the letter fragment was torn from the Department of Treasury volume, it appears that it predates Basler's publication and may have happened when the volume was still at the Department of Treasury, sometime between the 1880's when the letters were bound and the 1940's when the records were transferred to the Archives.

Recently, the National Archives Document Conservation Laboratory examined the two parts of the letter with normal and transmitted light, ultraviolet lamp and stereo-binocular microscope. The letter and half folio were found to be identical in visual appearance. Both are on soft tan, medium-weight, smooth machine-made wove paper of even and identical formation. Both letter and half folio were measured with a micrometer and have the identical thickness of .012 millimeters. The one physical difference noted was the unevenly trimmed bottom edge of the letter. It appears approximately 1/2" to 1/4" of the sheet is missing; otherwise the overall dimensions (5" x 8") are identical.

When the folio was torn along its fold, small portions of the upper most layers of the paper support were torn, leaving behind matching indentations known as "beveled" or "shelved" areas. The small portions of the support that remain attached along the folio fold exactly match the shelved areas on the remaining folio half adhered in the volume.

Background

At the end of March 1861, President Lincoln had approved the appointment of Robert Stevens as head of the U.S. Mint in San Francisco. The President had appointed Stevens to the patronage job as a favor to Lincoln's old friend, Oregon Senator Edward Baker. Stevens was Baker's son-in-law. Baker, a fellow Republican, died in battle in 1861.

In 1863 Secretary of the Treasury Salmon P. Chase announced changes in the Customhouse and Mint, based on a report by special agent Thomas Brown who was sent to investigate Federal services in California.

The report listed six charges against Stevens:

1. The hiring of bad men

2. Encouragement of insubordination and contempt for authority on the part of workers

3. Partiality as to the wages of clerks and laborers while others' were fixed much lower

4. "Sponges and barnacles" - many were absent without working but were still highly-paid

5. Purchase of inferior supplies at exorbitant rates

6. Being arrogant and discourteous to his managers

Based on these charges, Stevens was fired by Secretary Chase in April, 1863. For months following his removal, Stevens protested the firing, finally resorting to writing to President Lincoln.

The newly returned letter indicates that while Lincoln was not willing to override Chase's decision, he did feel that Stevens deserved to see the charges against him. It emphasizes the President's sense of fair-play and moral authority which served as a guide throughout his Presidency.


SOURCE National Archives

MPI to Ignite 'The Language of Business' Through Meetings at World Education Congress

WEC to Convene Critical Mass of Expertise to Address Pressing Cross-functional Global Business Issues and the Power of Meetings as the Solution

DALLAS, May 28 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Providing thought leadership for global business leaders will fuel Meeting Professionals International (MPI)'s Annual World Education Conference (WEC) in Salt Lake this July. MPI will present incontrovertible evidence that strategic, sound business accelerators - such as meetings and events - improve sales and organizational productivity.

Today's economic realities have forced corporate decision makers to raise the conscious recognition of importance for justification of bottom line results to their stakeholders. As organizations search for ways to drive growth and build long-term stability, meetings and events are an invaluable and irreplaceable form of economic stimulus.

The quest to demonstrate value and find solutions requires business professionals to expand their body of knowledge and hone their strategic meeting management skills. WEC's educational program will offer over 120 knowledge sessions to help attendees properly prepare to aggressively improve both the efficiency and effectiveness of their investment in meetings and events. At this year's conference, attendees will receive tangible go-to-market solutions, share best practices, and bring back real-world applications to their place of work.

"Businesses everywhere are looking for answers to help them survive in today's economy and advantages to help them thrive during the emerging recovery," says Bruce MacMillan, president and CEO of MPI. "At WEC we will present powerful business solutions for meeting and event professionals, in the language of today's global business environment to set the stage for recovery for the industry."

This conference provides the opportunity to connect to the sharpest professional minds and innovative ideas the meeting and event industry has to offer. The opening general session (OGS) and conference will present data and case study insights from thought-leaders and subject matter experts on the use of meetings and events to gain competitive advantage in any economy. To help us bring this to light, a strong line-up of OGS speakers will start the conference off with keen insights and practical applications to address today's key business issues.

Ben Stein, an award-winning actor, former Presidential speech writer, author, economist, civil rights lawyer, and college professor voluntarily wrote the article, "Don't Blame the Business Meeting," defending the purpose of meetings for the average hard-working business professional, will share his insights on what compelled him to voluntarily write the article. Stein will provide his insider's perspective on the economy, the importance of business meetings and how they will play an integral part in the economic recovery.

Betsy Myers, a noted leadership expert, co-chair of the Women's Leadership Forum and former senior advisor to the Obama Presidential Campaign, will illustrate and discuss how her team was able to take a little known, senator from Illinois to President of the United States through strategically using the world of new technologies and non-traditional means.

Also, Gary Loveman, former associate professor at the Harvard University Graduate School of Business Administration with a Ph.D. in economics from M.I.T. and current chairman, CEO and president of Harrah's Inc., will provide insights on the "business" of meetings and how to enhance their strategic value. Loveman will focus on how meetings accelerate sales and organizational productivity during economically tough times as companies search for ways to drive growth.

For additional information on the World Education Congress and a full schedule, please visit the WEC Website at http://www.mpiweb.org/Events/WEC2009.aspx or for more information on Meeting Professionals International visit the MPI Website at mpiweb.org. To see MPI's view on how meetings have changed the world, click this link: http://www.mpiweb.org/Events/WEC2009/Videos/ChangeTheWorld/qt.aspx.

About MPI:

Meeting Professionals International (MPI), the meeting and event industry's largest and most vibrant global community, helps our members thrive by providing human connections to knowledge and ideas, relationships, and marketplaces. MPI membership is comprised of more than 24,000 members belonging to 71 chapters and clubs worldwide. For additional information, visit mpiweb.org.

About the World Education Congress:

The World Education Congress (WEC) is MPI's largest gathering of meeting and event professionals from around the globe. This annual conference and expo draws thousands of business professionals including industry planners and suppliers to learn, to connect and to exchange ideas.

Contact:
Lauren Manford
Meeting Professionals International
(972) 702-3044
LManford@mpiweb.org


SOURCE Meeting Professionals International

New Online Tool Offers Access to City and County Retiree Benefit Data

Searchable database allows users to compare localities of similar size and location

WASHINGTON, May 28 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- A new online tool offers detailed health care and pension data on the typical benefits cities and counties offer their retirees, and how they pay or plan to pay for these benefits.

The Government Benefits Comparison Tool, sponsored by the Center for State and Local Government Excellence (www.slge.org) and the Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA - www.gfoa.org), is an interactive resource allowing the user to search by population size, state, and geographic region and by size of the general fund revenue.

"We know that health insurance and retirement benefits are important in recruiting and retaining talented workers," said Elizabeth K. Kellar, president and CEO, Center for State and Local Government Excellence. "And now, for the first time, cities and counties will have access to benefits data from across the country in an easy-to-use database."

Once users select the characteristics that most closely match their government, the tool generates a series of metrics concerning pension benefits, wellness programs, retiree health care, and other informative GFOA financial indicators.

"The tool provides an excellent benchmark for public-sector decision makers to use in identifying how their retiree benefit management compares with governments of similar size," said Jeffrey L. Esser, executive director/CEO of GFOA.

The health care data come from a 2007/2008 retiree health care survey conducted by the Center for State and Local Government Excellence, the International City/County Management Association, and the faculty of North Carolina State University. The research was funded by the ICMA Retirement Corporation. The pension data come from the FY2006 GFOA Financial Indicators database, drawn from the comprehensive annual financial reports (CAFRs) of local governments across the United States. The data will be updated as it becomes available.

This informational benchmarking resource tool for state and local government leaders, academics, research institutions, and the general public is not intended to be a substitute for the financial or legal advice of an attorney, accountant, or other professional.

Link to the tool: http://mygfoa.org/gbct/

About the Center for State and Local Government Excellence

The Center for State and Local Government Excellence helps state and local governments become knowledgeable and competitive employers so they can attract and retain a talented and committed workforce. The Center identifies best practices and conducts research on competitive employment practices, workforce development, pensions, retiree health security, and financial planning. The Center also brings state and local leaders together with respected researchers and features the latest demographic data on the aging workforce, research studies, and news on health care, recruitment, and succession planning on its website, www.slge.org.

About the Government Finance Officers Association

The Government Finance Officers Association is the major professional association serving the needs of 17,600 appointed and elected local and state-level government officials and other finance practitioners. It provides top-quality publications, training programs, services, and products designed to enhance the skills and performance of those responsible for government finance policy and management. The association is headquartered in Chicago, Illinois, with offices in Washington, D.C. (www.gfoa.org)


SOURCE Center for State and Local Government Excellence

Obama's Court Nomination Validates America's Rush to Buy Firearms

BELLEVUE, Wash., May 27 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- President Barack Obama's nomination of Judge Sonia Sotomayor to replace retiring Justice David Souter on the U.S. Supreme Court validates the concerns of millions of American citizens who have been rushing to gun shops for the past seven months, fearing their Second Amendment rights are in jeopardy, the Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms said today.

Judge Sotomayor was part of a Second Circuit Court panel that ruled in January that the Second Amendment does not apply to the states, in Maloney v. Cuomo. That is in direct conflict with a Ninth Circuit opinion earlier this spring in Nordyke v. King that the Second Amendment is incorporated to the states, and therefore does place limits on states' ability to regulate the individual right to keep and bear arms.

"Starting literally last Nov. 4 and every day since," noted CCRKBA Chairman Alan Gottlieb, "concerned Americans, many who had never before owned a firearm, have been crowding into gun shops. Their concerns that the Obama administration may somehow try to destroy Second Amendment rights have certainly been affirmed with the nomination of Judge Sotomayor to the Supreme Court.

"Sure, Congress has turned a cold shoulder to renewal of the ban on semiautomatic sporting rifles," he continued, "and the president did sign the guns-in-parks bill, but only because he had to in order to save his credit card legislation.

"But a Supreme Court justice is a president's legacy," Gottlieb observed. "Judge Sotomayor would become a justice for life, and her anti-Second Amendment position would continue affecting her decisions long after Obama is gone from the White House.

"A Supreme Court nominee's philosophy generally reflects the philosophy of the president that nominates them," Gottlieb concluded. "Judge Sotomayor's position on the Second Amendment is a clear signal that Mr. Obama's claim that he supports gun rights is nothing but lip service from a man who consistently argued and voted against those rights in the Illinois Senate and the U.S. Senate. American gun owners have every reason to oppose this nomination, and let their senators know why."

With more than 650,000 members and supporters nationwide, the Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms (www.ccrkba.org) is one of the nation's premier gun rights organizations. As a non-profit organization, the Citizens Committee is dedicated to preserving firearms freedoms through active lobbying of elected officials and facilitating grass-roots organization of gun rights activists in local communities throughout the United States.


SOURCE Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms

NASA Selects Student's Entry As New Mars Rover Name

NASA Logo. (PRNewsFoto/NASA)

WASHINGTON, DC UNITED STATES

WASHINGTON, May 27 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- NASA's Mars Science Laboratory rover, scheduled for launch in 2011, has a new name thanks to a sixth-grade student from Kansas. Twelve-year-old Clara Ma from the Sunflower Elementary school in Lenexa submitted the winning entry, "Curiosity." As her prize, Ma wins a trip to NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in Pasadena, Calif., where she will be invited to sign her name directly onto the rover as it is being assembled.

(Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20081007/38461LOGO)

A NASA panel selected the name following a nationwide student contest that attracted more than 9,000 proposals via the Internet and mail. The panel primarily took into account the quality of submitted essays. Name suggestions from the Mars Science Laboratory project leaders and a non-binding public poll also were considered.

"Students from every state suggested names for this rover. That's testimony to the excitement Mars missions spark in our next generation of explorers," said Mark Dahl, the mission's program executive at NASA Headquarters in Washington. "Many of the nominating essays were excellent and several of the names would have fit well. I am especially pleased with the choice, which recognizes something universally human and essential to science."

Ma decided to enter the rover-naming contest after she heard about it at her school.

"I was really interested in space, but I thought space was something I could only read about in books and look at during the night from so far away," Ma said. "I thought that I would never be able to get close to it, so for me, naming the Mars rover would at least be one step closer."

"Curiosity is an everlasting flame that burns in everyone's mind. It makes me get out of bed in the morning and wonder what surprises life will throw at me that day," Ma wrote in her winning essay. "Curiosity is such a powerful force. Without it, we wouldn't be who we are today. Curiosity is the passion that drives us through our everyday lives. We have become explorers and scientists with our need to ask questions and to wonder."

The naming contest was conducted in partnership with Disney-Pixar's animated film "WALL-E." The activity invited ideas from students 5 - 18 years old enrolled in a U.S. school. The contest started in November 2008. Entries were accepted until midnight Jan. 25.

Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures supplied the prizes for the contest, including 30 for semifinalists related to "WALL-E." Nine finalists have been invited to provide messages to be placed on a microchip mounted on Curiosity. The microchip also will contain the names of thousands of people around the world who have "signed" their names electronically via the Internet. Additional electronic signatures still are being accepted via the Internet.

"We have been eager to call the rover by name," said Pete Theisinger, who manages the JPL team building and testing Curiosity. "Giving it a name worthy of this mission's quest means a lot to the people working on it."

Curiosity will be larger and more capable than any craft previously sent to land on the Red Planet. It will check to see whether the environment in a selected landing region ever has been favorable for supporting microbial life and preserving evidence of life. The rover also will search for minerals that formed in the presence of water and look for several chemical building blocks of life.

The Mars Science Laboratory project is managed by JPL for NASA's Science Mission Directorate in Washington.

For more information about the mission and the contest winner, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/msl

To send your name on the rover microchip, visit:

http://marsprogram.jpl.nasa.gov/msl/participate/sendyourname


SOURCE NASA

Recent Statewide Poll Reveals North Carolinians Strongly Oppose Cuts in Education Even as State Faces Budget Shortfall

RALEIGH, N.C., May 27 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The North Carolina Association of Educators released a poll today that confirms North Carolina voters believe funding for public education should be a high priority, even in difficult economic times.

"In all the talk of lost revenue, elected leaders need to take notice that voters do support increased taxes in certain areas to balance the budget rather than cutting teachers, raising class sizes and diminishing every child's right to have access to a high quality public school education," said NCAE President Sheri Strickland.

When asked how to balance the state budget, 85 percent of survey respondents said they opposed cutting the number of teachers in public schools and raising class sizes. No other category of how to fix the budget -- including proposals to raise taxes -- received more opposition than cuts to education spending.

"We're certainly not surprised that North Carolinians understand how important public schools are to the future of our state and that -- even as we face a budget shortfall -- elected leaders should look elsewhere to reduce spending and raise revenue. Our citizens know that money spent on education is an investment in our children, not just an expenditure on a balance sheet."

Overall, the survey asked about budget priorities, how elected leaders should fix the budget, and whether or not voters support increased taxes as a form of additional revenue to the state.

Survey respondents were asked to rank what should be the state's priorities, and education is right there on top with the economy. Survey respondents also gave heavy support to raising taxes on tobacco, alcohol and income taxes for citizens who earn more than $150,000 a year, and closing corporate loopholes.

Key Findings

Survey Respondents Voiced Overwhelming Opposition to Cuts in Education

85 percent of those surveyed opposed a proposal to help fix the state budget deficit by cutting the number of teachers in public schools and raising class sizes.

Even with the state's dramatic budget situation, education cuts have the potential to generate significant blow-back in next year's elections. When asked who they would choose, 77 percent of voters are much less likely to support a legislator who voted to fix the $4.5 billion state budget deficit by cutting the number of teachers in public schools and raising class sizes.

Voters oppose, by a 60 percent to 36 percent margin, a proposal to help fix the state budget deficit by cutting spending for pre-kindergarten programs like Smart Start and More at Four.

North Carolinians say "YES" to Taxes on Tobacco, Alcohol, Wealthier Households and Out-of-State Corporations

Of the choices given in a list of proposals to help balance the state budget, here's what respondents selected as their top three:

Seventy-six percent support higher taxes on alcohol and tobacco;

Sixty percent support higher personal income taxes on households making more than $150,000 a year;

Seventy-seven percent said close corporate tax loopholes on out-of-state corporations.

Voters want cuts in state spending, but that doesn't mean education.

An impressive two-thirds of voters -- 66 percent -- say that with the economy in crisis, it's more important than ever for the state to support teachers and public schools.

An overwhelming 73 percent of those surveyed don't think that their local public schools have enough money to do a good job. They felt more money was needed. Only 22 percent felt that their local schools had enough money to do a good job.

Education is similarly important to jobs and the economy for voters

Given the choice of six priorities for the state, education (46 percent w/two choices combined) trails only the economy (46 percent). Although there is widespread awareness that the state budget is in trouble, fixing the budget deficit garners only 23 percent as the most important issue to be addressed by the governor and state legislators, improving public education came in much higher.

Teachers and Public Schools Are Doing a Great Job

In rating the job their local public schools are doing, the numbers were equally impressive. Seventy-one percent rated them excellent/good.

When asked to rate the quality of teachers in their local public schools, voters were even more impressed, logging in positive responses totaling 80 percent.

Demographics

55 percent were female, 45 percent male.

Ages of the survey respondents: 14 percent of respondents were 18 -29 years of age; 15 percent were 30-39; 19 percent were 40-49; 29 percent were 50-64; 22 percent were 65 or older.

Thirty-one percent had a college degree; 24 percent some college and 25 percent high school or less. Post grads were 18 percent.

75 percent were white, 19 percent African-American, and 1 percent Hispanic or Latino.

Geographically, respondents were located across the six regions of North Carolina. The percentages were as follows: Charlotte - 18 percent; Coastal - 23 percent; Mountain - 12 percent; Non-Metro Piedmont - 18 percent; Triad - 14 percent; Triangle - 16 percent.

27 percent said they currently have children in K-12 public schools; 72 percent said they do not currently have children in K -12 public schools.

Forty percent said their party affiliation was Democrat and 29 percent said Republican. Thirteen percent identified themselves as Independent.

The poll was conducted by independent research firm Anzalone/Liszt Research based in Washington, D.C. Interviews of 604 people selected at random were completed May 7-13, 2009. Margin of error is +/- 4 percentage points with a 95 percent confidence level.


SOURCE North Carolina Association of Educators

Slum Children Beat All Odds

BANGALORE, India, May 27 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The popularity of the movie "Slumdog Millionaire" has highlighted the plight of the impoverished, but beyond the glitz and glamour, there are still 700 million people in India living on less than $1 a day. Among them are the country's 250 million "Untouchables" (known as "Dalits") who have faced systematic persecution and discrimination for over 2,500 years. One institution, the Shanti Bhavan School, is trying to reverse the fortunes of this underprivileged segment of society through long-term, high-quality education.

Shanti Bhavan is a tuition-free school and home for India's most vulnerable and disadvantaged children. Located an hour outside of Bangalore, it has been serving the poorest of the poor for over thirteen years. And it has produced real results: its entire first two graduating classes finished the national ICSE high school examination with top marks, achieving a 3.5 GPA and higher. This has been a landmark achievement, a first for any school for Dalits in India.

"I knew the ICSE would be difficult, but I studied hard and my teachers made sure I was prepared," says Amrita, a 10th grader who came from the slums but excelled in the examinations. "I feel as if the whole world is open to me, and now I have the confidence to compete with anyone."

Most educational programs for the poor focus on basic literacy without offering a stable environment. However, the minimal skills taught during these courses are not enough to prepare the disadvantaged for college or professional jobs. Consequently, they have been trapped in poverty for generations.

Shanti Bhavan has rewritten the poverty alleviation model with a revolutionary approach on the principle that every child, regardless of his/her social and economic background, deserves the opportunity to gain a good education. All children are provided a secure, nurturing environment at "homes" on its campus, providing them with nutritious daily meals, clothing and proper medical care. The adjoining school in the campus offers excellent education from pre-school to 12th grade, preparing the children for college study in good institutions.

Michelle Miller, a NYC music performer who has volunteered twice at Shanti Bhavan had this to say about her experiences there: "Shanti Bhavan fully embodies its name as a 'haven of peace'. The children are taken from the grips of malnutrition, abuse, and neglect and are given loving care, nurtured emotionally and educated with expectations of excellence. The result is an intellectual curiosity, a deep sense of compassion for others, optimism in their future, and a desire to use these tools to help others in abject poverty."

Even in this recession, Shanti Bhavan has managed to continue its operations through grassroots funding, primarily in the U.S. and the UK. The school hopes to continue its mission with the assistance and generosity of those interested in the welfare of deprived children.

To contact Shanti Bhavan:

U.S.: 121 Hawkins Place, PMB 192, Boonton, NJ, 07005 (phone: 940-368-4370)

Website: www.shantibhavanonline.org or email shantibhavanchildren@gmail.com


SOURCE Shanti Bhavan

NASA/University Team Develops New Method to Find Alien Oceans

NASA Logo. (PRNewsFoto/NASA)

WASHINGTON, DC UNITED STATES

GREENBELT, Md., May 26 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- NASA-sponsored scientists looking back at Earth with the Deep Impact/EPOXI mission have developed a method to indicate whether Earth-like alien (extrasolar) worlds have oceans.

(Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20081007/38461LOGO )

"A 'pale blue dot' is the best picture we will get of an Earth-like extrasolar world using even the most advanced telescopes planned for the next couple decades," said Nicolas B. Cowan, of the University of Washington. "So how do we find out if it is capable of supporting life? If we can determine that the planet has oceans of liquid water, it greatly increases the likelihood that it supports life. We used the High Resolution Imager telescope on Deep Impact to look at Earth from tens of millions of miles away -- an 'alien' point of view -- and developed a method to indicate the presence of oceans by analyzing how Earth's light changes as the planet rotates. This method can be used to identify extrasolar ocean-bearing Earths."

Cowan is lead author of a paper on this research appearing in the August 2009 issue of the Astrophysical Journal. Our planet looks blue all the time because of Rayleigh scattering of sunlight by the atmosphere, the same reason that the sky appears blue to us down on the surface, points out Cowan. "What we studied in this paper was how that blue color changes in time: oceans are bluer than continents, which appear red or orange because land is most reflective at red and near-infrared wavelengths of light. Oceans only reflect much at blue (short) wavelengths," said Cowan.

The maps that the team created are only sensitive to the longitudinal (East - West) positions of oceans and continents. Furthermore, the observations only pick out what is going on near the equator of Earth: the equator gets more sunlight than higher latitudes, and the EPOXI spacecraft was above the equator when the observations were taken. These limitations of viewing geometry could plague observations of extrasolar planets as well: "We could erroneously see the planet as a desert world if it had a nearly solid band of continents around its equator and oceans at its poles," said Cowan.

Other things besides water can make a planet appear blue; for example, in our solar system the planet Neptune is blue due in part to the presence of methane in its upper atmosphere. "However, a Neptune-like world would appear as an unchanging blue using this technique, and again it's the changes in the blue color that reveal oceans to us," said Cowan. "There are some weird scenarios you can dream up that don't involve oceans but would lead to varying patches of blue on a planet, but these are not very plausible."

"A spectrum of the planet's light that reveals the presence of water is necessary to confirm the existence of oceans," said Drake Deming, a co-author of the paper at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md. Instruments that produce a spectrum are attached to telescopes and spread out light into its component colors, like a prism separates white light into a rainbow. Every element and molecule emits and absorbs light at specific colors. These colors can be used like a fingerprint to identify them. "Finding the water molecule in the spectrum of an extrasolar planet would indicate that there is water vapor in its atmosphere, making it likely that the blue patches we were seeing as it rotates were indeed oceans of liquid water. However, it will take future large space telescopes to get a precise spectrum of such distant planets, while our technique can be used now as an indication that they could have oceans," said Deming. The technique only requires relatively crude spectra to get the intensity of light over broad color ranges, according to the team.

NASA's Deep Impact made history when the mission team directed an impactor from the spacecraft into comet Tempel 1 on July 4, 2005. NASA recently extended the mission, redirecting the spacecraft for a flyby of comet Hartley 2 on Nov. 4, 2010. EPOXI is a combination of the names for the two extended mission components: a search for extrasolar planets during the cruise to Hartley 2, called Extrasolar Planet Observations and Characterization (EPOCh), and the flyby of comet Hartley 2, called the Deep Impact eXtended Investigation (DIXI). The University of Maryland is the Principal Investigator institution, leading the overall EPOXI mission and DIXI. NASA Goddard leads the EPOCh investigation. NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif., manages EPOXI for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington. The spacecraft was built for NASA by Ball Aerospace & Technologies Corp., Boulder, Colo.

For images, refer to:

http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/epoxi/alien_ocean.html


SOURCE NASA

ACAMS Partners With Fudan University to Address Growing Need for Anti- Money Laundering Training in Mainland China

MIAMI, May 26 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Association of Certified Anti-Money Laundering Specialists (ACAMS) today announced that it has signed an agreement with Fudan University in Shanghai to jointly provide anti-money laundering (AML) training throughout mainland China.

The partnership will address the strong need for educating and training AML professionals in China.

AML is a relatively new focus in China, where laws addressing money laundering were enacted in 2006. But, according to an Anti-Money Laundering Report published by China's bank regulator, the People's Bank of China, there are approximately 190,000 professionals working in the AML field within China's banking, insurance and securities sectors. Most of these AML professionals are new to the field.

Shi Lei, an economics professor at Fudan University, said, "The cooperation is part of China's efforts to strengthen anti-money laundering checks and monitor banks, securities and insurance companies to safeguard financial security."

Together, ACAMS and Fudan University will provide a range of training including basic AML courses focused on China's regulatory requirements, and the study of global standards and leading practices in fighting money laundering and terrorist financing. The global standards course will culminate in students sitting the exam to qualify for ACAMS's Certified Anti-Money Laundering (CAMS) designation. In conjunction with the newly established partnership with ACAMS, Fudan University has created an academic program, the Center for Anti-Money Laundering Studies, through which it is considering the launch of degree and graduate programs in AML.

"We're very excited to partner with such a prestigious university as Fudan to bring AML training to mainland China," said Ted Weissberg, Group Executive at ACAMS. "ACAMS's presence in Asia has been growing very quickly over the past two years, and we expect this agreement will accelerate that growth dramatically."

About the Association of Certified Anti-Money Laundering Specialists

ACAMS is an international membership organization dedicated to enhancing the knowledge and skills of AML professionals around the globe. It serves as a uniquely valuable resource for more than 10,000 members in 130 countries, promoting year-round support to develop and sharpen the skills required for superior job performance and career advancement.

About Fudan University

Fudan University, established in 1905, is a prestigious institution in Shanghai, People's Republic of China. Fudan has over 45,000 students and 2,400 faculty members, spread over four different campuses. It is especially renowned in the areas of physical sciences, humanities, social sciences, and medicine.


SOURCE Association of Certified Anti-Money Laundering Specialists

Endangered Great Ape Finds Safe Haven

New rainforest reserve protects more than 1,000 bonobos and benefits local communities

KINSHASA, DRC, May 26 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Bonobo Conservation Initiative (BCI) joins the government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) in announcing the official establishment of the Kokolopori Bonobo Reserve, a community-managed protected area which harbors one of the largest known wild populations of the endangered bonobo. The Kokolopori Bonobo Reserve is the pilot and model site for the Bonobo Peace Forest, a proposed constellation of community-based nature reserves supported by sustainable development.

Larger than the state of Rhode Island, the 1,847 mi2 (4,875 km2) rainforest reserve delivers essential ecosystem services to the world, including biodiversity protection and carbon sequestration, and benefits the local people through training, employment and community development programs. These include sustainable agriculture, a health clinic, aid for local schools, a women's microcredit program and the first institute of higher learning in the region, the Djolu Technical College for Rural Development and Conservation, established in tandem with the reserve.

"The Kokolopori Bonobo Reserve is a milestone for the protection of bonobos and their precious habitat in the Congo Basin," says Sally Jewell Coxe, president and co-founder of BCI. "What began as a grassroots, community initiative now exemplifies a new model for conservation that is proving to be effective and sustainable."

In danger of extinction, bonobos (Pan paniscus) were the last great ape to be discovered and are the least known great ape species. Found only in the DRC, bonobos inhabit the heart of Africa's Congo Basin--the world's second largest rainforest--which is increasingly threatened by industrial logging, commercial bushmeat hunting and agricultural encroachment. Bonobos are known for their peaceful, cooperative, matriarchal society, their remarkable intelligence and their sexual nature. Apart from humans, bonobos are the only primates known to have sex not just for procreation, but also for pleasure and conflict resolution, with members of either sex. These uncommon apes serve as a powerful flagship species, both for conservation and for peace.

The Kokolopori Bonobo Reserve is vital to research on and protection of bonobos, as it is one of the only sites where wild bonobos are habituated to human presence and can be viewed and studied on a daily basis. Albert Lotana Lokasola, president of the local NGO Vie Sauvage and the initiator of the project, says, "Since the time of our ancestors, our people, the Bongando, have traditionally protected and respected bonobos through taboos, legends and rituals celebrating bonobos as our closest relative and friend. The bonobo saved our ancestors from numerous dangers in the forest. We build on these traditions... We hope that many people will come and visit Kokolopori to enjoy and work with us to strengthen the reserve."

"What is truly exceptional is how the Kokolopori Bonobo Reserve has inspired other communities in the bonobo habitat who have voluntarily initiated their own projects to protect their forest and bonobos," says Coxe of BCI. "Beyond that, Kokolopori inspired the residents of Falls Church, Virginia to create the first sister city partnership between the USA and the DRC. This shows how a common vision and positive action can motivate many people and create a grand result."

The project has been largely supported by the Global Conservation Fund and the Central Africa Program of Conservation International, which provide both financial and technical support, and other donors, including the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's Great Ape Conservation Fund. Through the Kokolopori-Falls Church Sister City Partnership, the citizens of Falls Church, Virginia have contributed essential support for community development programs and have initiated a dynamic cultural exchange that benefits both communities.

Jose Endundo, the DRC Minister of the Environment, who officially declared the new reserve, said, "We are proud to support this innovative, community-driven initiative, which protects a vital rainforest and rare and endemic species, including the bonobo and Salongo monkey (Cercopithecus dryas), now being studied for the first time in Kokolopori. The Kokolopori Bonobo Reserve is aiding the local human population with means of sustainable economic development, education and opportunities, while also contributing to our country's commitment to protect 15 percent of our national lands. I salute the leadership of Vie Sauvage and BCI and thank the many partners who have made this nature reserve a success and model for other communities to follow."

The Bonobo Conservation Initiative (BCI) is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to the survival of the endangered bonobo (Pan paniscus) and its rainforest habitat in the Congo Basin. BCI works with indigenous Congolese people through cooperative conservation and community development programs and with the government of the DRC to establish new protected areas and to safeguard bonobos wherever they are found. BCI was selected as a featured charity in the Catalogue for Philanthropy, for excellence, innovation, and cost-effectiveness.

http://www.bonobo.org


SOURCE Bonobo Conservation Initiative

Pure Salmon Campaign Calls on Marine Harvest to Reform Environmental Performance

Mismanagement continues to undermine world's largest producer of farmed salmon

OSLO, Norway, May 25 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Members of the Pure Salmon Campaign coalition, a diverse group of stakeholders from key farmed salmon production and consumption nations including Canada, Chile, Scotland, Ireland and the United States, urge Marine Harvest to eliminate its destructive environmental impacts by separating farmed fish from wild fish populations and finding new sources for fish feed.

Marine Harvest is the largest farmed salmon producer in the world and controls more than 20 percent of the market. But, environmental mismanagement and insufficient priority given to biosecurity by Marine Harvest and other aquaculture operators in Chile have had catastrophic effects on salmon industry workers. Widespread outbreaks of fatal Infectious Salmon Anemia in that region have effectively erased Marine Harvest's profits. Overall production of farmed salmon in Chile has declined by more than 50 percent in 2009 alone and more than 20,000 Chilean salmon farm workers have lost their jobs.

For the past week, representatives of the global Pure Salmon Campaign coalition have been in Norway meeting with Members of Parliament, salmon farmers, scientists, financial analysts, journalists, river owners and other stakeholders to discuss how Marine Harvest's global salmon farming operations adversely affect the environment.

"Since 2005, seven Marine Harvest workers and contractors have died on the job," said Javier Ugarte, president of CONATRASAL, the labor union of Chilean salmon aquaculture workers. "In March 2009, two workers died and Marine Harvest has still failed to make the reasons public. Not only does Marine Harvest fail to pay sufficient attention to protecting the environment and the animals in its care, but the company doesn't even adequately protect its own staff."

While disease outbreaks and labor problems pose major obstacles for Marine Harvest in Chile, sea lice continue to plague the company's Canadian operations. Marine Harvest's open net pen salmon farms act as incubators for parasites such as sea lice that can decimate wild salmon populations sharing the same waters.

These same open net salmon pens allow thousands of fish at a time to escape easily when there are rough seas and high waves. Other small scale escapes, dubbed "leakage" by the industry, occur daily from poorly maintained pens.

"While massive escapes often make headline news, the daily, unreported leakages from open net salmon farms can be equally devastating to the surrounding marine ecosystem," said Alex Munoz, vice president of Oceana Chile. "Aquaculture companies, including Marine Harvest, have done little to address this growing environmental threat. The industry needs to adopt better technology to dramatically reduce the number of escapes before it's too late."

John Fredriksen, Marine Harvest's controlling shareholder, has stated that Marine Harvest should relocate open net pen salmon farms from areas that interfere with wild fish.

The fish feed issue is yet another problem affecting the farmed salmon industry. It takes significant quantities of wild fish to provide sufficient food for farmed salmon. A 2000 study in the journal Nature calculated that more than three pounds of wild fish (anchovies, herring, sardines, menhaden) are needed to produce one pound of farmed salmon.

"Marine Harvest has yet to develop a viable, long-term strategy to manage environmental problems associated with salmon farming," said Don Staniford, European Representative of the Pure Salmon Campaign coalition. "Marine Harvest must commit to concrete reforms to address these problems and reduce their impact on the environment. The company claims to be the model for sustainability in the aquaculture industry, but it has a long way to go before that rings true."

The Pure Salmon Campaign filed a shareholder resolution with Marine Harvest calling for a special board committee to review environmental practices and how they relate to disease problems. To read the shareholder resolution and supporting statement submitted by the Pure Salmon Campaign, go to http://www.puresalmon.org/pdfs/MarineHarvest2009resolutions.pdf.

The Pure Salmon Campaign is a global coalition with partners in the United States, Canada, Europe, Australia and Chile all working to improve the way salmon is produced.


SOURCE Pure Salmon Campaign

NASA's Space Shuttle Returns to Earth After Hubble Mission

NASA Logo. (PRNewsFoto/NASA)

WASHINGTON, DC UNITED STATES

EDWARDS, Calif., May 24 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Space shuttle Atlantis and its crew landed at 8:39 a.m. PDT Sunday at Edwards Air Force Base, Calif., completing the final servicing mission to the Hubble Space Telescope. Atlantis' astronauts conducted five successful spacewalks during their STS-125 flight to enhance and extend the life of the orbiting observatory.

"This mission highlights what the challenges of spaceflight can bring out in human beings," said Bill Gerstenmaier, associate administrator for Space Operations at NASA Headquarters in Washington. "This mission required the absolute best from the shuttle team, the Hubble science and repair teams, and the crew. The results are a tribute to the entire team and the years of preparation."

Atlantis' nearly 13-day mission of almost 5.3 million miles rejuvenated Hubble with state-of-the-art science instruments designed to improve the telescope's discovery capabilities by as much as 70 times, while extending its lifetime through at least 2014.

"This is not the end of the story but the beginning of another chapter of discovery by Hubble," said Ed Weiler, associate administrator for Science at NASA Headquarters. "Hubble will be more powerful than ever, continue to surprise, enlighten, and inspire us all and pave the way for the next generation of observatories."

Scott Altman commanded the shuttle flight and was joined by Pilot Gregory C. Johnson and Mission Specialists Megan McArthur, John Grunsfeld, Mike Massimino, Andrew Feustel and Michael Good. McArthur served as the flight engineer and lead for robotic arm operations, while the remaining mission specialists paired up for challenging spacewalks on Hubble.

Weather concerns prevented the crew from returning to NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, the primary end-of-mission landing site. In seven to 10 days, Atlantis will be transported approximately 2,500 miles from California to Florida on the back of a modified 747 jumbo jet. Once at Kennedy, the shuttle will be separated from the aircraft to begin processing for its next flight, targeted for November 2009.

The STS-125 mission was the 126th shuttle flight, the 30th for Atlantis and the second of five planned for 2009. Hubble was delivered to space on April 24, 1990, on the STS-31 mission. Atlantis' landing at Edwards was the 53rd shuttle landing to occur at the desert air base.

Hubble has enabled a number of ground-breaking discoveries during its time in orbit. They include determining the age of the universe to be 13.7 billion years; finding that virtually all major galaxies have black holes at their center; discovering that the process of planetary formation is relatively common; detecting the first-ever organic molecule in the atmosphere of a planet orbiting another star; and providing evidence the expansion of the universe is accelerating because of an unknown force that makes up approximately 72 percent of the matter-energy content in the universe.

With Atlantis and its crew safely home, the focus will shift to the launch of STS-127, targeted for June 13. Endeavour's 16-day flight will deliver a new station crew member and complete construction of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency's Kibo laboratory. Astronauts will attach a platform to the outside of the Japanese module that will serve as a type of "back porch" for experiments that require direct exposure to space.

For information about NASA's Hubble Space Telescope, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/hubble

For more about the STS-125 mission and the upcoming STS-127 flight, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/shuttle


SOURCE NASA

Maggie Wins by a Squeaker

Nearly 1 Million Votes Cast Rivals 1992 Elvis Vote

WASHINGTON, May 21 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Maggie Simpson, a character of few words other than the sucking of her pacifier now has something to shout about. The youngest member of the Fox hit series, THE SIMPSONS, beat her dad, Homer, by ("D'oh!"), by more than 8,000 ballots as the favorite Simpsons stamp in an online vote that took place at www.usps.com between April 7 and May 14. Of the more than 916,000 votes cast, Bart came in third, followed by Marge and Lisa.

THE SIMPSONS stamps were issued nationwide May 7 and dedicated at the Twentieth Century Fox Studios in Los Angeles where THE SIMPSONS Creator and Executive Producer, Matt Groening, and Executive Producer, James L. Brooks, were joined by other members of the iconic television series. Winner of 24 Emmy Awards, a Peabody Award and a multitude of other accolades, this historic series starring the five family members is currently the longest-running primetime comedy in television history and is celebrating its 20th Anniversary throughout 2009.


Votes Percentage
Maggie 272,235 29.7
Homer 264,038 28.8
Bart 172,867 18.9
Marge 106,214 11.6
Lisa 101,573 11.1
-------
Total
916,927

Will the Simpsons dethrone the King?

The 916,927 votes fall short of the 1.1 million votes received in 1992 when America voted for a "younger vs. older" Elvis stamp image, with the younger winning by a three-to-one margin. The Elvis vote took place prior to the internet. Customers voted by mailing in post cards obtained at Post Offices. The younger Elvis stamp was issued in 1993.

"Elvis remains as the most popular stamp among collectors, but the response to The Simpsons indicates that the King might have some competition," said U.S. Postal Service Executive Director, Stamp Services, David Failor. "We've printed one billion Simpsons stamps, nearly double those printed for Elvis, so only time will tell how they rank in history."

"When we take a look back at all the various extensions of The Simpsons over the past 20 years, there is a long-standing tradition of campaigns that standout as gamechangers, and this was certainly one of the best!" said Elie Dekel Executive Vice President for Fox Licensing and Merchandising.

To promote The Simpsons stamps, the Postal Service issued an "April Fools Day" news release announcing the news of the stamps. On April 7, the stamp images were previewed on the Postal Service's website and customers could pre-order products. Individuals visiting the site were encouraged to "vote early and often -- it's the American way." The site also provided details of a sweepstakes to win one of 25 Simpsons posters autographed by Matt Groening. To order the stamps and related products, visit this link: http://tinyurl.com/pz5tdu.

ABOUT THE SIMPSONS

The Simpsons, which airs Sundays (8:00-8:30 PM ET/PT), is the longest running primetime sitcom in television history. The Simpsons exploded into a cultural phenomenon in 1990 and has remained one of the most groundbreaking and innovative entertainment franchises, recognizable throughout the world. Cartoonist Matt Groening created the infamous Simpson family: Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa and Maggie Simpson -- all now identifiable by their silhouettes alone.

The series aired their historic 400th episode in May 2007, followed by the successful The Simpsons Movie in July 2007. In 2000 the show received a Star on The Hollywood Walk of Fame, and in Spring 2008 The Simpsons Ride opened at Universal Studios in Orlando, Florida and Hollywood, CA. "Best. 20 Years. Ever.," a year-long global celebration honoring all things THE SIMPSONS, recently launched and will culminate on January 14, 2010, the 20th anniversary of the series' debut.

The Simpsons is a Gracie Films Production in association with 20th Century Fox Television. James L. Brooks, Matt Groening, and Al Jean are the Executive Producers. Film Roman is the animation house.

ABOUT TWENTIETH CENTURY FOX LICENSING & MERCHANDISING

A recognized industry leader, Twentieth Century Fox Licensing and Merchandising licenses and markets properties worldwide on behalf of Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation, Twentieth Television and Fox Broadcasting Company, as well as third party lines. The division is aligned with Twentieth Century Fox Television, one of the top suppliers of primetime entertainment programming to the broadcast networks.

An independent federal agency, the U.S. Postal Service is the only delivery service that reaches every address in the nation, 149 million residences, businesses and Post Office Boxes, six days a week. It has 34,000 retail locations and relies on the sale of postage, products and services, not tax dollars, to pay for operating expenses. Named the Most Trusted Government Agency five consecutive years by the Ponemon Institute, the Postal Service has annual revenue of $75 billion and delivers nearly half the world's mail. To learn about the history of the Postal Service visit the Smithsonian's National Postal Museum: www.postalmuseum.si.edu.


SOURCE U.S. Postal Service

Project Vote Denounces Minnesota Governor's Veto of 'Motor Voter' Law

WASHINGTON, May 22 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- On Thursday, May 21, Minnesota's Republican governor Tim Pawlenty vetoed the 21st Century Voter Registration Law (HF1053/SF 0660), which would have expanded the popular "motor voter" law to provide automatic voter registration for any eligible Minnesotans who apply for or renew their driver's licenses, instruction permits, or identification cards. Today Michael Slater, executive director of the voting rights group Project Vote, issued the following statement in response:

"At a time when many states and the United States Congress are considering ways to modernize America's antiquated voter registration system, Governor Pawlenty's veto is a disappointing step backwards for Minnesota voters. In rejecting this important election reform -- despite overwhelming support for the bill from Minnesota's House, Senate, and secretary of state -- Gov. Pawlenty has indicated that he is not interested in making it easier for eligible Minnesotans to register to vote.

"Secretary of State Mark Ritchie said that this law would streamline and increase voter registration, reduce bottlenecks at the polls on Election Day, and save taxpayer money. In a letter announcing his veto to Ritchie and legislative leaders, however, Pawlenty said that 'registration to vote should be a voluntary, intentional act.'

"We disagree. Voting should be a voluntary, intentional act, but eligible voters should not have to climb over administrative hurdles on their way to the voting booths. The United States, in fact, is the only major democracy that places the burden of registering to vote almost entirely on the individual, not on the government; this is one of the most critical reasons America has one of the lowest registration and participation rates of any democratic nation. It is also why community organizations are burdened with the task of conducting expensive and difficult voter registration drives to reach unregistered voters, who are disproportionately low-income, minority, and younger voters. A 2007 study by Project Vote found that as many as 21 percent of Minnesota's eligible voters remained unregistered, or over three-quarters of a million of Gov. Pawlenty's constituents.

"In drafting and passing the 21st Century Voter Registration Law, Minnesota's lawmakers recognized that it is time for this outdated and ineffective system to change, and tried to ensure a truly democratic future for all Minnesotans. We are saddened that, with his backwards-looking veto, Gov. Pawlenty wants to maintain the broken status quo, keep hundreds of thousands of Minnesotans off the rolls, and deny the state the opportunity to be at the forefront of the movement for universal voter registration."

Project Vote is a national nonpartisan, nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization that works to engage low-income, minority, youth, and other historically disenfranchised or underrepresented Americans in the democratic process. Since 1982 Project Vote has developed state-of-the-art voter registration and Get-Out-the-Vote programs, and has helped more than 5.6 million Americans apply to register to vote. Today, Project Vote is a national leader on improving the administration of elections, working through research, litigation, and advocacy to ensure that our constituencies can register to vote, vote and have their vote counted.


SOURCE Project Vote

Dr. Joseph Sweere Receives Educator of the Year Award

EDINA, Minn., May 22 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Minnesota Chiropractic Association (MCA) recognized Dr. Joseph Sweere as the educator of the year. During the MCA convention and awards ceremony Sweere was honored for his unselfish dedication to public education and the advancement of Chiropractic.

Dr. Sweere is a professor in the Department of Clinical Sciences at Northwestern Health Sciences University. As chairman of the Department of Occupational Health at Northwestern, he is also a postgraduate faculty member of ten chiropractic colleges. Dr. Sweere was the coordinator and principle instructor of postdoctoral orthopedics at Northwestern from 1976 through 1979 and from 1996-1999. He also was the principle investigator for the Viracon Project, an industrial spinal injury prevention program from 1980-86.

"Dr. Sweere is a model of excellence who tirelessly champions chiropractic education for the profession as well as the public" said Dr. Christopher Jo, MCA President.

Dr. Sweere is a recognized figure in the natural care field. He's lectured in 44 states and eight countries. He serves as a columnist for several health-related publications and has authored professional papers in a wide variety of journals and trade magazines. He's the author of "The Golden Rules for Vibrant Health, in Body, Mind and Spirit -- A Holistic Approach to Health and Wellness."

About Minnesota Chiropractic Association

Created in 1927, the Minnesota Chiropractic Association is the only professional organization in Minnesota that solely represents the chiropractic professional on a multi-level and integrated service basis.

CHIROPRACTIC FACT SHEET

Here are some interesting facts about this non-invasive and drug-free approach to health care.

Chiropractic is the largest, most regulated, and best recognized of the complementary and alternative medicine professions. -- American Chiropractic Association

Chiropractic does not utilize drugs or surgery.

A doctor of chiropractic requires a minimum of six years of college and clinic internship before receiving a license, and must pass national and state examinations.

A study, published by the Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics, has shown chiropractic to be more cost-effective than medical treatment when it comes to chronic low back pain.

Chiropractic treatment is a covered benefit in many traditional insurance policies. According to some reports, as many as 87 percent of all insured American workers have coverage for chiropractic services in their health care plans. -- American Chiropractic Association

A major four-year study in the United States, published in the American Medical Association journal The Archives of Internal Medicine, concluded that medical benefit plan members with chiropractic coverage returned to work faster, had lower claim costs and experienced fewer interventions such as MRIs compared to plan members without chiropractic benefits.

The federal government provides chiropractic benefits for veterans, military personnel and Medicare patients. -- American Chiropractic Association

A pilot study, published in the Journal of Vertebral Subluxation Research, suggests that chiropractic care may help adults suffering from concentration problems and attention deficit disorder (ADD).

A Chicago-area study of 50 individuals with misaligned Atlas vertebrae (located high in the neck) documents reduced blood pressure following one specialized chiropractic "adjustment" and continued results after eight weeks. The Foundation for Chiropractic Progress points out that these results are equal to taking two blood-pressure drugs simultaneously.


CONTACT: Debra Hurston
952-882-9411


SOURCE Minnesota Chiropractic Association

Statement from Center for Responsible Lending President Mike Calhoun in Response to President Obama's May 20, 2009 Memo on Federal Preemption of State

WASHINGTON, May 22 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The following is a statement from Center for Responsible Lending President Mike Calhoun in response to President Obama's May 20, 2009 memo on federal preemption of state laws:

"We applaud President Obama for reaffirming the important role of state law in protecting consumers.

To that end, we call on federal banking regulators to withdraw their misguided and harmful preemption policy so that state regulators can once again protect their residents from unfair and deceptive financial products. We needn't look further than the current mortgage meltdown for evidence that federal preemption in the financial arena has been unwise and detrimental for tens of millions of American families. The inability of states to enforce their own consumer protection laws - even as federal regulators stood idly by - was a major factor in the reckless lending that has cost taxpayers trillions of dollars.

Federal protections should be a floor, not a ceiling, that allow state officials to take further steps if needed to curb the kind of abusive practices at the root of economic problems we now face. National and state laws are both needed if we're to provide, in the president's words, 'independent safeguards for the public.'"


SOURCE Center for Responsible Lending

Governor Rendell Seeks Comments on Plan to Use Stimulus Funds to Help Low-Income Residents

$42 Million Available to Assist With Housing Services, Job Training

HARRISBURG, Pa., May 22 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Pennsylvania's plan to empower low-income families and communities with $42 million from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, or ARRA, is now available for public review and comment through May 28, Governor Edward G. Rendell said today.

The plan, available online at www.recovery.pa.gov under the "Announcements" section, describes Pennsylvania's intended use of the Community Services Block Grant, or CSBG, program funding provided as part of the federal recovery act. The additional $42 million will supplement current CSBG funding to combat root causes of poverty and revitalize communities. The funds will be administered Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development.

"The national recession has created hardships for families all across the state, often through no fault of their own," said Governor Rendell. "As an increasing number of Pennsylvanians are affected, this additional funding will help community organizations continue their efforts to provide assistance to those who need it most."

The ARRA CSBG funds will be focused on certain priority areas, which include: supportive services and housing; financial literacy training; job training; job creation, including micro-enterprise development and entrepreneurship training; integration of immigrant communities, including job related English language training; and outreach to clients unlikely to be aware of the programs.

The grant funds will benefit 44 organizations - 42 Community Action Agencies and two Limited Purpose Agencies - which provide anti-poverty services in all 67 counties.

To ensure equitable distribution, the CSBG Recovery Act funds will be distributed to the 44 eligible entities based on straight percentage increases to the regular CSBG funding formula allocations.

Prior to the execution of grants, all eligible entities are required to submit detailed work plans and budgets.

Written comments should be directed to JamesEtta Reed, director of DCED's Center for Community Empowerment; at jareed@state.pa.us or at 400 North St., 4th Floor, Harrisburg, PA 17120.

Governor Rendell is committed to ensuring that the public is able to monitor and provide feedback on how federal recovery dollars are being used by providing news, up-to-date information and regular reports on www.recovery.pa.gov.

For more information and details on Governor Rendell's 2009-10 budget proposal to provide relief to struggling families and spark an economic recovery, visit www.pa.gov.

The Rendell administration is committed to creating a first-rate public education system, protecting our most vulnerable citizens and continuing economic investment to support our communities and businesses. To find out more about Governor Rendell's initiatives and to sign up for his weekly newsletter, visit www.governor.state.pa.us.

EDITOR'S NOTE: A list of eligible entities for CSBG funds, including their respective service areas, follows:


Community Services Block Grant Agencies


Southeast Region

Bucks County Opportunity Council

Community Action Agency of Delaware County

Montgomery County Community Action Development Commission

Mayor's Office of Community Services (Philadelphia)

Chester County Department of Community Development


Northeast Region

Carbon County Action Committee for Human Services

Commission on Economic Opportunity of Luzerne County

Community Action Committee of the Lehigh Valley, Inc. (Lehigh and Northampton counties)

Berks Community Action Program, Inc.

Schuylkill Community Action

Scranton-Lackawanna Human Development Agency

Trehab, Inc. (Bradford, Tioga, Wayne, Sullivan, Susquehanna, and Wyoming counties)

Monroe County Commissioners (Pike and Monroe counties)


Central Region

Community Action Program of Lancaster County

Community Progress Council, Inc. (York County)

South Central Community Action Programs, Inc. (Adams and Franklin counties)

Community Action Commission (Cumberland, Dauphin, and Perry counties)

Lebanon County Community Action Partnership

Blair County Community Action Agency

Community Action Partnership of Cambria County

Central Pennsylvania Community Action, Inc. (Centre and Clearfield counties)

Lycoming-Clinton Counties Commission for Community Action

Tableland Services, Inc. d/b/a Community Action Partnership of Somerset County

Union-Snyder Community Action Agency (also serves Mifflin and Juniata counties)

Center for Community Action (Bedford, Fulton, and Huntington counties)

Central Susquehanna Opportunities, Inc. (Columbia, Northumberland, and Montour counties)


Southwest Region

Allegheny County Department of Human Services

Armstrong County Community Action Agency

Fayette County Community Action Agency

Pittsburgh Community Services, Inc.

Indiana County Community Action Program

Community Action Southwest (Washington and Greene counties)

Westmoreland Community Action

Community Services Program of Beaver County

Butler County Community Action and Development


Northwest Region

Greater Erie Community Action Committee

Community Action, Inc. (Jefferson and Clarion counties)

Community Action Partnership of Mercer County

Northern Tier Community Action Corporation (McKean, Potter, Elk and Cameron counties)

Venango/Crawford Counties Office of Economic Opportunity

Warren/Forest Counties Economic Opportunity Council

Lawrence County Community Action Partnership

Limited Purpose Agencies

Central

Pathstone Corporation (statewide)

Community Action Association of Pennsylvania (statewide)

CONTACT:
Luke Webber (DCED)
717-783-1132

Barry Ciccocioppo
717-783-1116


SOURCE Pennsylvania Office of the Governor

Summer Celebration for Internationally Bestselling Children's Author Richard Scarry

June 5 is the Anniversary of Beloved Author and Illustrator's 90th Birthday

NEW YORK, May 22 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- June 5, 2009 is the anniversary of Richard Scarry's 90th birthday. One of the bestselling children's authors of all time, his books have delighted generations of children with their funny, detailed and panoramic look at a variety of people, places and experiences.

Though he passed away in 1994, Richard Scarry has never been more popular or better loved by readers. A prolific artist, he created more than 300 books that have sold over 200 million copies worldwide and been translated into 30 languages.

For 90 days in June, July and August, teachers, librarians, booksellers, and fans both young and old are encouraged to celebrate Richard Scarry's life and work by having "A Very Scarry Summer." Sterling Publishing Co., Inc. will be offering a sweepstakes to win eight Richard Scarry books, downloadable games and puzzles, special remembrances and stories about the artist and his books, and fascinating facts about favorite characters like Huckle Cat, Lowly Worm, and detectives Sam Cat and Dudley Pig at their website: www.sterlingpublishing.com/kids/a-summer-of-scarry.

"I'm not interested in creating a book that is read once and then placed on the shelf and forgotten," Richard Scarry once said. "I am very happy when people write that they have worn out my books, or that they are held together by Scotch tape. I consider that the ultimate compliment." Considering the propensity of Scarry's preschool-age readership to ask for their favorite books again and again, it's a compliment he must have received often.

Scarry began his career as a freelance illustrator, drawing pictures to accompany the text of books by children's authors such as Margaret Wise Brown, Kathryn Jackson, and Patricia Murphy (who became Patricia Scarry when she married Richard in 1949).

But it was the 1963 publication of Richard Scarry's Best Word Book Ever that put Scarry on bestseller lists, and established his signature style. With a keen eye for absurd human behavior, Scarry populated his books with polite, well-mannered animals who engaged in a dizzying array of individual activities, and his subsequent books were dense with slapstick and visual humor.

"I think that what I still admire the most about my father is that he always remained true to himself. He had the wisdom and sensitivity to retain a childlike character all his life," Huck Scarry, Richard Scarry's son, commented. "My father always attached great importance on making sure that children also learned the secret of good manners and nice behavior, as well as learning social concepts like sharing. He wanted to give children a feeling of confidence and of well-being in a happy world, bubbling over with funny and fascinating things. My father was a great lover of life, and he loved living. I think his books reflect that. The pages are as remarkably alive today as the day they were drawn."

Richard Scarry considered himself an entertainer disguised as an educator and few children's book authors have equaled him in that role. "Everything has an educational value if you look for it," he once said. "But it's the fun I want to get across."

Sterling Publishing Co., Inc., in conjunction with JB Communications, Inc., is proud to be bringing back many of the books that express that fine ethos: Richard Scarry's Great Big Schoolhouse, Richard Scarry's Find Your ABC's, Richard Scarry's Peasant Pig and the Terrible Dragon, Richard Scarry's The Great Pie Robbery and Other Mysteries, Richard Scarry's Colors, Richard Scarry's This is Me, Richard Scarry's Shapes & Opposites and Richard Scarry's From 1 to 10.

ABOUT STERLING PUBLISHING CO., INC.:

For 60 years, Sterling has been one of the world's leading publishers of non-fiction books. We strive to publish high-quality books that educate, entertain, and enrich the lives of our readers. We have the reach of a major publisher with the passion and creativity of an independent press. Sterling is a wholly owned subsidiary of Barnes & Noble, Inc.

Contact information:

Derry Wilkens
dwilkens@sterlingpublishing.com
646.688.2412

For more information about this or other Sterling Publishing children's books, go to www.sterlingpublishing.com/kids.


SOURCE Sterling Publishing

Hubble Servicing Crew Set to Return to Earth Friday

NASA Logo. (PRNewsFoto/NASA)

WASHINGTON, DC UNITED STATES

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla., May 21 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The seven astronauts who upgraded NASA's Hubble Space Telescope are expected to return to Earth aboard space shuttle Atlantis on Friday after an 11-day mission. The two landing opportunities at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida are at 10 a.m. and 11:39 a.m. EDT.

(Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20081007/38461LOGO)

NASA flight directors will evaluate weather conditions at Kennedy before permitting Atlantis and its crew to land. If weather prevents a return to Kennedy on Friday, the backup landing site at Edwards Air Force Base in California will be activated Saturday for consideration as well. For recorded updated information about landing, call 321-867-2525.

Approximately two hours after landing, NASA officials will hold a media briefing to discuss the mission. The participants will be:

Ed Weiler, associate administrator for the Science Mission Directorate at NASA Headquarters in Washington
Mike Moses, launch integration manager for NASA's Johnson Space Center, Houston
Mike Leinbach, space shuttle launch director, Kennedy

After touchdown in Florida, the astronauts will undergo physical examinations and meet with their families. The STS-125 crew is expected to hold a news conference about four and a half hours after landing Friday. Both news events will be broadcast live on NASA Television.

The Kennedy news center will open for landing activities at 6 a.m. Friday and close at 5 p.m. or one hour after the last media event.

The STS-125 media badges are in effect through landing. The media accreditation building on State Road 3 will be open Friday from 5:30 a.m. to 8 a.m. The last bus will depart from the news center for the Shuttle Landing Facility one hour before landing.

If the landing is diverted to Edwards, news media should call the Dryden public affairs office at 661-276-3449. Dryden has limited facilities available for use by previously accredited journalists.

The NASA News Twitter feed is updated throughout the shuttle mission and landing. To access the NASA News feed and other agency Twitter feeds, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/collaborate

For NASA TV downlink information, schedules and links to streaming video, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/ntv

For the latest information about the STS-125 mission and accomplishments, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/shuttle

For information about Hubble, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/hubble


SOURCE NASA

Texas Brushfires Heat Up Debate on Roadway Support Materials

IRVING, Texas, May 21 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The following is being released by American Concrete Pipe Association:

The horrific brushfires last month located northwest of the greater Dallas/Fort Worth area -- where the entire town of Stoneburg was burned over by a 25,000-acre fire -- have quickly brought to light a debate regarding the use of certain drainage materials under roadways. The small town, with only about 100 residents, was designed with only two thoroughfares for evacuation: FM 1806 and US 81. FM 1806 collapsed when three plastic culverts, used for drainage and support for the road, ignited and melted sending one unsuspecting truck driver into the newly formed crater with significant injuries and a totaled truck. Also, a fire truck lodged in the collapsed roadway sustaining a broken axle and leaving only one main evacuation route out of the region.

"I cannot believe that plastic pipe [high density polyethylene pipe or 'HDPE'] can be used in this setting," said Jason Ratliff of FX5 Construction and Excavation, the truck driver who fell into the ditch. "I do not understand how a product that catches fire and continues to burn can be used in an area so receptive to brushfire." HDPE is sometimes substituted for conventional concrete culverts in roadway construction where storm water pipelines serve as underground support. HDPE is a petroleum-based plastic that is combustible.

Ratliff left work late afternoon on April 9 and was heading to Stoneburg to try and save his cousin's livestock from being harmed in the fire. As he approached FM 1806, there was thick black smoke everywhere. "All of the sudden, I could not see and I felt the truck, with me in it, falling forward into the ditch," said Ratliff. Ratliff suffered a broken nose, black eyes and bruised ribs -- $20,000 total in medical bills.

Daniel Case, an "unofficial" Stoneburg volunteer firefighter, used a backhoe to lift Ratliff's truck out of the ditch to safety. "I do not think HDPE should be utilized under roads," said Case. "It should never have been used here in the first place." Later that afternoon, a Bowie Volunteer Fire Department truck drove into the culvert breaking an axle worth an estimated $40,000 in repairs.

Brushfires are common experiences to many Texans and are happening more closely to homes. According to the Texas Forest Service, "Over the last two years, 85% of the wildfires in Texas have occurred within two miles of a community .... [It is] quickly being understood that wild land fires are not just a problem for rural homeowners."(1) Using combustible materials in high fire-risk areas or in evacuation routes for natural disasters could prove harmful to the health and safety of the American public. For more information regarding safe and efficient storm drainage systems, go to http://www.concrete-pipe.org/marketing.htm.


(1) http://txforestservice.tamu.edu/


SOURCE American Concrete Pipe Association

National Memorial Day Parade in DC May 25th

DC SCHOOL MARCHING BANDS, GARY SINISE, MILITARY BANDS, ERNEST BORGNINE, LEE GREENWOOD

WASHINGTON, May 21 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The National Memorial Day Parade presented by the American Veterans Center will take place Monday, May 25, 2009 at 2:00 PM along Constitution Avenue between 7th and 17th Streets NW in Washington, DC.What started six years ago is now an annual event along Constitution Avenue and the largest Memorial Day parade in the nation. The parade will feature a special tribute to the U.S. Navy, and include Navy vet and Oscar winner Ernest Borgnine, fellow actors and veterans' supporters Gary Sinise and Joe Mantegna, and music star Lee Greenwood. Also participating is Edith Shain, the nurse from the famous "VJ Day in Times Square" kiss photo.

Honorary Parade Marshal Bob Feller, Major League Baseball Hall of Fame pitcher and veteran of the USS Alabama in World War II will throw out the first pitch, meet fans and sign autographs at the Nationals baseball game at Nationals Park in Washington, DC Sunday, May 24th as part of the run up to Monday's parade. Despite being one of the game's premier pitchers, Feller immediately enlisted in the Navy the day following the attack on Pearl Harbor, serving in combat aboard the Alabama in the Atlantic and Pacific Theaters of the war. Feller will be at the Main Concourse at the new Nationals Park from the top of the 2nd inning until the bottom of the 4th inning.

"We are proud and honored to present this annual tribute to our military veterans," said Jim Roberts, Chairman of the American Veterans Center. "The Memorial Day Parade is a chance for Washingtonians, guests, visitors and tourists to celebrate, thank, and honor our nation's heroes."

For nearly 70 years, the nation's capital and headquarters of our military, was without a parade on our Armed Services' most sacred day. In 2005, the American Veterans Center brought this great tradition back to Washington, DC by creating the National Memorial Day Parade.

To schedule interviews with parade organizers or parade marshals and participants, please call Tim Holbert at (703) 302-1012 ext. 220 or Cheri Jacobus at (202) 547-7458. For more information, visit www.nationalmemorialdayparade.com.


SOURCE American Veterans Center

Pew Analysis Shows Senate Bill Would Curb Billions in Credit Card Penalty Charges

Lawmakers Urged to Include "Cure Periods" in Final Credit Card Legislation

WASHINGTON, May 20 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- A full 82 percent of credit cards allow penalty interest rate hikes that could last indefinitely, giving responsible cardholders no right to return to the originally agreed upon interest rate, according to a new issue brief from The Pew Charitable Trusts' Safe Credit Cards Project. A unique Senate proposal known as a "cure period" will help curb penalty interest charges that add billions to Americans' credit card debt. Pew's analysis, available at www.pewtrusts.org/creditcards, also found:

Americans are on track to pay credit card penalty interest charges of more than $7 billion annually.

The median allowable penalty rate was 28 percent (double the average non-penalty rate), adding $500 in penalties per year to a typical cardholder's account.

Both the U.S. House and Senate recently passed legislation that will halt many harmful and widely used credit card practices. But only the Senate bill contains a "cure period" that will ensure that cardholders have the opportunity to return to their original interest rate after six months of on-time payments. The cure period would significantly curb penalty interest charges.

"Hardworking families shouldn't be penalized indefinitely, month after month, simply for making a late payment," said Nick Bourke, manager of Pew's Safe Credit Cards Project. "The cure period in the Senate bill gives consumers the ability to earn back a fair interest rate by making consistent, on-time payments. This is a common sense provision that helps ensure that both credit card companies and consumers are using credit responsibly; and it is critical that a cure period be part of the final bill signed into law."

The Pew Safe Credit Cards Project studied all credit cards offered online by the largest 12 issuers, which control nearly 90 percent of outstanding credit card debt in America. This study included more than 400 credit cards. The Project specifically examined the consumer cost of penalty interest rates, which are imposed by credit card issuers on existing and future balances when a payment is received late. In 82 percent of cases, the higher interest rate can apply for as long as the consumer owns the card.

"By preserving the cure period in the final credit card bill, Congress can throw a lifeline to consumers who are struggling to pay their debts responsibly," said Bourke. "The cure period is essential to comprehensive credit card reform and we strongly urge congressional leaders to include this provision in the final version of the bill sent to President Obama."

The Pew Safe Credit Cards Project (www.pewtrusts.org/creditcards) develops and promotes standards for consumer-friendly credit cards to help ensure the financial security of all Americans. The project, which is operated by The Pew Charitable Trusts, developed the Standards in partnership with the Sandler Foundation.

The Pew Charitable Trusts is driven by the power of knowledge to solve today's most challenging problems. Pew applies a rigorous, analytical approach to improve public policy, inform the public and stimulate civic life. We partner with a diverse range of donors, public and private organizations and concerned citizens who share our commitment to fact-based solutions and goal-driven investments to improve society.


SOURCE Pew Charitable Trusts' Safe Credit Cards Project

U.S. Members of Congress Introduce Legislation on Argentine Debt and Court Defaults

Rep. Eric Massa of New York, A Close Friend of Argentina, Leads Effort to Resolve Outstanding Debt with Judgment Evading Foreign States Accountability Act of 2009

WASHINGTON, May 20 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- American Task Force Argentina (ATFA), a coalition of more than 40 taxpayer, investor, educator, Latino and agriculture organizations, today commended members of the U.S. House of Representatives for introducing legislation imposing stiff penalties on wealthy and middle-income nations that, like Argentina, refuse to honor obligations to U.S. creditors.

The effort is being led by Representative Eric Massa, a Democrat from New York State who was raised in Argentina while his father served as U.S. Naval Attache in Buenos Aires. Also introducing the legislation were Representatives Paul Tonko (D-NY), Robert Wexler (D-FL), Timothy Bishop (D-NY), Carolyn Maloney (D-NY), Dan Maffei (D-NY), and Mike McMahon (D-NY).

The bill, H.R. 2493, called the Judgment Evading Foreign States Accountability Act of 2009, would bar from U.S. capital markets any nation that has been in default of U.S. court judgments totaling more than $100 million for more than two years. The legislation would also require the U.S. government to consider the default status of these countries before granting them aid.

"Argentina is ignoring billions of dollars in U.S. court judgments, which has hurt not just U.S. citizens, but also Argentine citizens," said ATFA Executive Director Robert Raben. "U.S. taxpayers are still waiting to be repaid money they lent to Argentina in good faith. At the same time, Argentina is saddled with the reputation of a deadbeat because their government defaults on court judgments. This legislation should pave the way for a fair resolution for both countries."

In 2001, Argentina defaulted on $81 billion in obligations to investors - the largest sovereign debt default in history. In 2005, Argentina offered bondholders 27 cents on the dollar for outstanding debt, far below the international norm for sovereign debt restructurings. Argentina repudiated its debts to the 50 percent of foreign lenders who declined the offer. U.S. courts have ruled in favor of these "holdout" bondholders in numerous cases, but the Argentine government has refused to repay its debts, choosing to default on those judgments.

"President Kirchner has said several times she's prepared to negotiate with bondholders, but we've seen no action whatsoever," Raben said. "Argentina has $45 billion in reserves and can afford to pay its $3.5 billion in debts to U.S. bondholders many times over. It's time to resolve this issue for the benefit of both nations."

A team of Argentine economists concluded in 2006 that Argentina's default status causes the nation to lose more than $6 billion in foreign direct investment every year. The U.S. State Department warned in February 2009 that Argentina's unresolved debts, and the resulting court judgments, have created a risky climate for U.S. investors.

Argentina's refusal to resolve its outstanding debts may be setting a precedent in the region. Ecuador in recent months defaulted on more than $3.8 billion in obligations to foreign investors, citing Argentina as a model.

The legislation introduced today is intended to encourage responsible lending, support the rule of law and improve international accountability by:

Denying Argentina and other foreign states that have been in default of U.S. court judgments exceeding $100 million for more than two years access to U.S. capital markets;

Denying domestic corporations of such judgment evading foreign state that remain in default for more than three years access to the U.S. capital markets;

Requiring the U.S. government to consider the default status of countries before granting them aid; and

Requiring the Secretary of the Treasury to issue annual reports naming these states and analyzing the impact of their behavior on the U.S. economy.

The legislation would not affect poor nations, including those eligible for International Development Association financing or relief through the World Bank's Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) Initiative or the Multilateral Debt Relief Initiative.

Made up of an alliance of organizations, ATFA's leadership includes Executive Director Robert Raben, a former Assistant Attorney General at the U.S. Department of Justice, and is co-chaired by The Honorable Robert J. Shapiro, former Under Secretary of Commerce for Economic Affairs in the Clinton Administration, and Ambassador Nancy Soderberg, Ambassador at the U.S. Mission to the United Nations in New York from 1997 to 2001.

For additional information, please visit our website at www.atfa.org, or contact media@atfa.org, or +1-888-662-2382.


SOURCE American Task Force Argentina

NASA Flight Facility Successfully Launches Nanosatellite

NASA Logo. (PRNewsFoto/NASA)

WASHINGTON, DC UNITED STATES

WALLOPS ISLAND, Va., May 20 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- NASA's PharmaSat nanosatellite successfully launched at 7:55 p.m. EDT Tuesday from NASA's Wallops Flight Facility and the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport located at Wallops Island, Va. PharmaSat rode to orbit aboard a four-stage Air Force Minotaur 1 rocket. Also aboard were the Air Force Research Laboratory's TacSat-3 satellite and other NASA CubeSat Technology Demonstration experiments, which include three four-inch cubed satellites developed by universities and industry.

(Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20081007/38461LOGO)

PharmaSat will investigate the effects of antifungal agents on the growth of yeast in microgravity. This research could improve understanding of how microbes may become resistant to the drugs used to treat sick astronauts on long-duration space missions.

"After a spectacular launch as a hitchhiker on the TacSat-3 mission, we made contact with PharmaSat and confirmed that the spacecraft deployed successfully," said Bruce Yost, PharmaSat mission manager at NASA's Ames Research Center in Moffett Field, Calif. "The PharmaSat mission and science teams are now preparing to complete the experiment on the yeast cultures."

Approximately 20 minutes after launch, PharmaSat separated from the Minotaur 1 rocket and entered low Earth orbit at an altitude of approximately 285 miles. About an hour after launch, NASA spaceflight engineers made contact with PharmaSat. After a spacecraft checkout period, ground controllers will command PharmaSat to initiate its biological experiment, which will last approximately 96 hours.

Now that PharmaSat is activated and has begun transmitting radio signals to ground control stations at SRI International in Menlo Park, Calif., and Santa Clara University in California, it will send mission data to the NASA Mission Management Team at NASA's Ames Research Center. The nanosatellite could transmit data for as long as six months.

The TacSat-3 launch was the third Minotaur vehicle launched from the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport's launch pad 0B on the southern end of Wallops Island. Air Force Space Command's Space and Missile Systems Center's Space Development and Test Wing at Kirtland AFB, N.M., has overall management of the mission.

The Exploration Technology Development Program in NASA's Exploration Systems Mission Directorate at NASA Headquarters in Washington funded the PharmaSat project.

For information about PharmaSat, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/smallsats/pharmasat.html

For more information about NASA and agency programs, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov


SOURCE NASA

Lawyer-Mathematician Heads Booming Art School

SARASOTA, Fla., May 20 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- He's a lawyer and mathematician amidst hundreds of creative types.

It's a strange juxtaposition, but it seems to work for Dr. Larry R. Thompson. He is marking his 10th year as president of Ringling College of Art and Design in Sarasota, FL. In the past three years, the 77-year-old college has expanded from six majors to 14, and from 800 students to more than 1200 today.

But he's motivated by more than growth. He talks fervently and frequently about harnessing the nation's creative energy, such as the creativity all around him, because "if we can infuse the world of business with it, we can jump-start our economy."

Another of his goals is to bury what he calls "the myth of the starving artist."

Toward those goals, Dr. Thompson launched a first-in-the-nation program called "The Business of Art and Design." It's a four-year curriculum that he is convinced will produce the business leaders of tomorrow. Says Dr. Wanda Chavez, lead faculty member of the new program, "the art and design degree is in some ways the quintessential business degree.

"It's the first to integrate the study of business and the study of studio art and design -- marrying the right and left brain into one practice," says Dr. Chavez.

Ringling College is located at 2700 N. Tamiami Trail, Sarasota FL 34234. Telephone 941/359-7594. Email clange@ringling.edu. FOR PHONE OR OTHER INTERVIEW, PLEASE CONTACT Ron Smith, rts941@verizon.net, or 888/730-6630.


SOURCE Ringling College of Art and Design

Shop Till You Drop - at the Post Office?

Purchase Discounted Merchandise While Shipping Packages, Buying Stamps

WASHINGTON, May 19 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- 'Tis the season for graduations, weddings and birthdays. So get ready for all those summer gift-giving occasions by stocking up on USPS.-branded products now on sale in Post Office lobbies across the country.

Everyone can use a little help in the current economy. This month, select in-stock items such as matted and framed artwork, plush toys and stationery are available at a 30 percent discount.

Why has the Postal Service become the bearer of these discounted delights? To better meet its customers' needs. The Postal Service is updating the merchandise it offers in Post Office lobbies. Later this fall, customers will find enhanced product displays and a different mix of merchandise. The categories of planned merchandise include:

Mailing and shipping supplies, such as ReadyPost boxes, mailers, tape and bubble wrap.

Mail-related merchandise, such as scales and stamp dispensers.

U.S. Postal Service-branded and promotional merchandise, such as passport holders and seasonal products.

Philatelic products, including stamp yearbooks, stamped postal cards and stationery.

"This improvement is about simplifying the Postal Service's product offerings and focusing on our core products to satisfy customers' mailing and shipping needs," said Tim Healy, vice president, Retail Products and Services.

Discounts on select Postal Service-branded items are available until August, when discontinued items will be removed from sale.

Please Note: For broadcast quality video and audio, photo stills and other media resources, visit the USPS Newsroom at www.usps.com/news.

An independent federal agency, the U.S. Postal Service is the only delivery service that reaches every address in the nation, 149 million residences, businesses and Post Office Boxes, six days a week. It has 34,000 retail locations and relies on the sale of postage, products and services, not tax dollars, to pay for operating expenses. Named the Most Trusted Government Agency five consecutive years by the Ponemon Institute, the Postal Service has annual revenue of $75 billion and delivers nearly half the world's mail. To learn about the history of the Postal Service visit the Smithsonian's National Postal Museum: www.postalmuseum.si.edu.

Media Contact: Monica Suraci
(O) 202-268-6353
(C) 202-258-9521
Monica.a.suraci@usps.gov


SOURCE U.S. Postal Service

Justice Department Settles Lawsuit Against Wagner Industrial Electric Inc. to Enforce The Employment Rights of Indiana Reservist

WASHINGTON, May 19 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Justice Department announced today that it has entered into a consent decree with Wagner Industrial Electric Inc. that, if approved by the court, will resolve the Department's complaint the company failed to properly reemploy Indiana Army National Guard Reservist Kevin Stenger in violation of the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act of 1994 (USERRA).

The Department's complaint, filed in February in U.S. District Court in Dayton, Ohio, alleges that Wagner violated USERRA by failing to reemploy Stenger in his foreman position following his return in January 2007 from a two-week required active duty military training program. The complaint alleges that, instead of reemploying Stenger in his foreman position, Wagner first demoted him and subsequently laid him off. Under the terms of the consent decree, Wagner is required to provide Stenger with $12,000 to compensate him for his lost wages.

USERRA was enacted in 1994 to protect service members from being disadvantaged in their civilian careers due to serving in the uniformed services. Subject to certain limitations, USERRA requires that service members who leave their jobs to serve in the U.S. military be timely reemployed by their civilian employers in the same position, or a comparable position, to the one that they would have held had they not left to serve. Servicemembers who believe their USERRA rights have been violated may file a complaint with the Labor Department and its Office of Veterans' Employment and Training Services will investigate. After the investigation, service members have the right to request referral to the Justice Department for potential enforcement and initiation of a lawsuit.

"No person should lose his civilian job for choosing to serve in the military," said Loretta King, Acting Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Rights Division. "This settlement demonstrates again our commitment to vigorously enforcing federal laws that protect the employment rights of men and women serving in the military. We are pleased that Wagner has chosen to resolve this lawsuit and abide by the requirements of USERRA."

The Civil Rights Division has given a high priority to the enforcement of service members' rights under USERRA. Additional information about USERRA can be found on the Justice Department Web sites: www.servicemembers.gov and www.usdoj.gov/crt/emp.


SOURCE U.S. Department of Justice

Raelian Movement Critic Silenced

LAS VEGAS, May 19 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The following is issued by The United States Raelian Movement:

One of the Raelian Movement's most outspoken U.S. critics, Joseph McGowen, has just settled out of court for undisclosed damages, which include a non-disparagement order that he may never speak about the Raelian Movement again.

McGowen was the partner of Abdullah Hashem, the Indiana University - Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) film student who made a documentary about the Movement after infiltrating an annual seminar in Las Vegas in 2005.

The Raelian Movement filed federal racketeering charges against Hashem and McGowen following years of alleged lies and totally unfounded criticism.

"We very much support people's rights to their opinions -- but we'll never tolerate lies, or spreading or repeating false rumors about us," said Ricky Roehr, the Movement's North American president. "When McGowen was welcomed at our seminar, he signed an agreement stating that all film footage recorded during the seminar belonged to the Movement. Despite this agreement, he not only tried to use and sell the footage but told the media many untrue, hurtful things about Rael, the Movement and its members. As a result, he was eventually sued in federal court and settled with us after admitting he really knew nothing about us. If he speaks ill about the Raelian Movement or its members again in the future, there will be severe consequences under the terms of the settlement. This should be an abject lesson about the dangers of irresponsible journalism."

Roehr added, "After claiming to be working on an objective documentary about the Movement, Hashem and McGowen either fabricated or grossly exaggerated our position on almost every issue in most of their interviews from the seminar they were invited to.

They then tried to sell our film footage for $1 million, and when no one bought it, they debuted the film at IUPUI to generate attention and attract investors. So-called 'journalists' like these have damaged the lives and reputations of many people, religions and races throughout history. We will always not only denounce such efforts but defend ourselves against them to the full extent of the law."

McGowen's settlement follows only days after a Canadian court ruled harshly against other journalists who claimed to have infiltrated a Raelian seminar in Canada in 2003.

Hearings concerning Hashem will resume June 26 in a California Federal Court.


SOURCE The United States Raelian Movement

Amazon Watch: Oil Production Interrupted as Peru Sends in Army to Suppress Peaceful Indigenous Protests

LIMA, Peru, May 19 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Peruvian government Saturday authorized the intervention of armed forces in the Amazon to crack down on growing indigenous protests against new decrees aimed at facilitating the entry of oil, mining, logging and agricultural companies into indigenous lands without prior consultation or consent.

On Monday, sustained protests led the state oil company, Petroperu, to shut down its main oil pipeline. This shutdown comes after a month of protests by more than 30,000 indigenous peoples. Indigenous communities have engaged in peaceful actions and blockades of roads and rivers throughout the Amazon protesting new legislation passed to facilitate the Free Trade Agreement with the USA that undermines their rights.

Videos and photos available on www.amazonwatch.org show police beating peaceful protesters and firing rubber bullets to break up peaceful Awajun and Huambis demonstrators last week when they blockaded the Corral Quemado Bridge near the northern town of Bagua, resulting in dozens injured and one person missing, who is feared dead.

In a statement, Alberto Pizango, president of the national indigenous rights organization AIDESEP who was criminally charged today for his role in the nationwide protests, stated: "The extraction of gas and oil, logging and the dredging of rivers in search of gold are destroying in a few years social structures, indigenous customs and coexistence strategies that date back thousands of years."

International and Peruvian human rights organizations are widely criticizing the Peruvian government's backward policies on indigenous peoples. In a recent statement President Alan Garcia said that every Peruvian should be entitled to benefit from the nation's natural resources, and not just a "small group of people who had the fortune to be born there."

Atossa Soltani, who heads the human rights and environmental organization Amazon Watch, commented, "Indigenous Peoples are asserting their collective right to determine how and under what conditions 'development' is carried out on their traditionally owned and legally recognized homelands."

"The Garcia Administration is clearly out of step with international conventions on indigenous rights that have been ratified by Peru, not to mention aspects of country's own Constitution. We urge the government of Peru to use restraint and avoid bloodshed, seeking meaningful dialogue to resolve the conflict instead."


SOURCE Amazon Watch

Landrieu/Snowe Author Op-Ed on Status of Small Businesses During Small Business Week

WASHINGTON, May 18 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Washington, D.C., publication Roll Call today ran an op-ed by United States Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship Chair Mary Landrieu, D-La., and Ranking Member Olympia J. Snowe, R-Maine, on the status of small businesses during National Small Business Week.

The Senators focused on the importance of small businesses to the economy, the work the Senate has done on behalf of the nation's small businesses and what work is left to be done.

Louisiana newspapers are invited to reprint the op-ed in its entirety.

The full text of the op-ed is below:

The State of Small Businesses During National Small Business Week

By Sens. Mary Landrieu and Olympia Snowe

We are frequently bombarded with headlines of big banks and large corporations struggling to survive. But the unreported news of the economic recession comes from Main Streets throughout America, where small businesses have suffered 80 percent of all job losses since November.

Today marks the start of National Small Business Week, when our nation should shift its focus to the countless contributions small businesses make to create jobs and strengthen the economy.

Our economy depends on the health of our 27 million small businesses. They are the family businesses throughout the country whose thread still weaves the American Dream. They are the technology startups that produce cutting-edge clean energy sources, lifesaving medical advances and safer equipment for our troops. And they are the construction companies that build our schools and our homes, and the businesses that fix our roads and our bridges.

Small firms pump almost a trillion dollars into the economy each year, create two-thirds of our nation's new jobs annually and account for more than half of America's work force.

Yet small businesses across the country are in trouble. Many Americans can no longer afford to shop in Main Street boutiques or eat at local restaurants. Instead, they are pinching pennies to pay the bills, leaving small-business owners scrambling to pay their own.

At the same time, entrepreneurs are being turned away from all sources of capital financing, including loans and credit cards. Even business owners with the best credit histories are having trouble obtaining the funds they need to stay open.

Many entrepreneurs who typically would have been able to secure Small Business Administration loans can't even get those because that source of financing has been infected by the broader problems of our major financial institutions.

When Main Street businesses can't access credit, stores close and Americans lose jobs. With more than 13 million people out of work, our innovators and job creators must be able to operate at full capacity.

That is why we are continuing the fight to help small businesses lead the nation out of this recession.

The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act took bold steps to increase access to capital for the nation's entrepreneurs. We worked together to temporarily eliminate fees on SBA-backed loans so that more business owners have the ability to borrow. We also temporarily increased to 90 percent the guarantee on government-backed loans to encourage risk-weary banks to lend. There are signs these provisions are starting to free up credit. The SBA is now approving 25 percent more loans per week than it was before Congress passed the Recovery Act.

The Recovery Act will also help stimulate new lending to businesses that employ 10 or fewer workers through $50 million in microloans and management assistance, programs helping our smallest businesses adjust to the tough economy. The bill also helps unclog the secondary market and bolsters funding for the surety bond program to increase the number of small businesses competing for federal contracts.


Overall, these provisions will pump about $16 billion in loans and venture capital into small businesses in our communities, creating or saving thousands of jobs.

But we must do more. We are both committed to working together to provide entrepreneurs with the necessary tools to lead us out of this recession. We are working with the administration to reauthorize the Small Business Administration and its critical programs. These initiatives assist entrepreneurs in starting and growing businesses and are responsible for creating more than 1.5 million jobs last year.

While corporate giants get the headlines, we do not want our Main Street businesses owners n the breadlines. We cannot forget the unwritten stories of small businesses that are forced to shut their doors. We must focus our energy on strengthening our nation's small businesses, which are key to revitalizing America's economic prosperity.

Sens. Mary Landrieu (D-La.) and Olympia Snowe (R-Maine) are chairwoman and ranking member, respectively, of the Senate Small Business and Entrepreneurship Committee.


SOURCE U.S. Senate Committee on Small Business & Entrepreneurship

National Disability Rights Network Applauds Rep. Miller and GAO for Investigating Disturbing Seclusion & Restraint Practices in Schools

House Committee to Hold Hearing Tuesday on Recently Completed GAO Investigation

WASHINGTON, May 18 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The National Disability Rights Network (NDRN), which released a startling report in January detailing abuse and deadly use of seclusion and restraint in U.S. schools, applauds U.S. Rep. George Miller (D-CA) for holding a hearing tomorrow to review the findings of a recently completed U.S. Government Accountability Office investigation into the issue.

The full House Committee on Education & Labor, chaired by Rep. Miller, will hold a hearing Tuesday, May 19, at 10 a.m. (2175 Rayburn H.O.B), to review the GAO findings and further examine the issue.

Rep. Miller called for the GAO investigation when NDRN released its national report showing a disturbing use of seclusion and restraint tactics, which resulted in physical and emotional injuries as well as deaths, in U.S. schools affecting students from grades K-12. The report documented cases that range from students being locked in rooms or even boxes for hours to students who were encouraged to release their aggression by wrestling in "WWF Rooms." Since the report was released, dozens of additional parents and relatives of victims have come forward to share their stories with NDRN.

"We applaud the courageous efforts of Representative Miller and the GAO to further investigate the use of seclusion and restraint in schools," Curt Decker, Executive Director, NDRN, said. "We know this is a problem affecting many students and families across the country. Now, because of Representative Miller and the GAO report, we're confident further light will be shed on this very important and disturbing issue."

NDRN previously called for the Obama administration and 111th Congress to ban the use of prone restraint and seclusion under federal law. The group has also called for a national summit to devise plans to implement a ban and encourage the use of evidence-based positive behavioral supports.

NDRN's report makes several additional recommendations to remedy this growing problem, including providing a specific list of recommendations for state legislatures, boards of education and local school districts.

"Seclusion and prone restraint in schools is a problem that the public and even parents know little about," Decker said. "Our goal is to alert the public and also to provide guidance to key stakeholders on how to quickly resolve the issue."

The NDRN report is a compilation of cases outlined by NDRN's 57-member network of Protection and Advocacy (P&As) systems nationwide. The group works to ensure that people with disabilities are afforded equality of opportunity and are able to fully participate by exercising choice and self-determination.

To view the report in its entirety, please visit www.NDRN.org.

ABOUT NDRN

The National Disability Rights Network (NDRN) is the nonprofit membership organization for the federally mandated Protection and Advocacy (P&A) Systems and Client Assistance Programs (CAP) for individuals with disabilities. Collectively, the P&A/CAP network is the largest provider of legally based advocacy services to people with disabilities in the United States.

Through training and technical assistance, legal support, and legislative advocacy, the National Disability Rights Network works to create a society in which people with disabilities are afforded equality of opportunity and are able to fully participate by exercising choice and self-determination.

The National Disability Rights Network serves a wide range of individuals with disabilities -- including, but not limited to, those with cognitive, mental, sensory, and physical disabilities -- by guarding against abuse; advocating for basic rights; and ensuring accountability in health care, education, employment, housing, transportation, and within the juvenile and criminal justice systems.


SOURCE The National Disability Rights Network

PRN Calls on Obama Lawyers to Stand Down in Their Drug War on Patients and Doctors

WASHINGTON, May 18 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Pain Relief Network (PRN) is calling on the Obama Administration to require the Department of Justice to join the organization's recent filing of a Petition for a Writ of Certiorari before the United States Supreme Court on behalf of Dr. Sharon Johnston.

In his first interview since being confirmed to head the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy, Gil Kerlikowske said Wednesday, May 13th, that the bellicose rhetoric represented by the characterization of drug criminalization as a "drug war" was a barrier to dealing with the nation's drug issues.

"Regardless of how you try to explain to people it's a 'war on drugs' or a 'war on a product,' people see a war as a war on them," he said. "We're not at war with people in this country."

"This is a great opportunity for the Obama Administration to put its money where its mouth is concerning what is perhaps the most damaging aspect of the failed War On Drugs," said Siobhan Reynolds, President of PRN and nationally renowned pain relief advocate. "The Department of Justice has been prosecuting physicians at a frightening clip. The DEA has charged some 400 doctors with violating Federal drug dealing laws within the context of their medical practices since 2003. While the DEA was clearly proud of the figure when it released it to the Orlando Sentinel, the Obama Administration should stop the carnage at once."

The Pain Relief Network is a national organization petitioning the United States Supreme Court to review the terrible injustice done to Dr. Sharon Johnston, of Ft. Myers, Florida, convicted by a bamboozled jury of "drug dealing" simply for treating undercover drug agents posing as patients in pain. Dr. Johnston is now serving 30 months in prison.

"Her sentence is actually fairly light, when compared with what occurred during the Bush Administration," said Reynolds. "Physicians across the country have been sentenced to 10, 20, sometimes 30 years in prison. One compassionate physician is serving several life sentences on trumped up charges."

Reynolds contends that the Johnston case provides the Obama Administration the opportunity to uphold the rule of law, rather than permit business as usual at the USDOJ. "Government lawyers appear to have forgotten that they took an oath to uphold the Constitution, not to destroy it."

As medicine is regulated in the 50 states, the case offers the Obama Justice Department the rare chance to reaffirm the architectural structure of our federal system by joining in the Pain Relief Network's 10th Amendment-based request for a full hearing by the court. "The Administration can also show substantive empathy right away, for the 50 million Americans in pain currently being denied pain treatment by doctors terrorized by the Department of Justice. These desperate Americans shouldn't be made to wait for the President to appoint a new justice."

For more information: http://painreliefnetwork.org/blog/to-the-obama-administration/.


SOURCE Pain Relief Network

ATF Teams Up With Partners in Operation Money Train

11 Month Undercover Investigation Yields Guns, Drugs and Stolen Cars

SAN MARTIN, Calif., May 15 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Special Agent in Charge Stephen C. Herkins of the San Francisco Field Division, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF); California Highway Patrol Chief Adam Cuevas of the Coastal Division, Sheriff Mike Kanalakis of the Monterey County Sheriff's Office, Chief Louis Fetherolf of the Salinas Police Department, and Special Agent In Charge Bob Cooke of the California Bureau of Narcotic Enforcement, announced today the culmination of a long term undercover investigation which will result in the arrest of 52 defendants in a sweep of narcotics traffickers, firearms violators, and car thieves operating in and around the Salinas and Gilroy areas.

In June 2008, a multi-agency undercover investigation was initiated within the Salinas valley. The joint effort included ATF, the California Highway Patrol (CHP), the Monterey County Sheriff's Office (MCSO), the Salinas Police Department (SPD), the California Department of Justice, Bureau of Narcotic Enforcement (BNE) - Santa Cruz County Narcotic Enforcement Team (SCCNET), and prosecutors from the Monterey County District Attorney's Office and the United States Attorney's Office in San Jose. The goal of the undercover operation was to target criminal street gang members and other criminal associates who were stealing vehicles and dealing in firearms and narcotics trafficking in the Salinas area.

During the course of the undercover investigation, 57 stolen vehicles were recovered with an approximate value of $500,000, and 25 firearms were purchased and four firearms were recovered. In addition, approximately 1,361 grams of crystal methamphetamine was purchased or recovered; approximately 180 grams of heroin was purchased or recovered; and 320 grams of cocaine was recovered. The seized and recovered narcotics have an estimated street value of more than 1.4 million dollars. A number of the defendants were identified as felons; some are documented gang members and associates.

Fifty two suspects are subject to arrest for a variety of state and federal violations. Of those 52 suspects, approximately 15 will face federal charges. The federal charges include: felons in possession of a firearm, illegal alien in possession of a firearm, possession of an unregistered firearm, and the illegal sales of narcotics substances. The state charges are predominantly drug charges and possession of stolen vehicle charges.

"Operation Money Train is reflective of the connection between stolen cars, guns, drugs and violent crime. This operation shows the effectiveness of combining resources from federal, state and local law enforcement, as well as private agencies in the effort to curtail criminal activity in Monterey County," said Adam Cuevas, Division Chief of the Coastal Division of the CHP. Cuevas commended the more than 130 law enforcement personnel who participated in this week's roundup of suspects." Assisting ATF, the CHP, the MCSO, the SPD and the BNE's SCCNET, were: the Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Watsonville Police Department, and the Santa Cruz Police Department.

"Positive change takes time, resources and good old fashioned police work. I am pleased to say we are in command of all three. I commend the dedication and hard work of the agents and officers of the agencies represented here today, their efforts will have an impact on violent crime in the Salinas area," said ATF's Stephen Herkins.

"This is an excellent example of interagency collaboration and cooperation in a long term investigation. Because of the diligent hard work by the task force officers, our community is safer tonight. I am especially pleased that so many vehicles were recovered and so many gang members were arrested and taken off the streets. These kinds of results don't happen overnight. It takes hard work and time, but the investment was well worth it. To those engaged in stealing cars as part of a criminal enterprise -- beware. The long arm of the law will eventually find you and prosecute you to the fullest extent of the law," said Sheriff Kanalakis, of the Monterey County Sheriff's Office.

"Operation Money Train is an example of how successful cooperation between law enforcement agencies works to disrupt the criminals who disrupt the order of our communities and negatively impact the lives of many residents. While incarcerated, they will no longer victimize the people we serve," said Chief Terry Medina, of the Watsonville Police Department.

"By removing the people who committed these crimes we have put a huge dent in their on-going criminal enterprises," said Monterey County District Attorney Dean D. Flippo.

The investigation is on-going and arrests continue. All defendants are presumed innocent until they have been convicted.

For more information on ATF and additional programs designed to reduce violent crime, go to www.atf.gov.

Contacts:
Nina Delgadillo, PIO, ATF
Pager: (888) 533-8597

Mike Richards, Commander, MCSO
(831) 755-3761

Kevin Kimmey, Sergeant, CHP
Office: (805) 239-3553


SOURCE Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives

Class is Now in Session!

SANDUSKY, Ohio, May 16 /PRNewswire/ -- Moon rocks, Microgravity Man and even a visit from the Wright Brothers will highlight the all-new Math and Science Week at Cedar Point amusement park/resort in Sandusky, Ohio.

Schools from Ohio, Michigan, Indiana and Pennsylvania are expected to attend this exciting five-day event taking place Monday through Friday, May 18-22. Students and teachers will find a variety of educational programs and activities appropriate for middle and high school students.

Participating in the event will be NASA's Glenn Research Center, Cleveland; COSI (Center of Science and Industry) of Columbus, Ohio; and the Detroit Science Center.

The Glenn Research Center will provide a variety of displays in the park's Grand Ballroom each day of the event. Authentic moon rocks and lunar dust will be on display Monday while the Wright Brothers will talk about aeronautics on Wednesday. NASA's Microgravity Man will end the week with a demonstration about microgravity at the Power Tower on Friday.

An exhibit featuring the Ares Crew Launch Vehicle will be on display all week while perennial favorites such as the Space Trivia Game Show and a space-themed photo booth will also be presented each day.

COSI Columbus will be at the event all week with its new Science Spot exhibit that uses hands-on exhibits to illustrate the laws of science. The Science Spot activities include Force & Motion, Structures, Gadgets and Gizmos, Space, Puzzling Puzzles and Amazing Magnets.

On Wednesday and Thursday, the Detroit Science Center, one of the ten largest science museums in the United States, will present several exhibits on centripetal force, magnetic fields and chemical reactions.

In addition to the exhibits and special activities, many students will be given class assignments to complete work sheets that illustrate the speed, velocity and acceleration of Cedar Point's rides and roller coasters. With 75 rides including 17 roller coasters, Cedar Point has more rides and more roller coasters than any park in the world.

Participating groups of 15 or more students can purchase discounted tickets to the event. (Advanced reservations are required.) For more information, interested school groups can visit http://cedarpoint.com/students or call Cedar Point Group Sales at 800.448.2428.


SOURCE Cedar Point Amusement Park/Resort

Notre Dame, Obama, and Abortion: Disruption of President's Speech Certain

40 or more Christians to be arrested for praying at 2 locations on campus on Sunday, May 17

SOUTH BEND, Ind., May 16 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The following is being issued by Randall Terry, founder of Operation Rescue.

Two locations for arrests:

First time and location: 12 noon at the main gate of Notre Dame, corner of Notre Dame and Angela.

Second time and location: 1 pm South Side of Joyce Center on campus. The event at the second location is led by Monica Miller. Her contact information is 248-444-9096 cell.

Protestors will be on campus holding images of aborted children and images of our Lady.

Contact: Kathy Veritas 904-687-9804


SOURCE Randall Terry, Founder, Operation Rescue

NADA Statement on GM Dealership Cuts

WASHINGTON, May 15 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- General Motors' plans to cut its dealer network are drastic and far-reaching and will impact more than 63,000 dealership employees and thousands of their sales and service customers.

We view GM's action with a profound sense of sadness and disappointment.

GM's decision comes through no fault of the dealers, who are, in many cases, family-run businesses that have been loyal partners with GM - through good times and bad - for multiple generations.

NADA fully expects GM to honor all its obligations to the affected dealers, whether or not they decide to wind down their operations. It's critical for GM to treat each affected dealer fairly and equitably.

NADA will work aggressively on all fronts with regard to assisting these dealers during these historically challenging times.


SOURCE National Automobile Dealers Association

Pennsylvania DEP Extends Public Comment Period on New Program to Help Communities Cut Energy Costs

HARRISBURG, Pa., May 15 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The public has two additional weeks to comment on a new grant program that will help local governments and non-profit groups reduce energy costs and promote conservation, Department of Environmental Protection Secretary John Hanger said today.

"As with any new program, we want to ensure that those who will benefit have a strong voice in making it operate in the best manner possible," said Hanger. "We are extending the comment deadline to allow for more feedback from the public and local government officials to make sure the state is using its share of the recovery funding as effectively and efficiently as possible."

As a result of the federal American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, more than $23 million will be made available to local governments and non-profit entities in Pennsylvania through the new Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant program.

"Energy efficiency not only makes environmental sense, but it also provides an additional funding source for municipalities facing tough budgetary challenges," said Hanger. "Reducing energy costs means more funding will be available for local projects, which can stimulate the economy through the purchasing of local goods and the hiring of local workers. It is one small step that can pay multiple dividends."

Guidelines for the grant program are available for the public to review and comment at www.recovery.pa.gov under the heading "Where is your money going?" and then by clicking on "Energy Independence." The opening date for applications has not yet been set.

Comments will be accepted until Friday, May 29, and should be sent via e-mail to epeecbgcomments@state.pa.us or to Kerry Campbell, DEP Office of Energy and Technology Development, 15th Floor, Rachel Carson State Office Building, 400 Market St., Harrisburg, Pa. 17105.

To learn more about how the federal economic stimulus will benefit communities across Pennsylvania, visit www.recovery.pa.gov.

CONTACT: John Repetz
(717) 787-1323


SOURCE Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection

St. Bakhita Opens in Marrero

One Hundred Green, Affordable Townhomes for Rent on the Westbank

NEW ORLEANS, May 15 /PRNewswire/ -- Providence Community Housing, Enterprise Community Investment (Enterprise) and CLB Porter, LLC today joined residents and local officials to celebrate the grand opening of St. Bakhita Apartments in Marrero, La., the first green and affordable rental property in Jefferson Parish. Named after the Sudanese native, kidnapped into slavery, canonized as a saint, "Bakhita" means "fortunate one," and for the Westbank community that surrounds the apartments, these energy-efficient homes offer much needed post-Katrina housing opportunities and affordable rental options.

"We are very happy to welcome home 100 families who are delighted to live in healthy, green, family-friendly townhomes," said Jim Kelly, President and CEO, Providence.

Fully leased, St. Bakhita is located at 6305 4th Street in Marrero, just off of the Westbank Expressway. Providence and CLB Porter LLC developed the property composed of 100 green, affordable townhouse apartments and a 4,000 square foot clubhouse. St. Bakhita is conveniently located close to public transportation and easily accessible to jobs, retail and commercial shopping, schools, and churches. The development provides ample community and residential space for both large and small families, and is designed for those earning up to 60 percent of the area median income. The apartments range from two- to four- bedrooms from 1,075 to 1,420 square feet per unit.

Financing for the property includes $17 million in Low-Income Housing Tax Credit equity, a $3 million mortgage from Enterprise and a $12.5 million construction loan from Regions Bank. St. Bakhita also received a $50,000 grant from Enterprise's Green Communities program -- the only national green, affordable housing standard -- to incorporate green technologies including passive Solar heating; high-quality recycled and locally-procured materials; Energy Star appliances and a walk-able site layout that features shared green spaces landscaped with local plants. Additionally, Hike for KaTreena, a New Orleans based organization dedicated to replenishing the 100,000 trees destroyed due to the hurricanes, donated 50 Crepe Myrtles trees.

"Enterprise takes its commitment to the citizens of the Gulf Coast seriously," said Aron Weisner, Syndication Director for Enterprise Community Investment. "We also take seriously our pledge to help rebuild healthier, more energy-efficient homes."

CLB Porter, LLC is a real estate development and financial advisory firm domiciled in the City of New Orleans that helps clients tackle complex and challenging issues. Using a range of financing mechanisms including affordable housing tax credits, new market tax credits and historical tax credits, CLB creates developments that enhance the communities in which they are built.

"We are excited to work with Providence and Enterprise to develop these townhomes and provide them to the families of Marrero," said Shawn Barney, Managing Director, CLB Porter, LLC. "It is especially invigorating that as we work towards rebuilding the Gulf Coast, we are able to bring back homes people have lost, and by using green building practices we are also making the homes healthy and fit for families."

St. Bakhita is the latest success in the long-term partnership between Providence and Enterprise. Together the organizations have pledged to renovate 7,000 homes damaged by Hurricane Katrina. To date, Providence has developed and/or rebuilt more than 1000 units of affordable housing in the Greater New Orleans Area.

Enterprise has invested nearly $100 million to support the recovery and rebuilding work in Louisiana and Mississippi and continues to be a lead provider of equity, debt and grant financing.

Based in New Orleans, Providence Community Housing is a non-profit affordable housing developer founded by a coalition of faith based groups in April 2006 in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. Providence's goal to bring home 20,000 victims of Hurricane Katrina by restoring, rebuilding or developing 7,000 homes to foster healthy, diverse and vibrant new communities, both single-family homes and apartments. Visit www.providencech.org to learn more about Providence's work in the City of New Orleans.

Enterprise is a leading provider of the development capital and expertise it takes to create decent, affordable homes and rebuild communities. For more than 25 years, Enterprise has introduced neighborhood solutions through public-private partnerships with financial institutions, governments, community organizations and others that share our vision. Enterprise has raised and invested more than $10 billion in equity, grants and loans to help build or preserve more than a quarter million affordable rental and for-sale homes to create vital communities. Enterprise is currently investing in communities at a rate of $1 billion a year. Visit www.enterprisecommunity.org and www.enterprisecommunity.com to learn more about Enterprise's efforts to build communities and opportunity.


SOURCE Enterprise

Muslim Women Religious Leaders from Morocco Visit U.S. to Highlight Pioneering Initiative to Promote Equality, Tolerance, & Faith

Moroccan 'mourchidates,' or women religious counselors, travel to Washington & New York for interfaith dialogue on women's empowerment with religious, community, & government leaders

WASHINGTON, May 15 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- This coming week, a delegation of mourchidates, women religious counselors from Morocco, will travel to the U.S. to highlight a revolutionary program that has begun training and certifying a select group of women every year to become mourchidates, who work alongside imams (traditional male religious leaders in Islam) to help empower and elevate the status of women throughout society, and promote a moderate, tolerant Islam.

During their stay, the mourchidates will participate in interfaith roundtables with American Jewish, Christian, and Muslim leaders to discuss their experiences and the role of women religious leaders and faith-based community partnerships in strengthening families and interfaith understanding. They will also meet with UN and U.S. Administration officials, Members of Congress, and attend religious services at mosques, synagogues, and churches.

Interfaith roundtables scheduled for U.S. visit:

-- Wed, May 20, "Our Families, Our Faiths, & Our Futures," Washington, D.C.

-- Thu, May 21, "Women's Spiritual Voices: Crossing Continents, Finding Common Ground," New York

Visiting mourchidates include:

-- Fatima Zahra Salhi, a 2006 graduate of the mourchidate program who coordinates several community health programs in Morocco, including blood donation drives and sexually transmitted diseases awareness campaigns for teens;

-- Nezha Nassi, a mourchidate who works at women's detention centers in Rabat/Sale, Morocco, organizing social activities and religious ceremonies for prisoners, and providing much-needed counseling and support for recently released women seeking to reintegrate into society; and

-- Ilham Chafik, a mourchidate and Ph.D. in Arabic linguistics whose outreach focuses on the blind for whom she conducts workshops on Islam and Qur'anic study and recitations at Mohammed VI Institute for the Education and Training for the Blind.

The Mourchidate program

Begun in 2006, the Mourchidate program is part of far-reaching initiatives by King Mohammed VI to elevate the status of women, advance gender equality, and promote Morocco's tolerant, moderate Islam. Since the program's inception, Morocco's Ministry of Islamic Affairs selects 50 highly qualified women annually from more than 1,000 applicants to undergo 45 weeks of rigorous course-work in more than 30 subject areas, including religion, communications, history, geography, law, computer science, and psychology. Once training is complete, the mourchidates, alongside their male counterpart imams, are assigned to Morocco's 40,000+ mosques. It is not uncommon for a mourchidate to serve 60+ mosques in her assigned community, providing counsel to women on sensitive topics such as family planning, domestic abuse, child-rearing, and women's legal rights. The initiative has been so successful Morocco plans to expand it with more participants in future years.

In addition, Morocco's mourchidate program was recently hailed as "pioneering" by the U.S. State Department in its annual report to Congress on international counterterrorism, citing its role in Morocco's broad approach to promote tolerant, moderate Islam and combat religious extremism.

**For more information about the delegation's activities or to schedule media interviews, please contact Calvin Dark at (202) 309-0372 or cdark@moroccanamericancenter.com.

The Moroccan American Cultural Center (MACC) is a not-for-profit 501 c(3) organization which works to build strengthen cultural and educational ties between Morocco and the U.S. through its support of programs that enhance bilateral relations and cooperation. Created in 2003 as an initiative of His Majesty King Mohammed VI, MACC has undertaken a range of projects which includee hosting events that celebrate and share the rich diversity of Moroccan culture, and supporting programs that enhance cultural and educational ties between the U.S. and Morocco as well as across the Maghreb. For more information, go to www.moroccanamericanculture.org.


SOURCE The Moroccan American Cultural Center

CAIR: N. Calif. Police Officers Disciplined Over Racial Comments

SANTA CLARA, Calif., May 15 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The San Francisco Bay Area chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-SFBA) announced today that disciplinary action has been taken against officers of the Newark Police Department over inappropriate racial comments made to a 15-year-old of Moroccan heritage when he was detained for questioning and later released.

While the teen was being questioned, a police officer allegedly asked him where he was from, and then said, "You came here to make trouble, I'm sending you back to your country." Other police officers present in the room reportedly laughed. The incident left the young man feeling shaken. He says he began to have recurring nightmares and now feels intimidated by any police presence.

CAIR-SFBA called for an investigation of the incident and for a reprimand to the officers involved. At a meeting this week with police officials, a CAIR-SFBA representative and the mother of the detained teen, officials confirmed that an internal investigation had been conducted and that appropriate disciplinary action had been taken against the officers involved. A verbal apology was also offered to the mother.

"Racially inflammatory comments directed at any person are inappropriate and offensive; that these comments were directed at a minor was entirely unacceptable," said CAIR-SFBA Programs and Outreach Director Agnes Chong. "We appreciate that the Newark Police Department took appropriate action to investigate the officers involved, and we reiterate the importance of police sensitivity and of being respectful to people of all races, ethnicities and religions."

CAIR, America's largest Islamic civil liberties group, has 35 offices and chapters nationwide and in Canada. Its mission is to enhance the understanding of Islam, encourage dialogue, protect civil liberties, empower American Muslims, and build coalitions that promote justice and mutual understanding.

CONTACT: CAIR-SFBA Programs and Outreach Director Agnes Chong, 408-986-9874 or 408-646-2773, E-Mail: achong@cair.com; CAIR National Communications Director Ibrahim Hooper, 202-488-8787 or 202-744-7726, E-Mail: ihooper@cair.com; CAIR Communications Coordinator Amina Rubin, 202-488-8787 or 202-341-4171, E-Mail: arubin@cair.com

SOURCE Council on American-Islamic Relations

Official Text of Obama's Honorary Doctorate Given by Notre Dame

SOUTH BEND, Ind., May 15 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The following is being issued by Randall Terry, founder of Operation Rescue.

Official Text of Obama's Honorary Doctorate given by Notre Dame:

"At the 164th Commencement The May Exercises The University of Notre Dame Confers the degree of Doctor of Laws, honoris causa, on the 44th president of the United States, whose historic election opened a new era of hope in a country long divided by its history of slavery and racism. A community organizer who honed his advocacy for the poor, the marginalized and the worker in the streets of Chicago, he now organizes a larger community, bringing to the world stage a renewed American dedication to diplomacy and dialogue with all nations and religions committed to human rights and the global common good. Through his willingness to engage with those who disagree with him and encourage people of faith to bring their beliefs to the public debate, he is inspiring this nation to heal its divisions of religion, culture, race and politics in the audacious hope for a brighter tomorrow.

On Barack H. Obama, Washington, District of Columbia"

StopObamaNotreDame.com


SOURCE Randall Terry, Founder, Operation Rescue

Statement from CCF Against CDC Nominee Thomas Frieden

WASHINGTON, May 15 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Following today's announcement that President Obama nominated Dr. Thomas Frieden to head the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Center for Consumer Freedom's Senior Research Analyst, J. Justin Wilson, released the following statement:

"It is unfortunate that President Obama choose to put the nation's health in the hands of an overzealous activist who doesn't give any consideration to the importance of personal responsibility or privacy," said Wilson. "Frieden doesn't simply blur the line between what is the government's responsibility in regulating health and what is the individuals responsibility; he barely recognizes its existence."

Thomas Frieden famously told the Financial Times that "when anyone dies at an early age from a preventable cause in New York City, it's my fault." What constitutes a "preventable cause" for Frieden? Essentially any behavior that he personally disapproves of, including: eating salty or fatty foods, "insufficient" breast-feeding, and using birth control that isn't city-approved. Following his myriad regulations in New York City, the New York Post quipped that Frieden had turned the city into "a nanny state on steroids."

You can read more about Dr. Frieden on ActivistCash.com: http://activistcash.com/biography.cfm/bid/3614

The Center for Consumer Freedom is a nonprofit coalition supported by restaurants, food companies, and consumers, working together to promote personal responsibility and protect consumer choices. For further information or to arrange an interview please call Sarah Longwell at (202) 463-7112.


SOURCE Center for Consumer Freedom

Treatment Algorithm Helps Successfully Manage Diabetes After Transplant Surgery

American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists logo. (PRNewsFoto/American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists)

JACKSONVILLE, FL UNITED STATES

HOUSTON, May 15 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- New research highlighting the relationship between steroids and insulin requirements suggests a possible treatment algorithm in post-liver transplant patients. This research was presented today at the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists (AACE) 18th Annual Meeting & Clinical Congress.

(Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20090324/DC88061LOGO-b)

The tentative algorithm was developed as doctors tried to understand the elevation in blood sugar levels in patients that received post-operative steroids due to a liver transplant. The blood sugar rise was attributed to the toxic effects of steroid medications on beta cell function.

Additionally, the relationship between prolonged exposure to steroids, generally six months, revealed a strong relationship with persistent diabetes at a one-year follow-up after transplantation.

"It appears that these steroids can lead to a permanent diabetic state," Umadevi Muthyala, MD, said. "Prevention strategies must be considered in environments where they are commonly used."

The research indicated that nearly 33 percent of patients in the study without diabetes at transplant developed diabetes one year after their procedure. The possibility of protecting this group from the toxic effects of the immunosuppressive regimen on the beta cell is an exciting future area of research: "Agents that have shown promise for this are the GLP-1 agonists and DPP4 inhibitors," Dr. Muthyala said.

Muthyala's team developed a tentative dosing algorithm to account for the increased insulin need in relation to steroid dosage: Their results showed that below 80 milligrams (mgs) the effect of steroids on insulin requirements was moderate, but above 80-120 mgs the effect showed a substantial increase. For doses above 80 the effect on insulin needs were increased 2 to 5 times.

"Although the data is not definitive, it gives us a handle on proper dosing and can be used to prospectively study other populations," she said.

For more information about diabetes, download the American College of Endocrinology's (ACE) "Power of Prevention(R)" Magazine here. The magazine features medical information on prediabetes, type 1 and type 2 diabetes, diabetes complications, and tips on how diabetes patients can best prepare for disaster.

About AACE

AACE is a professional medical organization with more than 6,200 members in the United States and 92 other countries. Founded in 1991, AACE is dedicated to the optimal care of patients with endocrine problems. AACE initiatives inform the public about endocrine disorders. AACE also conducts continuing education programs for clinical endocrinologists, physicians whose advanced, specialized training enables them to be experts in the care of endocrine disease such as diabetes, thyroid disorders, growth hormone deficiency, osteoporosis, cholesterol disorders, hypertension and obesity.


SOURCE American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists

Gaming Standards Association Brings Protocol Standards to G2E Asia in Trade Show Display, Panel Discussion

LAS VEGAS May 15 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Gaming Standards Association has a vibrant and growing international membership that, working together, has created exciting and flexible protocols that are in use throughout the global gaming industry. Now, underscoring the international scope of its standards, GSA will be participating at next month's G2E Asia in Macau. The tradeshow takes place June 2-4 at the Venetian Macao, and GSA will be in stand #M-1.

Additionally, GSA President Peter DeRaedt will lead an informative panel discussion, "Standard Procedure: GSA's Protocol Certification Program," at 11 a.m. on June 3. The panel will discuss how GSA's protocol standards are being implemented by the world's leading gaming manufacturers, and how this will result in full interoperability and plug-and-play capabilities in back office systems, on the casino floor, across properties and beyond.

Appearing on the panel with DeRaedt are Doug Bertinshaw, Vice President, Server Based Gaming, Aristocrat Technologies; Ian Hughes, Director of Engineering & Client Services, GLI; Adrian Marcu, Chief Architect, Engineering, IGT; Manson Yip, Senior Client Project Manager, Bally Macau; and Kent Young, General Manager, Executive Vice President, Aruze Gaming America.

About the Gaming Standards Association (GSA): The Gaming Standards Association (GSA) is an international trade association that creates benefits for gaming manufacturers, suppliers, operators and regulators. We facilitate the identification, definition, development, promotion, and implementation of open standards to enable innovation, education, and communication for the benefit of the entire industry. Since its incorporation on May 6, 1998, GSA has members representing a wide cross section of the global gaming industry.

GSA's new Game-to-System (G2S) Protocol has been named "Best Productivity-Enhancement Technology" by Global Gaming Business Magazine, one of the "Top Three International Gaming Products" by IGWB Magazine; one of Casino Journal magazine's "Top 3 Most Innovative Products"; and one of Casino Enterprise Management's "Top 10 Slot Floor Technologies."

Platinum members include AMX; Aristocrat Technologies Inc.; Bally Technologies, Inc. (BYI); GTECH Corporation (LTO); Harrah's Entertainment; International Game Technology (IGT); Konami Gaming Inc.; MEI; NCR Corporation (NCR); Seminole Tribe of Florida; Techlink Entertainment International Ltd. and WMS Gaming Inc. (WMS). Other members include: 3M Touch Systems (MMM); Ainsworth Game Technology, Ltd.; Alberta Gaming and Liquor Commission; American Gaming Systems; Ameristar Casinos, Inc.; Aruze Gaming America, Inc.; Atlantic Lottery Corporation; Atronic Americas LLC; Austrian Gaming Industries GmbH; BMM Compliance; BCLC; CashCode Company Inc.; Codere, S.A.; De Vocht Expert Services; DigiTech Systems Co., Ltd.; Euro Games Technology; FutureLogic, Inc; GameLogic, Inc.; GameTech International; Gaming Consultants International; Gaming Laboratories International, LLC; Gaming Technologies Association; Giesecke & Devrient; GGS-US LTD; Hydako Co., Ltd.; Intel Corporation (INTC); Intralot S.A. (INLr.AT); Las Vegas Gaming, Inc.; Loto-Quebec; Macao Polytechnic Institute; Manitoba Lotteries Corp.; MGM MIRAGE (MGM); Money Controls; MotorCity Casino; Multi-State Lottery Association (MUSL); Nanoptix, Inc.; New Wave Automation; Nick Farley & Associates; NRT Technology Corporation; Ontario Lottery & Gaming Corporation; Oracle; Oregon Lottery; Penn National Gaming, Inc.; Scientific Games (SGMS); Shuffle Master, Inc.(SHFL); SIQ; Tabcorp Holdings Limited; Tech Results; Technical Systems Testing; Transact Technologies (TACT); UNLV International Gaming Institute; Video Gaming Technologies, Inc.; WCLC Sask VLT Division and Western Money Systems. For more information, visit www.gamingstandards.com.


SOURCE Gaming Standards Association

Pennsylvania Voters Reminded of Primary Voting Rules, First-Time Voter ID Requirements

Visit VotesPa.com to prepare for May 19 Primary

HARRISBURG, Pa., May 15 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Secretary of the Commonwealth Pedro A. Cortes reminded first-time voters and voters who have changed address and moved to a new voting precinct since their last election to bring a form of identification to the polls on Tuesday, May 19.

Pennsylvania law requires a closed primary, meaning only voters registered as Democrat or Republican can vote for their respective party candidates. All registered voters are eligible to cast ballots if there is a special election or a ballot question in their county or voting precinct.

Voters will cast ballots in the primary election for a variety of municipal and county races; as well as for candidates seeking Supreme Court, Superior Court, Court of Common Pleas and municipal court seats.

"Every election is important, so it is imperative to prepare for voting," Cortes said. "For Pennsylvanians who are voting for the first time in a precinct, please remember to take along approved identification. For those who need more information about the process of voting on Tuesday, the Department of State has a wealth of resources to help voters."

Approved forms of photo identification include:

Pennsylvania driver's license or PennDOT ID card
ID issued by any state agency
ID issued by the U.S. Government
U.S. passport
U.S. Armed Forces ID
Student ID
Employee ID

Voters lacking a photo ID may use a non-photo identification that includes a name and address. Approved forms of non-photo identification include:

Voter ID card issued by the voter registration commission
Non-photo ID issued by the state
Non-photo ID issued by the U.S. Government
Firearm permit
Current utility bill
Current bank statement
Current paycheck
Government check

Cortes also reminded those voters who registered for the first time, changed address or changed party, that they should have received confirmation of registration. He suggested voters call their county voter registration office if they have not received such a confirmation or have other questions.


In addition, Cortes explained that individuals must be registered and enrolled in a major political party to vote in that party's primary, unless there is a special election or a ballot question in an individual's county or voting precinct.


Pennsylvania Election Code 25 P.S. section 2812 states: "... no elector who is not registered and enrolled as a member of a political party, in accordance with the provisions of this act, shall be permitted to vote the ballot of such party or any party ballot at any primary."

Voters who need guidance finding their polling place or seeking other Election Day information may visit the department's interactive Web site, VotesPA.com. For more information on voting, call the Department of State's toll free hotline at 1-877-VOTESPA (1-877-868-3772), or visit VotesPA.com.

CONTACT: Leslie Amoros or Charlie Young
(717) 783-1621


SOURCE Pennsylvania Department of State

Air Transport Association Forecasts 14 Million Fewer Passengers This Summer

Airlines Remain Concerned That Despite Reduced Capacity, Delays May be Inevitable

WASHINGTON, May 15 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Air Transport Association of America (ATA), the industry trade organization for the leading U.S. airlines, today released its summer air travel forecast.

ATA forecasts that 7 percent fewer passengers (about 150,000 per day)* will travel June 1 through Aug. 31, 2009, compared to the same period in 2008. Approximately 195 million passengers are expected to fly this summer on U.S. airlines, down from 209 million during the summer months of 2008. ATA is projecting that 7 percent fewer passengers (171 million versus 183 million) will travel domestically, and 6 percent fewer passengers (24 million versus 26 million) will travel internationally.

"The main driver behind the anticipated drop in passengers traveling this summer is the ongoing global recession, which continues to crimp demand," said ATA President and CEO James C. May. "The weak economy has forced additional aircraft out of the marketplace, so despite fewer travelers, planes will remain near full. Even with fewer flights and the airlines' heightened level of preparedness for summer travel, we remain concerned that delays may be inevitable due to the combination of an aging air traffic control system and convective weather period."

May continued, "The current air traffic control system can be transformed in just a few years by accelerating key components of NextGen procedures and technologies that can begin to deliver immediate benefits. A widely cited congressional study estimated that delays cost the economy $40 billion annually. A modernized, satellite-based system could bring that needless expense down significantly. Congress, working with the Obama administration, should seize this great opportunity by establishing a strong, forward-looking national aviation policy now.

"Passengers also can do their part to make travel more efficient and enjoyable by taking some simple measures, such as when making an airline reservation, enter your full name as it appears on the government-issued identification you plan to use when traveling. This simple measure will improve the TSA Secure Flight security-vetting process," May said.

With tens of millions of passengers expected to fly during the busy summer travel season, ATA offers the following travel tips:

Check with your airline for baggage and other amenity policies and plan accordingly.

Sign up with your airline to receive automated travel notifications delivered to your cell phone or wireless device; in the event of system delays, airlines will keep travelers informed of flight and schedule changes. Passengers can also check on the latest airport delays via the FAA Web site.

Use automated check-in options, offered via airline Web sites and at airport kiosks, up to 24 hours before departure.

Allow plenty of time for checking in and for security screening at the airport. Families and individuals traveling with medically necessary liquids can take advantage of specially designated TSA family lanes at 50 airports.

Familiarize yourself with the TSA air traveler Web site for permitted/prohibited items and travel tips.

Tag each bag, inside and out, with traveler name and contact information, and remove all destination baggage tags from previous trips.

*The total number of revenue passengers boarding aircraft in scheduled service.

ATA airline members and their affiliates transport more than 90 percent of all U.S. airline passenger and cargo traffic. For additional industry information, visit www.airlines.org.


SOURCE Air Transport Association

National Memorial Day Parade in DC, May 25th

DC SCHOOL MARCHING BANDS, GARY SINISE, MILITARY BANDS,

ERNEST BORGNINE, LEE GREENWOOD

WASHINGTON, May 15 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The National Memorial Day Parade presented by the American Veterans Center will take place Monday, May 25, 2009 at 2:00 PM Constitution Avenue between 7th and 17th Streets NW. Join more than 250,000 Americans in honoring those who have served and sacrificed in the fifth annual National Memorial Day Parade. Marching bands, veterans units, and uniformed military personnel from around the country will march down Constitution Avenue in the largest Memorial Day parade in the nation. The parade will feature a special tribute to the U.S. Navy, and include Navy vet and Oscar winner Ernest Borgnine, fellow actors and veterans' supporters Gary Sinise and Joe Mantegna, and music star Lee Greenwood. Also participating is Edith Shain, the nurse from the famous World War II "V-J Day in Times Square" kiss photograph. For more information, visit www.nationalmemorialdayparade.com.

For nearly 70 years, Washington, DC -- our nation's capital and headquarters of our military -- was without a parade on the Armed Services' most sacred day. In 2005, the American Veterans Center decided to bring this great tradition back to the nation's capital by creating the National Memorial Day Parade. While each war and each branch of the military is honored in full, each year the parade highlights one branch of the military. The 2009 National Memorial Day Parade will have a special focus on the Navy, with distinguished Navy personnel throughout, and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff ADM Michael Mullen as reviewing officer. The parade will be televised live to our service members around the world on The Pentagon Channel and locally on NewsChannel 8.

The parade is possible with the generous support of TriWest Healthcare Alliance, U-Haul, Kuwait, American Airlines, Lions Club, Ride-Away, Argon ST, U.S. Army Freedom Team Salute, among others.

To schedule interviews with parade organizers or parade marshals, please call Tim Holbert at (703) 302-1012 ext. 220 or Cheri Jacobus at (202) 547-7458. Media sign-in at the reviewing stand at 7th and Constitution Avenue, NW and press pass provides full access to the parade. There are a limited number of media parking passes available. Please call to request in advance.

CONTACT:

Tim Holbert
(tholbert@americanveteranscenter.org)
(703) 302-1012 ext. 220

Cheri Jacobus
(cherijacobus@aol.com)
(202) 547-7358


SOURCE American Veterans Center

H1N1 Pandemic Precautions for Front Line Workers

WASHINGTON, May 14 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- If the H1N1 pandemic flu follows the pattern of the 1918 Great Pandemic it could come back with more vigor in a second wave next fall. In 1918, three separate recurrences of influenza followed each other with unusual rapidity, resulting in 3 explosive pandemic waves within a year's time. Dr. Thomas O'Brien, Vice President of the Alliance for the Prudent Use of Antibiotics and Microbiology Lab Director at Brigham and Women's Hospital stated this concern on May 14th before a Congressional Subcommittee, chaired by Congressman Stephen Lynch from the 9th district of Massachusetts.

Congressman Lynch called the hearing to consider how to protect federal workers who are first responders during flu epidemics. "I want to be sure we have good procedures in place to ensure the safety of federal workers and the public at large."

The work of APUA is given a special relevance to this danger by recent evidence that secondary bacterial infection was a major contributor to the 1918 influenza death rate and by recent changes in methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). Because of overuse of related antibiotics, MRSA has spread widely in the community in recent years and on multiple occasions has acquired resistance to vancomycin, the drug that has been relied on for treating it. "MRSA will thus be a very likely major contributor to the mortality of future influenza infections, and preventing its further acquisition of antibiotic resistances is necessary to keep those infections from becoming untreatable," according to Dr. O'Brien of APUA.

The best defense is to ensure funding for strong state and federal public health programs, said Dr. O'Brien. He complimented Dr. Richard Besser, acting Director of the CDC and Dr. Alfred DeMaria, Director of Communicable Disease Control of the Massachusetts Department of Public Health for their epidemiology investigations and effective communications during the influenza outbreak in April and May. He emphasized the importance of disease tracking programs and the need for simple but critical everyday hygiene measures such as vigorous hand washing with soap and water or alcohol gels for all citizens. For surface disinfection APUA recommends soap and water or use of bleach and alcohol antiseptics rather than those that contain antibacterial agents such as triclosan that could select for antibiotic resistance. Emphasis for front-line workers and the general public should be on the proven protections of good hygiene and hand washing and not on an unproven need for facemasks. Facemasks are currently only recommended for healthcare professionals with prolonged exposure to patients diagnosed with H1N1.

Dr. O'Brien cautioned against unnecessary or over use of antibiotics and antivirals, such over use leaves us without effective antiviral or antibiotic drugs when the need is greatest.

APUA is an international public health organization based in Boston with chapters in 61 countries; Dr. Stuart B. Levy is President of APUA and a Professor at Tufts Medical School. APUA's mission is to control drug resistance and preserve the power of antibiotics, through research and education worldwide. For more information please visit our website at www.APUA.org.


SOURCE Alliance for the Prudent Use of Antibiotics (APUA)

Pennsylvania, Bay States Set New Milestones for Accelerated Cleanup of Chesapeake Bay

Presidential Executive Order Makes Restoration of Bay a National Priority

HARRISBURG, Pa., May 14 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Environmental Protection Secretary John Hanger today outlined how new, clearly-defined and attainable nutrient reduction goals for the Chesapeake Bay and a presidential order calling for increased federal participation in the cleanup will accelerate recovery of the bay while greatly improving the health of Pennsylvania's rivers and streams.

Hanger represented Pennsylvania at the annual meeting Tuesday of the Chesapeake Executive Council in Mount Vernon, Va. The council consists of representatives from the six states that contribute fresh water to the bay along with the District of Columbia, the Chesapeake Bay Commission, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and is responsible for establishing policies for restoring and safeguarding the bay.

"The Chesapeake Executive Council has established clearly-defined, attainable goals for reducing nitrogen and phosphorus pollution in the bay and restoring the health of this vital estuary," Hanger said. "Creating a series of two-year milestones that will demand real action from all states, along with President Obama's executive order, clearly show that all jurisdictions have committed to accelerating the pace of bay restoration."

The Executive Council announced a series of two-year milestones for reductions in nitrogen and phosphorus pollution that cause murky water and algae blooms that block sunlight from reaching bay grasses and dramatically reduce oxygen levels for aquatic life.

In the past, states had established deadlines for reduction in nutrients and sediments but had not set specific benchmarks or realistic deadlines. As a result, although progress was being made, the deadlines were moved to accommodate shortcomings in pollution reduction efforts and improved science for setting reduction goals.

Under the milestone agreement announced Tuesday, Pennsylvania will reduce its current nitrogen load to the Bay from 102 million to 95 million pounds per year by 2011, and reduce phosphorus loading from 3.5 million to 3.19 million pounds per year by 2011.

The ultimate goal is to have pollution reduction processes in place by 2025 that will reduce Pennsylvania's annual nitrogen load to 72 million pounds per year and phosphorus load to 2.46 million pounds per year.

"Pennsylvania is responsible for 50 percent of the fresh water entering the Chesapeake Bay, and as a result, no state has been called upon to produce greater reductions in nitrogen and phosphorus loads," Hanger said. "As we reduce raw sewage running into our streams, Pennsylvanians will also realize the greatest benefits from this effort. We are restoring our own waterways for improved recreation, safer drinking water and greater opportunities for economic development."

The action by the Executive Council was further enhanced when President Barack Obama issued an executive order directing EPA to take a larger role in accelerating and overseeing restoration efforts by the states and the federal government. The agency will take a number of actions including creating a Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) in 2010 which establishes federal limits for nitrogen and phosphorus entering Chesapeake Bay waterways from six states and the District of Columbia.

The secretary noted that Pennsylvania is leading by example through innovative programs that are improving water quality by significantly reducing nitrogen, phosphorus and sediment pollution to the bay and are producing measurable results such as a 22 percent increase in underwater bay grasses in the upper reaches of the bay during 2008 which signifies the improvements in water quality entering the bay.

To further reduce pollutants that damage Pennsylvania's waterways and ultimately impact the bay, Pennsylvania is:

Promoting wider use of riparian forest buffers and grass buffers to reduce urban and agricultural runoff, reduce sediment and nutrient loading and improve habitat for aquatic life;

Creating the Resource Enhancement and Protection Program (REAP) to assist and encourage farmers to use no-till farming which greatly reduces nutrient and sediment-laden runoff from agricultural lands;

Implementing a new anti-idling law to help to reduce atmospheric deposition of nitrous oxide emissions from diesel exhaust. Nitrogen deposition is responsible for approximately one-third of the nitrogen entering the Chesapeake Bay from Pennsylvania's waterways;

Awarding Growing Greener grants to assist with installation of agricultural and stormwater best management practices and the development of nutrient Management plans and conservation planning practices at Pennsylvania farms. Pennsylvania was the first state in the Chesapeake Bay watershed to require farms to have some form of nutrient control.

Directing money from the H2OPA fund, the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act and the Clean Water Referendum through PENNVEST to finance projects that will improve the operation of municipal wastewater facilities in the Susquehanna River watershed.

"Pennsylvania has taken a leadership role in the restoration of the Chesapeake Bay since the signing of the original Chesapeake Bay Agreement in 1983," Hanger said. "All of the steps we have taken in the past to reduce the pollution entering the bay from Pennsylvania, and the steps we will take in the next few years, are putting Pennsylvania in a good position to comply with the EPA's forthcoming TMDL for the entire watershed and to keep our commitment to do our part to restore the Chesapeake Bay."

The Chesapeake Bay is the nation's largest estuary. The 64,000 square mile bay watershed is home to 17 million people in Delaware, Maryland, New York, Pennsylvania, Virginia, West Virginia and the District of Columbia.

For more information, visit www.depweb.state.pa.us, keyword: Chesapeake Bay.

CONTACT:
Tom Rathbun
(717) 787-1323

SOURCE Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection

Diabetes Experts Partner With Novo Nordisk to Provide New Patient Materials

American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists logo. (PRNewsFoto/American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists)

JACKSONVILLE, FL UNITED STATES

HOUSTON, May 14 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- A free resource designed to educate patients about ways to successfully manage their diabetes was revealed today at the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists (AACE) 18th Annual Meeting & Clinical Congress.

(Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20090324/DC88061LOGO-b)

The Power of Prevention(R) Magazine, is a patient-friendly quarterly publication published by the American College of Endocrinology (ACE), the scientific arm of AACE. The special "diabetes edition" of the magazine features articles written by experts in the treatment of the disease - endocrinologists.

Endocrinologists are doctors whose specialized training enables them to be experts in the care of endocrine disease, such as diabetes, thyroid disorders, growth hormone deficiency, osteoporosis, cholesterol disorders, hypertension and obesity.

"The Power of Prevention(R) initiative is designed to give patient's the tools and information to know what to ask for and what to expect from their health care providers during their visit," former president of the ACE Donald Bergman, MD, FACE, said. "The Power of Prevention Magazine is an integral part of that mission."

In the current issue, endocrinologists tackle topics ranging from prediabetes, the importance of weight management with type 2 diabetes and the changing face of diabetes management.

This edition of the magazine was made possible with the support of Novo Nordisk and the Changing Diabetes Leadership Initiative.

"Our shared passion for changing diabetes means we have to address the disease from multiple angles, from pursuing a cure to effective treatments to prevention and education," said Nathaniel Clark, MD, MS, RD, Senior Medical Advisor - Diabetes for Novo Nordisk. "The Power of Prevention(R) is an initiative that will give the power of education to the person at risk or with diabetes and we're proud to support it."

The Power of Prevention(R) Magazine, can be found in any local endocrinologist's office. An online version of the magazine is available for download on the AACE web site by clicking here.

Subscriptions to the Power of Prevention Magazine are available by e-mailing Sarah Senn at the AACE office. She can be reached by phone at 904-353-7878 or by e-mail at ssenn@aace.com.

About AACE

AACE is a professional medical organization with more than 6,200 members in the United States and 92 other countries. Founded in 1991, AACE is dedicated to the optimal care of patients with endocrine problems. AACE initiatives inform the public about endocrine disorders. AACE also conducts continuing education programs for clinical endocrinologists, physicians whose advanced, specialized training enables them to be experts in the care of endocrine disease, such as diabetes, thyroid disorders, growth hormone deficiency, osteoporosis, cholesterol disorders, hypertension and obesity.

About Novo Nordisk

Novo Nordisk is a healthcare company with an 86-year history of innovation and achievement in diabetes care. The company has the broadest diabetes product portfolio in the industry, including the most advanced products within the area of insulin delivery systems. In addition to diabetes care, Novo Nordisk has a leading position within areas such as hemostasis management, growth hormone therapy, and hormone therapy for women. Novo Nordisk's business is driven by the Triple Bottom Line: a commitment to social responsibility to employees and customers, environmental soundness and economic success. With headquarters in Denmark, Novo Nordisk employs more than 27,000 employees in 81 countries, and markets its products in 179 countries. Novo Nordisk's B shares are listed on the stock exchanges in Copenhagen and London. Its ADRs are listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol 'NVO'. For global information, visit novonordisk.com; for United States information, visit novonordisk-us.com.


SOURCE American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists

USAID Helps Upgrade the Skills of Iraqi Public Managers for Oil and Electricity

BAGHDAD, Iraq, May 14 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), in collaboration with the Ministry of Oil (MoO) and the Ministry of Electricity (MoE), hosted a graduation ceremony for 36 managers from across Iraq who received training in core public administration skills to prepare them for senior leadership roles within the ministries.

The USAID-funded National Capacity Development program, locally known as "Tatweer," brought together 22 MoO and 14 MoE managers from Baghdad, Basra, Babil, Mosul, Kirkuk and Diwaniyah provinces. The six-month Program Manager Cycle (PMC) training was the latest in a series of programs to modernize the skills of public officials and encourage cooperation between the ministries in an effort to improve delivery of services to the Iraqi people.

The PMC program trained Iraqi government officials in communications and leadership, supply chain-management, information technology, human resources, financial management, and project management. The training in each of the six core areas was provided for one week a month from October 2008 through March 2009. The training encouraged integrated problem solving, development of skills and cross-ministerial networks.

The USAID program works with 10 Iraqi ministries and 10 agencies and executive offices to improve overall institutional performance and introduce international best practices. In the past two years, USAID/Tatweer has trained more than 70,000 Iraq government officials in strategic planning, human resources, financial management, and project management.

USAID Iraq Director Thomas Delaney said, "The Public Manager Cycle training has strengthened the capacity and professionalism of managers in line with the Iraqi Government's vision to modernize its public administration systems." He added that greater cooperation between the MoO and MoE will help advance the country's rebuilding efforts.

Since 2003, USAID has invested more than $6 billion on programs designed to stabilize communities; foster economic and agricultural growth; and build the capacity of the national, local, and provincial governments to respond to the needs of the Iraqi people.

For more information about USAID programs, please visit our website at www.usaid.gov. The American people, through the U.S. Agency for International Development, have provided economic and humanitarian assistance worldwide for nearly 50 years.

Public Information: 202.212-6276 x1066


SOURCE U.S. Agency for International Development

K-State Psychology Researchers Find That Even in Hostile Working Environments, Employees Are Reluctant to Leave Their Jobs

MANHATTAN, Kan., May 14 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- She never gets invited to lunch with the rest of her co-workers. He always gets publicly criticized for his mistakes.

But according to research by Kansas State University psychologists, neither of these workers is likely to leave the job.

Meridith Selden, a K-State doctoral graduate in psychology, and her adviser, Ron Downey, K-State professor of psychology, studied workplace hostility. They found that among workers reporting hostility in the current position, almost half -- 45 percent of them -- had no definite plans to leave their current job. In addition, 59 percent indicated that they either liked or did not dislike their current job.

And this research took place well before the economic downturn.

"They might like the job, just not certain elements of it," Downey said. "That really surprised us, that people weren't ready to jump ship. We talk about the new workplace where people don't stay at the same job forever, but getting a job is difficult and people don't like to do it."

Selden and Downey presented the research in April at the Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology conference in New Orleans.

The researchers had gathered the data through online surveys that participants found through a Web site, Web searcher or word of mouth.

"Companies don't want to talk about workplace hostility," Downey said. "This is a common methodology when they don't want to let researchers in."

He and Selden asked workers about non-physical hostile behaviors that they experienced in the workplace. That included hostile behaviors that were both exclusionary and interfering. For example, exclusionary hostility is being reprimanded in front of others, having your contributions ignored or being excluded from activities like coffee breaks. Interfering hostility prohibits you from doing your job, such as being gossiped about or having your equipment sabotaged.

"Exclusion issues are the ones that bother people considerably," Downey said. "It's like if everyone goes to lunch routinely but doesn't invite you."

The researchers found that workers feel equally harmed by this hostility whether it comes from co-workers or supervisors.

"You would think that hostility from the supervisor would cause more worry, but it didn't here," Downey said. "Many people still thought that their supervisor was helpful and were no less satisfied with the supervisor."

Downey, whose other research has centered on workplace stress, said that the ramifications of hostile behaviors could be experienced later, even if workers remain positive for the time being.

"These kinds of behaviors just arouse stress for people at work," he said. "If you're talking about stress and get feelings of being upset while at the job, that leads to burnout. That's when you leave the job."

Downey said that many employers have specialized staff -- whether in the company or on contract -- who can mediate in these situations.

"By the time it gets to them, it has probably gotten way out of control," he said.


SOURCE Kansas State University

Commission Hears Final Testimony on North Coast Ocean Protection Plan

Residents voice support for compromise proposal

SACRAMENTO, Calif., May 14 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Today in Sacramento, the Fish and Game Commission is holding a public comment hearing on plans for a network of underwater parks, or marine protected areas (MPAs), along California's north central coast (between Half Moon Bay and Point Arena).

After today's meeting, the Fish and Game Commission is expected to make a final decision on the north central coast MPA network at an adoption hearing scheduled for August 5 in Woodside.

"The ocean is a vital part of California's culture and economy, and the decisions considered today will have ripple effects for generations," said Karen Garrison, Co-Director of NRDC's Oceans Program. "For decades, we've protected California's special places on land with state and national parks. We need to take the same kind of action underwater to restore our fragile ocean environment."

The plan before the Commission today, known as the Integrated Preferred Alternative, was developed over two years, forty public meetings, and a thorough scientific and economic review. It would protect ocean life along some of the region's key sites, including the Farallon Islands, Point Reyes, and Fitzgerald Marine Reserve, while leaving 88.5 percent of state waters open for fishing.

"Fishermen, divers, conservationists, and other coastal residents put their blood, sweat and tears into this plan," said Ocean Conservancy's Samantha Murray, who served on the north central coast Regional Stakeholder Group charged with designed the local MPA network. "No one got exactly what they wanted but the Integrated Preferred Alternative is the best compromise that will work for both fish and fishermen."

The Integrated Preferred Alternative draws from proposals developed by conservationists and fishermen. It reflects the best available science and on-the-ground knowledge supplied by local divers, anglers, business owners and environmentalists. It would place 11.5 percent of north central coast state waters into fully protected marine reserves.

"Marine reserves have been proven through numerous scientific studies to help restore damaged ecosystems and replenish fish populations," said Dr. Lance Morgan of Marine Conservation Biology Institute. "By setting aside the north central coast's most sensitive habitat, we can help ensure the long-term health and productivity of our nearshore waters."

All MPAs are open for surfing, diving, swimming, wildlife viewing, study and research. Marine reserves provide the greatest level of protection for ocean life and habitat by fully protecting these resources from consumptive activities like fishing. Fishing is allowed with some restrictions in other MPAs, including marine conservation areas and marine parks. The Integrated Preferred Alternative plan's nine marine conservation areas and two state marine parks would allow some fishing.

"As a lifelong diver, I've seen our seas changing firsthand. An increased demand for fresh seafood and pressures simply related to the development of our way of life are taking a toll on marine resources," said dive instructor and Regional Stakeholder Group member Francesca Koe. "A strong network of marine protected areas can help mitigate this decline and create buffers -- which also happen to provide great wildlife viewing opportunities for people both above and below the water's edge."

This is the second phase in a multi-year public process to implement the Marine Life Protection Act (MLPA). Funding for the MLPA is 95 percent intact this fiscal year, thanks to a public-private partnership. The MLPA was passed in 1999 to safeguard the health and productivity of California's coastal waters. It is the first state law of its kind, requiring a science-based, community-designed, statewide system of marine protected areas.

For more information, visit www.dfg.ca.gov/mlpa or www.caloceans.org.


SOURCE Natural Resources Defense Council and Ocean Conservancy

Peru Declares State of Emergency, Deploys Special Forces to Break Up Indigenous Protests

LIMA, Peru, May 14 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- In Peru, indigenous protests against recent government decrees affecting their land and resource rights continue to spread throughout the country. Amazon Watch has received several alarming reports of violent crackdowns against peaceful demonstrators by Special Forces after President Alan Garcia declared a state of emergency in the Cusco, Ucayali, Loreto and Amazonas regions over the weekend.

For the past month, indigenous peoples have blockaded roads and rivers throughout the Amazon to protest new decrees which make it easier to transfer indigenous peoples' land and resource rights to oil, mining, logging and agricultural companies to the detriment of local inhabitants. The decrees have also set the stage for the privatization of water resources.

In the town of Bagua in the Amazonas region near the border with Ecuador, there have been reports that on Sunday armed forces cracked down on peaceful Awajun and Huambis demonstrators on the Corral Quemado Bridge resulting in several serious injuries. Two people are reported missing.

Elsewhere, several thousand Shawi and Cocama Cocamillas have blockaded the road between Yurimaguas and Tarapoto, a major transport route.

Yesterday in Lima, Peru's Prime Minister, Yehude Simon met with leaders of AIDESEP, Peru's leading indigenous rights organization.

Last Friday 42 indigenous leaders staged a hunger strike in the Peruvian Congress to demand that the full legislature debate the repeal of the decrees and eight Peruvian Catholic bishops issued a statement saying the decrees were a "twisted concept of development" that "threaten to increase regional poverty" in the Amazon.

The Peruvian government has auctioned off huge swaths of indigenous lands to mining and energy concessions. During the month-long protest, the Garcia administration has signed contracts for another 15 oil concessions - the majority of them in the Amazon.

"The government has not defended us against the oil, mining and logging companies that continue to pollute our communities after they illegally entered our lands," said Alberto Pizango, the president of AIDESEP. "The government is not abiding by international treaties signed by Peru as well as our own Constitution."

"We urge the Garcia administration to refrain from using force and instead enter into meaningful talks with indigenous peoples to resolve their legitimate concerns," said Atossa Soltani, Executive Director of Amazon Watch.


SOURCE Amazon Watch

Spain's Banco Santander Criticized for Hypocrisy: Funding Destructive Dam in the Amazon While Adopting Green Principles

WASHINGTON, May 14 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The following was issued today by Amazon Watch: Spain's Banco Santander, which has been facing growing criticism for being a lead financier in a highly controversial dam project in the Brazilian Amazon, recently signed on to the "Equator Principles," a set of socially and environmentally responsible financing guidelines adopted by a growing number of private banks. At the annual meeting of the Equator Banks this week in Washington, D.C., environmental organizations are challenging Banco Santander to demonstrate its commitment to the Equator Principles by pulling out of the controversial Madeira Dam Complex.

Banco Santander has played a leading role in advising and coordinating the financial structure of Santo Antonio dam and holds a 5 percent equity stake in the project.

The Santo Antonio and Jirau hydroelectric dams being built on Brazil's Madeira River have generated enormous controversy in Brazil due to the massive environmental and social harm the projects would cause the region's complex and fragile ecosystems as well as the indigenous and traditional communities who rely on the river for their survival. In addition to adverse social and environmental impacts, the dams are risky from a financial standpoint, as several legal actions threaten to suspend construction.

"Banco Santander's financing the Santo Antonio dam is enabling drastic environmental impacts to unfold in the Amazon," says Roland Widmer, the manager of the Eco-Finance Program at the Friends of the Earth of the Brazilian Amazon. "There are serious irregularities in the dams' environmental licensing process. Also dam construction has already caused an environmental disaster for which the company has already been fined some US$ 4.2 million, including for killing of over 11 tons of fish. The region's indigenous peoples say they have not been adequately consulted about the dams and have demanded that the licenses be revoked."

Glenn Switkes, the Director of the Amazon Program at International Rivers, commented, "Banco Santander's support of the Santo Antonio dam is a clear contradiction to its stated aspirations for sustainability and social and environmental responsibility. There is no question that the Madeira dams violate the Equator Principles. Banco Santander should pull out of the Madeira complex."


SOURCE Amazon Watch

President Obama Says Core Mission of ASU Matches That of His Presidency

TEMPE, Ariz., May 14 /PRNewswire/ -- At what may have been the largest U.S. graduation in history, President Barack Obama told graduates at Arizona State University that opening the doors of higher education to students from every background is a core mission of ASU and of his presidency, and should serve as a model for universities across the country.

(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20090514/LA16907-a)

(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20090514/LA16907-b)

Six high school seniors who are among the first recipients of ASU's President Barack Obama Scholars program got to meet the charismatic president and be introduced on stage. The scholarship, an expansion of the university's key financial aid program which will benefit 1,600 freshmen next fall, offers up to $17,000 annually to help students pay for tuition, room and board.

"What a wonderful gift, to open the doors of education for students of every background," Obama told a crowd of 71,000 people in Sun Devil Stadium at ASU.

"With a degree from this fine institution, you have everything you need to change the world. You can help our struggling non-profits. . . teach in a high-need school . . .help us lead a green revolution, developing new sources of clean energy that will power our economy and preserve our planet."

For the last six years, ASU has served as America's largest effort at institutional transformation in higher education, building a solution-focused institution that combines the highest level of academic excellence, inclusiveness to a broad demographic and maximum societal impact.

Since 2000 ASU has increased its enrollment by 17,000 students while enhancing student quality each year, as a response to the growing number of Arizona high school graduates academically qualified to attend college.

ASU also is home to the nation's first School of Sustainability and the Biodesign Institute, both of which focus on huge global challenges and which prepare students for essential future careers. The graduating class includes 13 students who are the first to graduate with degrees in sustainability.

"As a nation, it is clear that we need to build a new foundation - a stronger foundation - for our economy and our prosperity, rethinking how we educate our children, and care for our sick, and treat our environment," said Obama.

"Many of our current challenges are unprecedented. There are no standard remedies, or go-to fixes this time around. That is why we are going to need your help."

He told the graduating class of 9,267 that starting their careers in troubled times is a challenge, but also a privilege, because they are forced to dig deeper and discover gifts they never knew they had.

"At this difficult time in our national history, the old approaches won't get you where you want to go. The leaders we revere, and the businesses and institutions that last, are the result of devotion to some bigger purpose. The commitment at an institution like ASU, which is diverse and gives opportunity to all, that's the hallmark of real success."

President Obama's emphasis on building the next generation of leaders in science, technology and sustainability, as well as the arts, mirrors ASU's mission as a New American University, said ASU President Michael M. Crow, who invited Obama to be the university's first graduation speaker in many years.

"President Obama's priority on education and his stand on building a green economy as the solution to our economic crisis is a perfect fit for ASU's mission and aspirations," said Crow. "He has a deep understanding of the need to drive change, and of the role of knowledge in advancing the American ideal. He gives hope to all who dream."


SOURCE Arizona State University

NASA Announces Global Climate Change Education Grant Awards

NASA Logo. (PRNewsFoto/NASA)

WASHINGTON, DC UNITED STATES

WASHINGTON, May 13 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- NASA has awarded $6.4 million in grants to institutions of higher education and not-for-profit education organizations nationwide to enhance learning through the use of NASA's Earth science resources.

(Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20081007/38461LOGO)

Each grant is expected to leverage NASA's unique contributions in climate science. The selected grant winners proposed ways to enhance students' academic experiences or improve educators' abilities to engage their students by providing opportunities to investigate the Earth system using NASA resources. These grants support NASA's goal of engaging students in the critical disciplines of science, technology, engineering and mathematics and inspiring the next generation of explorers.

The selected proposals illustrate innovative approaches to using NASA content in support of elementary, secondary and undergraduate teaching and learning. There is a particular emphasis on engaging students using NASA Earth observation data and NASA Earth system models.

A total of 22 proposals were selected for funding to organizations in the District of Columbia and 14 states: Alaska, Alabama, California, Colorado, Georgia, Illinois, Massachusetts, North Dakota, Nebraska, New York, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Texas and Virginia. The grants are part of a program Congress began in fiscal year 2008. Winning proposals were selected through a merit-based, peer-reviewed competition. The awards have up to a three-year period of performance and range in value from $140,000 to $500,000.

For a list of proposals selected for the "Global Climate Change Education" solicitation, visit:

http://nspires.nasaprs.com

For information about NASA's Education programs, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/education


SOURCE NASA

Geothermal Power Experts to Convene in Seattle

WASHINGTON, May 13 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Geothermal power is poised for dramatic growth, and the companies that will bring new renewable power to the West will be converging on Seattle for the next Geothermal Energy Association (GEA) "Technology, Finance, and Development Workshop" on June 3.

Among the presenters at the Geothermal Energy Association (GEA) event will be:

Spokespersons for companies leading new technology innovation and project development, including Paul Thomsen of Ormat Technologies, Michael Ronzella of Pratt and Whitney Power Systems, and Hank Senott of Enel North America.

GEA's Executive Director, Karl Gawell, who will discuss the tax incentives, loan guarantees, and other new incentives for geothermal power being advanced in Washington.

Ed Wall, Program Director, U.S. Department of Energy Geothermal Technologies Program, which was just provided nearly $500 million to support new geothermal technology development and applications.

"Utility scale and distributed generation geothermal projects are springing up across the U.S. -- from Florida to Alaska -- in response to the new push for clean, renewable energy coming from Congress and the Obama Administration," Gawell said. "Together new federal and state incentives will lead to billions of dollars of new investment in geothermal power creating tens of thousands of new jobs in the U.S.," he added.

Geothermal companies participating in the workshop represent over 40 new geothermal power projects which together will bring roughly 1,000 MW of power on line, enough power to meet the household energy needs of Seattle and Portland combined. In addition to Ormat, Pratt and Whitney, and Enel, geothermal companies scheduled to present include: AltaRock Energy, Power Engineers, Raser Technologies, Western GeoPower, Nevada Geothermal Power, Turbine Air Systems, ThermaSource, Google.org, OIT GeoHeat Center and U.S. Renewables Group.

Along with Seattle Mayor Greg Nickels, participants will include environmental representatives, local and state government officials, legal and regulatory experts, and others who will join the geothermal community in the day-long program covering nearly every aspect of this exciting renewable energy technology.

"The West has a huge untapped geothermal energy potential," according to Gawell. "This workshop will help realize this potential by encouraging collaboration between leading geothermal developers, finance and investment specialists, government officials, lawyers, and technology experts from around the nation," he said.

Registration for the event is $195 for GEA Members and $295 for non-members (price includes light breakfast, lunch, snack, and workshop proceedings). Reduced price registrations are available for non-profit organizations and credential press are complimentary--please contact Kathy Kent at kathy@geo-energy for confirmation.

The workshop will be held at the Washington Convention and Trade Center in Seattle, Washington from 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. on June 3, 2009. For more information and to register, visit: http://www.geo-energy.org.


SOURCE Geothermal Energy Association

Family Festival Brings Children of All Abilities Together

WASHINGTON, May 13 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Vibrant art workshops and dynamic stage performances will enliven the Kogod Courtyard of the Smithsonian American Art Museum from June 5-6 as VSA arts presents its annual Start with the Arts Family Festival. Named after Start with the Arts, VSA arts' early childhood educational resources for teachers and parents, the festival spotlights the work of performing and teaching artists with disabilities and brings children of all abilities together through the arts. This year's festival goes "green," with activities focused on helping take care of the Earth.

"VSA arts is committed to creating opportunities for all people to come together and create together. The Start with the Arts Festival allows us as a community to celebrate creativity," said Soula Antoniou, president of VSA arts. "This year's art activities are especially relevant, as our society tries to be more environmentally friendly."

The 2008-2009 VSA arts Teaching Artists Fellows and others will lead lively, interactive art workshops on both days. Children of all ages can decorate their own canvas bag with Karen Brown and Kong Ho. Fran Sillau and Shaqe Kalaj will bring participants on a creative journey involving storytelling and the visual arts as they delve into the adventures of Anansi the Spider. Children and adults alike can make and play musical instruments from household materials with Derek Mortland and Glenn McClure.

On Friday only, environmental arts troupe Bash the Trash will teach children how to create musical instruments from recycled materials and then give a concert with these unique instruments.

Family-friendly performances are also scheduled throughout Saturday. Featured performers include The Dancing Wheels Company and Little Theatre of the Deaf. The Dancing Wheels Company revolutionizes the concept of physically integrated dance, opening the doors for thousands of artists with and without disabilities to perform together on an equal basis. Tony Award(R)-winning Little Theatre of the Deaf will present its new production Tree Wise, which tells the story of a boy who has Deaf parents and has made a friend at school. Through the help of an extraordinary tree, the boy learns how to help his new friend and classmates understand more about Deaf culture. The tree teaches sign language to the children (and audience) through games.

Concurrently, the children's art exhibition "Celebrating Who I Am" is also on display at Union Station, 40 Massachusetts Ave., N.E., from June 1-21. The exhibition includes artwork from a child in each state and the District of Columbia who were selected in response to VSA arts' and CVS Caremark All Kids Can's joint call for art earlier this year. Reproductions of ten pieces of artwork from the Union Station exhibition will also be on display in Kogod Courtyard.

The festival is free and open to the public from 11:30 a.m.-5 p.m. both days. The Smithsonian American Art Museum is located at 8th and F Streets, NW. For more information, please visit www.vsarts.org or call (202) 628-2800.

VSA arts is an international nonprofit organization founded 35 years ago by Ambassador Jean Kennedy Smith to create a society where people with disabilities learn through, participate in, and enjoy the arts. VSA arts provides educators, parents, and artists with resources and the tools to support arts programming in schools and communities. VSA arts showcases the accomplishments of artists with disabilities and promotes increased access to the arts for people with disabilities. Each year millions of people participate in VSA arts programs through a nationwide network of affiliates and in 54 countries around the world. VSA arts is an affiliate of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. For more information about VSA arts, visit www.vsarts.org.


SOURCE VSA arts

Carnegie Council Launches the Global Ethics Network

NEW YORK, May 13 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- In the 21st century, the discussion of ethics must be global, cross-cultural, and interactive. To that end, the Carnegie Council is establishing partnerships with educational institutions around the world to create the Global Ethics Network, a group that engages in non-partisan, interactive education about global issues. So far, agreements have been signed with network partners in Asia, the Middle East, and North America.

Partners are developing local Carnegie Global Ethics Centers/Labs, which use Carnegie Council resources and also contribute original content. All video and audio content is edited by the Carnegie Ethics Studio in New York, transformed into easily used formats, and shared with the Network.

Network programs will include class activities such as exercises, case studies and lesson plans. There will also be videoconferences, joint lectures, symposia, and conferences.

"The Council's mission is to promote the discussion of ethics in international affairs, and technology makes it possible to extend our reach worldwide," says Program Director William Vocke. "This network will engage in face-to-face programming, both in the classroom and with diverse audiences. Our partners will participate in joint network programs and create their own distinctive local video and classroom content. In the process, a cross-cultural dialogue will naturally develop and these educational activities will take on deeper, richer dimensions."

The initial partner list is as follows:

Asia

National ChengChi University, Taipei; Renmin University, Beijing; Shanghai International Studies University, Shanghai; Sophia University, Tokyo

Middle East

American University, Beirut; American University, Cairo

North America

Bard College, New York NY; Juniata College, Huntingdon PA; New York University -- SPCS: Center for Global Affairs, New York NY; University of Oregon, Eugene OR; University of Southern California, Levan Institute, Los Angeles CA; World Affairs Council of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh PA.

MAY FUND DRIVE: In these challenging times, who is making the case for ethics? Please make a donation to the Council's May Fund Drive. Your gift will directly support our programs. Go to www.cceia.org. Thank you for your support!

The Carnegie Council for Ethics in International Affairs (www.cceia.org), established in 1914 by Andrew Carnegie, is an independent, nonpartisan, nonprofit organization dedicated to increasing understanding of the relationship between ethics and international affairs.


SOURCE Carnegie Council for Ethics in International Affairs

Intel Case Commission Manipulating Competition in Tech Industry

Statement by Jonathan Zuck, President of the Association for Competitive Technology

BRUSSELS, Belgium, May 13 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The European Commission today ruled that Intel abused its dominance in the x86 microprocessor market and imposed a fine of 1.06 billion euros. Association for Competitive Technology (ACT) president Jonathan Zuck offered the following comments in response: "The European Commission's efforts to manipulate competition in the technology industry without identifying actual consumer harm are worrying. Innovation and competition are thriving throughout the industry, and even the most successful firms must continue innovating and competing on price or risk being toppled."

"The microprocessor industry is not an exception. The software industry depends on continued competition and innovation on the x86 platform, and we are worried about regulators distorting this market and potentially slowing innovation. For the past 20 years, the microprocessor industry has delivered more innovation, more speed, more functionality, and lower prices. Over the past ten years, the average price of Intel's PC microprocessors has dropped by 60%. When the only one complaining about the competitive situation is AMD, it raises serious concerns about the efficacy of this action."

Zuck added: "Despite the announcement of a more aggressive stance by the US Department of Justice, AMD will still have a tough time in the US. The US competition agencies will demand proof of actual consumer harm. Proof that we have not yet seen, and proof that seems to fly in the face of all available public data."

The Association for Competitive Technology (ACT) is an international education and advocacy group for the technology industry. Focusing on the interests of small and mid-size entrepreneurial technology companies, ACT advocates for a "Healthy Tech Environment" that promotes innovation, competition and investment. ACT has been active on issues such as intellectual property, international trade, e-commerce, privacy, internet policy and antitrust. ACT represents more than 3,000 software developers, systems integrators, IT consulting and training firms, and e- businesses from around the world.


SOURCE Association for Competitive Technology

Republic of Guyana Ministry of Home Affairs Signs eTrace Agreement

Combating Firearms Trafficking Using Modern Technology

GEORGETOWN, Guyana, May 12 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) that will provide eTrace, an electronic system used to trace illicit firearms with the Republic of Guyana, Ministry of Home Affairs. This is an ongoing effort to combat firearms trafficking in the region consistent with the December 2007 joint Caribbean Community (CARICOM)-U.S. Initiative on Combating the Illicit Trafficking in Small Arms and Light Weapons and Ammunition. (For additional information see: http://www.state.gov/p/wha/rls/120209.htm)

The MOU establishes conditions of the partnership between ATF and law enforcement authorities in Guyana regarding policy and procedures for the access and use of eTrace services made available to law enforcement agencies.

eTrace is a paperless firearm trace submission system that is accessible through a secure connection to the World Wide Web. This Internet application provides the necessary utilities for submitting, retrieving, storing and querying firearms trace-related information allowing for the systematic tracing of firearms recovered from crime scenes. Analysis of firearms trace data can assist in the identification of firearms trafficking patterns and geographic profiling for criminal hot spots and possible sources of illicit firearms.

ATF processed more than 300,000 crime-gun trace requests in fiscal year 2008, including traces from 58 countries. The other countries in the region that have eTrace capabilities include the Antigua and Barbuda, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Colombia, Costa Rica, Dominica, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Grenada, Guatemala, Honduras, Jamaica, Panama, Mexico, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia, and St. Vincent and the Grenadines. Several Caribbean police forces signed e-trace agreements on March 31, 2009 (For additional information see: http://www.state.gov/p/wha/hs/c29869.htm). The seven Central American states signed the same MOU in December 2008. (For additional informational see: http://www.state.gov/p/wha/hs/c29261.htm).

ATF is a law enforcement agency within the U.S. Department of Justice dedicated to preventing and fighting violent crime. More information on ATF and its programs and resources is at www.atf.gov.

CONTACT: Public Affairs Division
(202) 648-8500


SOURCE Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives

JCA Free Job Fair Targets the Over 50 Crowd

Older Workers' Skills Attract Many Recruiters

ROCKVILLE, Md., May 13 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Jewish Council for the Aging (JCA) is hosting the "50+ Employment Expo," a free event designed for all mid-life and older workers on May 15th from 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. at the Marriott Bethesda North Hotel & Conference Center. Pre-registration is not required and parking is free.

The expo will feature:

-- More than 50 recruiters from nonprofit, government, health-care, retail and technology industries.

-- Seminars on interviewing skills, changing careers and resume writing.

-- Internet coaches to help job seekers file applications online and teach the basics of online job searching.

-- A talk by former NBC4 technology reporter I.J. Hudson on "Creative Reinvention after Age 50."

The Expo will be at the Marriott Bethesda North Hotel & Conference Center, 5701 Marinelli Rd. in Bethesda, across from the White Flint Metro station. Attendees are encouraged to bring at least 10 copies of their resumes.

For details visit http://www.AccessJCA.org or call 301.299.2017.

About JCA - JCA, also known as the Jewish Council for the Aging, helps all seniors thrive across the National Capital Region. Since 1973, more than one million older adults and their caregivers have accessed its award-winning services for timely and appropriate help.

JCA is a non-profit association and it receives on-going support from The Jewish Federation of Greater Washington, the United Way and the Combined Federal Campaign.


SOURCE Jewish Council for the Aging

U.S. Census Bureau Daily Feature for May 13

U.S. Census Bureau logo. (PRNewsFoto/U.S. Census Bureau)

WASHINGTON, DC UNITED STATES

WASHINGTON, May 13 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Following is the daily "Profile America" feature from the U.S. Census Bureau:

(Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20090226/CENSUSLOGO)

WEDNESDAY, MAY 13: AMERICA'S SENIORS

Profile America -- Wednesday, May 13th. This is Older Americans Month -- a time to honor the growing number of people who are living longer and healthier lives. However, the economic downturn also has spotlighted the problems of financing retirement and paying for medical care of the elderly. There are nearly 38 million people age 65 and older in the U.S., about 13 percent of the population. By the year 2050, the number of elderly is projected to be close to 89 million. About one-in-seven seniors is still working. One-in-four is a military veteran, and eight-out-of-10 own their homes. Because of growing longevity, there are some 97,000 Americans who are at least 100 years old. You can find these and more facts about America from the U.S. Census Bureau online at http://www.census.gov.

Sources: Chase's Calendar of Events 2009, p.246

U.S. Census Bureau, Facts for Features, CB09-FF.07

Profile America is produced by the Public Information Office of the U.S. Census Bureau. These daily features are available as produced segments, ready to air, on a monthly CD or on the Internet at http://www.census.gov (look under the "Newsroom" button).


SOURCE U.S. Census Bureau

NASA Announces 2009 Aeronautics Scholarship Recipients

NASA Logo. (PRNewsFoto/NASA)

WASHINGTON, DC UNITED STATES

WASHINGTON, May 12 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- NASA has selected 25 graduate and undergraduate students to receive the agency's Aeronautics Scholarship for the 2009-2010 school year.

(Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20081007/38461LOGO)

The recipients were selected from hundreds of applications to the program, which is in its second year. The scholarship program is designed to aid students enrolled in fields of study with applications promising to aeronautics.

"If NASA is to help solve the aviation challenges of the 21st century, we are going to need input from fresh, well-trained and motivated students entering the aeronautics arena," said Jaiwon Shin, associate administrator for NASA's Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate at NASA Headquarters in Washington. "Our goal is to encourage and foster these students to continue with their interest in aviation and apply what they learn to our research efforts."

Selected students will have the opportunity to intern with NASA researchers and directly work on projects such as managing air traffic more efficiently, improving safety and reducing emissions and noise reduction.

Undergraduate scholarship winners will receive $15,000 per year to cover tuition costs for two years and a $10,000 stipend during a summer internship with NASA. Graduate scholarship winners will receive approximately $35,000 per year for as many as three years and $10,000 stipends for as many as two summer internships. To maintain their scholarship awards, all recipients must continue to meet the academic standards of the universities they attend.

The NASA Aeronautics Scholarship Program annually awards 20 two-year undergraduate scholarships plus summer internships, and five two- or three-year graduate scholarships plus summer internships. Acceptance of on-line applications for the fall 2010 scholarship year will begin in September. Applicants must be citizens of the United States or its territories. The application requirements include information on the students' proposed area of study.

To see the 2009 scholarship recipients' names and their schools on an interactive map of the United States, visit:

http://www.aeronautics.nasa.gov/aeronautics_scholarships/index.html

For more information about aeronautics research at NASA, visit:

http://www.aeronautics.nasa.gov

For information about NASA and its programs, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov


SOURCE NASA

Florida Now Top-Tier Governor's Race

DGA welcomes open seat contest, Cites strength of likely Sink candidacy in pick-up opportunity

WASHINGTON, May 12 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- With Florida Gov. Charlie Crist's announcement today that he will run for the U.S. Senate, the Democratic Governors Association now considers the state a top-tier pickup opportunity.

"Florida voters want practical, common sense leaders who put people above politics and who understand how to create jobs," said Montana Governor and DGA Chair Brian Schweitzer. "Democrats have been winning in Florida, and we are committed to seeing a Democrat put the state back on the path to recovery. Strong leaders in the state like Chief Financial Officer Alex Sink give us an excellent opportunity to return this governorship to the Democratic column."

Recent elections and polling have shown Florida moving toward Democrats. President Obama won the state by three points. As of March 2009, Democrats hold a 6.1 percentage point advantage in voter registration over Republicans, up from the 2.7 percentage point advantage Democrats held in 2006.

A poll released in April shows the open seat race as a dead heat between Chief Financial Officer Alex Sink and Attorney General Bill McCollum. The poll, conducted by Mason Dixon Polling & Research, found that 35 percent of voters would support Sink versus 36 percent for McCollum. [SayfieReview.com, April 3, 2009] Additionally, Sink has performed strongly in past statewide elections, winning more counties than any other Democrat since 1998 and winning a higher percentage of the vote than both Crist and McCollum.

The Democratic Governors Association is well-positioned for the 2009 and 2010 election years, having already announced record-breaking fundraising of $5.3 million in the first quarter alone.


SOURCE Democratic Governors Association

MDAA to Discuss New Poll on Missile Defense Program at the National Press Club

WASHINGTON, May 12 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Missile Defense Advocacy Alliance (MDAA) has important new national polling data on our nation's missile defense program that tests the American Public's response to President Obama's recent statements on Missile Defense and the Administration's proposals for Missile Defense funding. The poll also provides important insights to the American Public's view of threats to the nation's security and where it should it prioritize its efforts. The polling data and top line will be presented on Thursday, May 14 that 10:30 a.m. at the National Press Club. Riki Ellison, President and Founder of MDAA, commissioned Opinion Research of Princeton, New Jersey to do the poll, and the results will be presented during the news conference.

The briefing will last for about 10 minutes with a 20 minute Q and A session scheduled.

You will have the opportunity to interview Riki Ellison, Chairman and Founder of MDAA.

The National Press Club is located at 529 14th Street, Washington DC 20045. Please RSVP to Barbara Maxwell at bmaxwell@missiledefenseadvocacy.org or call 703 299-0061.


SOURCE Missile Defense Advocacy Alliance

NASA Earth System Science Meeting Celebrates 20 Years of Discovery

NASA Logo. (PRNewsFoto/NASA)

WASHINGTON, DC UNITED STATES

WASHINGTON, May 12 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Twenty years ago NASA embarked on a revolutionary new mission for its Earth science program: to study our home planet from space as an inter-related whole, rather than as individual parts. To acknowledge this milestone, NASA is holding a symposium June 22-24 to examine the accomplishments of 20 years of NASA's Earth system science program and discuss what discoveries and opportunities lay ahead.

(Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20081007/38461LOGO)

Reporters are invited to attend "NASA Earth System Science at 20: Accomplishments, Plans and Challenges," at the National Academy of Sciences, 2100 C St., N.W., in Washington. The symposium is sponsored by the Earth Science Division of NASA's Science Mission Directorate and co-hosted by the National Academy of Sciences' Ocean Studies Board, Space Studies Board, and Board on Earth Sciences and Resources.

The symposium will feature more than 20 invited talks on scientific breakthroughs, future directions in Earth system science, and the evolution of NASA's Earth system science program. In addition, press briefings will be held on new developments in societal applications of Earth system science and promising new directions in the field. A press room will be available for registered reporters throughout the symposium.

NASA's current Earth system science program -- which includes the Earth Observing System suite of satellites, a data distribution network, advanced computer modeling capabilities and basic research -- originated with the landmark 1988 report led by Francis Bretherton titled "Earth System Science: A Closer View." That vision laid the groundwork for advances in global climate change and understanding natural and human-induced changes in the land surface, atmosphere, oceans, biosphere and Earth's interior that affect all aspects of life.

To register for the symposium, visit:

http://dels.nas.edu/osb/nasa.shtml


SOURCE NASA

Stanford Financial Group Chief Investment Officer Charged With Obstruction of Justice

WASHINGTON, May 12 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- A federal grand jury in Houston returned a two-count indictment today charging Laura Pendergest-Holt, the chief investment officer of Houston-based Stanford Financial Group (SFG), with conspiring to obstruct a U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) proceeding investigating SFG, as well as a substantive count of obstructing the SEC proceeding, Assistant Attorney General of the Criminal Division Lanny A. Breuer and acting U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Texas Tim Johnson announced.

The federal court in Houston will be issuing an order summoning Pendergest-Holt to appear in the near future for arraignment. Pendergest-Holt has been free on a $300,000 bond since being charged with obstruction in a criminal complaint issued from the Northern District of Texas on Feb. 26, 2009.

According to the indictment, Stanford International Bank Ltd. (SIBL), marketed certificates of deposits (CDs). In a December 2008 monthly report, SIBL purported to have more than 30,000 clients and $8.5 billion in assets. The indictment alleges that investors were not advised of the fact that SIBL internally segregated its investment portfolio into three tiers: "Tier I," which represented cash and cash equivalents; "Tier II," which contained investments with "outside portfolio managers;" and "Tier III," described as "other assets."

Internal SIBL documents show that as of June 30, 2008, Tier III contained more than 80 percent of SIBL's purported investments, according to the indictment. The indictment also alleges that approximately $3.2 billion of the purported Tier III value included investments in artificially valued real estate and approximately $1.6 billion included notes on personal loans to SFG "Executive A."

The indictment alleges that in December 2008, as part of an ongoing investigation, the SEC made official inquiries of SFG regarding the value and content of SIBL's purported investments and provided notice that it intended to schedule testimony of witnesses. The indictment further alleges that on or about Jan. 21, 2009, at a meeting in Miami, Pendergest-Holt and SFG Executives "A" and "B" and an attorney for SFG, discussed how to respond to the SEC subpoenas. In addition, the indictment alleges that at a meeting in Houston on or about Jan. 23, 2009, the attorney for SFG requested that the SEC defer the subpoenas to Executives A and B and represented that Pendergest-Holt and the president of SIBL would be better witnesses because, the attorney claimed, Executives A and B were not knowledgeable about the details of SIBL's assets. The indictment alleges that prior to her SEC testimony, Pendergest-Holt suggested at a meeting in Miami that she only disclose the June 30, 2008, financials as those numbers "looked better," and that she received a phone call from Executive B in which he reminded her to only discuss Tier II. According to the indictment, as early as November 2008, Pendergest-Holt was aware of the current value of Tier III and the real estate holdings in Tier III. The indictment further alleges that just prior to her SEC testimony, Pendergest-Holt participated in preparing a document reflecting the value of Tier III and the assets in Tier III.

The indictment alleges that on Feb. 10, 2009, Pendergest-Holt provided sworn testimony to the SEC in Fort Worth, Texas, where in response to questions by the SEC, she did not disclose the Miami meetings to prepare for her testimony and falsely represented that she did not know the content or allocations of the Tier III assets. The indictment further alleges that on Feb. 12, 2009, after her false testimony, Pendergest-Holt caused $4.3 million in SIBL funds to be wire-transferred to SIBL's operating account in Houston.

Finally, on Feb. 17, 2009, as the indictment alleges, at a meeting with SEC attorneys in Memphis, Tenn., Pendergest-Holt falsely represented that if she "knew anything about Tier III," she would tell them.

An indictment is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence. A defendant is presumed innocent unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

The maximum penalties for each of the conspiracy and obstruction counts are five years in prison and a fine of $250,000.

The case is being investigated by the FBI's Houston Field Office, Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. The case is being prosecuted by Senior Litigation Counsel Jack Patrick, Trial Attorney Matthew Klecka and Attorney Allan Medina of the Criminal Division's Fraud Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Gregg Costa of the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of Texas.


SOURCE U.S. Department of Justice

NASA TV to Provide Coverage of Next Soyuz Launch, Docking

NASA Logo. (PRNewsFoto/NASA)

WASHINGTON, DC UNITED STATES

HOUSTON, May 12 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- NASA Television will provide live coverage as the next residents of the International Space Station launch and arrive at the station to expand its crew to six people. Coverage begins May 15 when the crew members leave Star City, Russia, en route to the launch site in Kazakhstan.

(Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20081007/38461LOGO)

On May 27, Russian cosmonaut Roman Romanenko, European Space Agency astronaut Frank De Winne and Canadian Space Agency astronaut Bob Thirsk will launch aboard a Soyuz spacecraft from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan at 5:34 a.m. CDT (4:34 p.m. Baikonur time). They will arrive at the station at 7:36 a.m. CDT on May 29 to join the station's Commander Gennady Padalka and Flight Engineers Mike Barratt of NASA and Koichi Wakata of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency. The six men will form the Expedition 20 crew, the station's first six-person crew. This mission also will be the first time crew members are aboard representing all five International Space Station partners.

Events to be broadcast on NASA TV include (all times CDT):

Friday, May 15

5 p.m. -- Video File of Expedition 20 crew's traditional breakfast ceremony in Star City, Russia, prior to departure for the Baikonur launch site (replayed at 10 p.m.)

May 26, Tuesday

11 a.m. -- Video File of Expedition 20 crew prelaunch activities and training, Soyuz spacecraft rollout and final crew prelaunch news conference in Baikonur

May 27, Wednesday

3:45 a.m. -- Video File of Expedition 20 prelaunch activities in Baikonur

4:45 a.m. -- Live coverage begins of Expedition 20 launch, scheduled at 5:34 a.m.

11 a.m. -- Video File of Expedition 20 launch day activities, launch and post-launch interviews

May 29, Friday

7 a.m. -- Live coverage begins of Expedition 20 docking to the space station, scheduled at 7:36 a.m. A post-docking news conference will follow.

8:30 a.m. -- Live coverage begins of Soyuz hatch opening, expected at approximately 8:45 a.m., and Expedition 20 welcoming ceremony

12 p.m. -- Video File of Soyuz docking to the station, hatch opening and welcoming ceremony

For NASA TV streaming video, downlink and schedule information, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/ntv

For more information about the space station, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/station


SOURCE NASA

IIT Stuart School of Business and Toyota U.S.A. Foundation Introduce Academy for Future Leaders in Science and Technology

Largest grant in IIT Stuart history helps launch academy

CHICAGO, May 12 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Illinois Institute of Technology (IIT) Stuart School of Business' Center for Strategic Competitiveness, in cooperation with the Toyota U.S.A. Foundation, today announced the establishment of the Academy for Future Leaders in Science and Technology.

During the summer of 2008, IIT received a $500,000, three-year grant from the Toyota U.S.A. Foundation to support the academy, which invites talented, but often underserved high school students, aged 16-18, from the Chicago metropolitan area, to attend a summer-long science and technology education and internship experience, focused environmental science and management, at the IIT campus.

Representatives from IIT, including President John Anderson, Stuart Dean Harvey Kahalas, Stuart Associate Dean and academy co-director Tom Anderson, co-director Marie Vanderford and Stuart Board of Overseers Chair Rosemarie Mitchell, discussed the academy along with Toyota Motor Sales, USA Senior Vice President of Automotive Operations Don Esmond, an IIT alumnus.

"It is a great honor for IIT Stuart to have received such a generous grant from the Toyota U.S.A. Foundation, which will enrich the education of our future leaders in the emerging field of environmental sciences and management," said IIT Stuart School of Business Dean Harvey Kahalas. "We look forward not only to the growth of the academy, but to the future expansion and replication of the program in other communities across the nation."

Students will attend the Academy for Future Leaders in Science and Technology from Monday, June 15, until Friday, August 14. During that time, they will participate in a rich curriculum of coursework, professional internships, individual mentoring and guest lectures related to environmental science and management. In its first year, the academy works to enhance the potential of students to learn about science and technology and help them advance through high school and into post-secondary education. In addition to building their science skills, the academy will prepare students to become environmental stewards and leaders involved in making important decisions that will help protect the environment for future generations.

The grant from the Toyota U.S.A. Foundation lays the foundation for launching the Academy and IIT hopes that this will be a catalyst for additional public and private investment, helping to establish the Academy as a model program for other schools and universities, and expanding its reach to hundreds more students each summer. Stuart Associate Dean and academy co-director Anderson will play an integral role in this effort.

The Toyota U.S.A. Foundation is a $100 million charitable endowment created to support education programs serving kindergarten through 12th grade students and their teachers in the United States, with an emphasis on mathematics, science and environmental science. For additional information about the Toyota U.S.A. Foundation, visit www.toyota.com/foundation.

Founded in 1890, IIT is a Ph.D.-granting university with more than 7,500 students in engineering, sciences, architecture, psychology, design, humanities, business and law. IIT's interprofessional, technology-focused curriculum is designed to advance knowledge through research and scholarship, to cultivate invention improving the human condition, and to prepare students from throughout the world for a life of professional achievement, service to society, and individual fulfillment. Visit www.iit.edu.


SOURCE Illinois Institute of Technology

Attorney General Holder Announces Recovery Act Grant to Save or Create Justice Related Missouri Jobs

25.3 Million Recovery Act Grant Addresses Public Safety in the State

WASHINGTON, May 12 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder today announced that more than $25 million in Recovery Act funds will go to the State of Missouri to maintain or increase public safety in the state, while creating or retaining jobs within the law enforcement community. These Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) Program funds are part of more than $4 billion in Justice Department Recovery Act funds available to assist state, local and tribal law enforcement and for other criminal justice activities that help to prevent crime and improve the criminal justice system in the United States while supporting the creation of jobs and much needed resources for states and local communities.

This announcement comes on the heels of this morning's testimony by Associate Attorney General Thomas J. Perrelli before the Senate Judiciary Committee where he spoke of the importance of Recovery Act funds in helping state and local law enforcement during an economic downturn. To view Associate Attorney General Perrelli's testimony, visit: http://www.usdoj.gov/aag/testimony/2009/aag-testimony-090512.html

As submitted in their application, the Missouri Department of Public Safety plan to support progressive community, multi-jurisdictional, judicial, correctional, analytical, and informational-based response strategies to enhance public safety, reduce violent crime and illegal drugs; while also continuing to provide alternative sentencing programs and increase specialized training and equipment for child abuse and neglect investigations and prosecution. In addition, the state plans to increase support, training, and manpower for victim programs. Missouri is required to provide a portion of the $25 million to the local jurisdictions.

"By addressing Missouri's economic challenges while simultaneously meeting the state's public safety priorities, these funds represent the best of what the Recovery Act can do for our communities," Attorney General Eric Holder said. "This vital funding will help fight crime and build safer communities, and we look forward to continued work with Missouri to address these criminal justice goals."

The procedure for allocating JAG grants is based on a formula of population and violent crime statistics, in combination with a minimum allocation to ensure that each state and territory receives an appropriate share of funding. Sixty percent of the allocation is awarded directly to a state and 40 percent is set aside for units of local government. States are required to sub-grant a portion of the funds to local units of government, such as a city, county, township or town. Faith-based and other community organizations are also eligible to receive pass-through funding from the state, as are Tribal governments.

Local Recovery Act JAG awards will be announced at a later date. The deadline for local units of government to submit their Recovery Act applications to the Department of Justice is May 18, 2009.

The JAG Program is the primary provider of federal criminal justice funding to state and local jurisdictions and is managed by the Department's Office of Justice Programs' Bureau of Justice Assistance. JAG funds support all components of the criminal justice system, from multi-jurisdictional drug and gang task forces to crime prevention and domestic violence programs, courts, corrections, treatment, and justice information sharing initiatives. Projects may address crime through the provision of services directly to individuals and/or communities and by improving the effectiveness and efficiency of criminal justice systems, processes, and procedures. For more details on the JAG Program or to track the use of Recovery Act funds, visit www.ojp.gov/recovery. For more details on how to apply for the state managed, pass-through funding, visit http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/saa/index.htm.

The Office of Justice Programs, headed by Acting Assistant Attorney General Laurie O. Robinson, provides federal leadership in developing the nation's capacity to prevent and control crime, administer justice, and assist victims. OJP has five component bureaus: the Bureau of Justice Assistance; the Bureau of Justice Statistics; the National Institute of Justice; the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention; and the Office for Victims of Crime. Additionally, OJP has two program offices: the Community Capacity Development Office, which incorporates the Weed and Seed strategy, and the Office of Sex Offender Sentencing, Monitoring, Apprehending, Registering, and Tracking (SMART). More information can be found at www.ojp.gov.


SOURCE Office of Justice Programs - US Department of Justice

President Obama Praises Retailers as Part of the Health Care Solution

ARLINGTON, Va., May 12 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- In a meeting today with President Obama and business leaders, top executives with Safeway and Recreational Equipment, Inc. (REI) drew praise for their innovative employee health care and wellness programs, noted the Retail Industry Leaders Association (RILA).

Following the meeting, President Obama referred to the participants, which included REI President and CEO Sally Jewell and Safeway President and CEO Steven Burd, as "some of the best practitioners of prevention and wellness programs -- in the private sector." (Media Availability, 5/12/09)

Safeway and REI are both members of RILA. Jewell is also a member of the RILA Board of Directors.

With a workforce of 15 million and daily contact with millions of customers, retailers know the importance of quality affordable health care in the lives of each and every American. Like many retailers, Safeway and REI have found innovative ways to provide quality affordable health care to their employees while also working to create a healthier workforce through wellness programs and other incentives.

"Across America, retailers like REI and Safeway, are pursuing a vision of bringing positive, lasting change to America's health care system by providing employees with quality and affordable plans that best meet their needs," said RILA President Sandy Kennedy.

Retailers are also committed to improving health care access to consumers through discount prescription programs, creative uses of health care information technology, and the quality and convenient care available at in-store and worksite clinics.

These innovative programs are possible because of the flexibility that exists under current law for employer-providers to design offerings that best meet the needs of their unique workforce. RILA is committed to working with President Obama, his administration and Congress to build upon the current employer-based health care system to expand and improve access to health care in America.

RILA promotes consumer choice and economic freedom through public policy and industry operational excellence. Its members include the largest and fastest growing companies in the retail industry -- retailers, product manufacturers and service suppliers -- which together account for more than $1.5 trillion in annual sales. RILA members provide millions of jobs and operate more than 100,000 stores, manufacturing facilities and distribution centers domestically and abroad.


SOURCE Retail Industry Leaders Association

More Dire Warnings for Social Security

RetireSafe Calls for Action to Protect Older Americans

RESTON, Va., May 12 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- In response to the dire warnings issued in today's Social Security and Medicare Trustees Report, RetireSafe and its 400,000 senior supporters called on the President and Congress to take immediate action to secure the promised benefits older Americans rely on.

"With unfunded liabilities of up to $100 trillion and the Social Security Trust Fund scheduled to pay out more than it takes in by 2016, America's seniors deserve to know that the Social Security benefits they rely on to make ends meet will still be there for them," said RetireSafe President Michelle Plasari.

According to Plasari, there are simple ways to make Social Security more secure for current and near retirees:

Guaranteed Benefits. Currently, Social Security benefits are not a sure thing. They can be cut by Congress on a whim. Congress has continually used incoming Social Security dollars for other projects -- including pork barrel spending. For years, RetireSafe has supported legislation that would provide a certificate of guarantee to Social Security beneficiaries.

Fair COLA (Cost of Living Adjustment). Seniors' annual cost-of-living-adjustments are calculated based on the spending habits of younger workers. The formula used doesn't account for increased spending on health insurance, long-term care or prescription drugs. For decades, the government has maintained an "experimental" index that tracks seniors' true cost of living. To see just how much more seniors could get over their retirement visit RetireSafe's Fair COLA Calculator at www.retiresafe.org/cola_calculator.html.

Repeal Double Tax. Seniors are subject to unfair taxation during their retirement years. After spending their whole lives paying taxes to the government -- the IRS still gets to tax 85% of their Social Security benefits if their retirement earnings reach a certain level.

Abolish the Early Retiree Earnings Limit. Early retirees who continue to work are penalized for doing so by earning limits. The limit taxes seniors at an outrageous amount -- more than many multi-millionaires. In today's economy more and more early retirees are returning to work to make ends meet -- and being penalized by the tax man for doing so.

Prohibit Totalization. The Social Security Administration has signed a totalization treaty with Mexico. The agreement would allow millions of illegal immigrants to collect Social Security benefits. This is a slap in the face to older Americans who worked hard their whole lives yet continue to struggle on their current benefit.

RetireSafe is a grassroots advocacy organization of almost 400,000 older Americans nationwide. We are dedicated to protecting the options, benefits, and choices of older Americans in retirement. For more information, visit www.retiresafe.org.


SOURCE RetireSafe

ACLU Challenges Patents on Breast Cancer Genes

Gene Patents Stifle Patient Access To Medical Care And Critical Research

NEW YORK, May 12 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The American Civil Liberties Union and the Public Patent Foundation at Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law (PUBPAT) filed a lawsuit today charging that patents on two human genes associated with breast and ovarian cancer stifle research that could lead to cures and limit women's options regarding their medical care. Mutations along the genes, known as BRCA1 and BRCA2, are responsible for most cases of hereditary breast and ovarian cancers. The lawsuit argues that the patents on these genes are unconstitutional and invalid.

"Knowledge about our own bodies and the ability to make decisions about our health care are some of our most personal and fundamental rights," said Anthony D. Romero, Executive Director of the ACLU. "The government should not be granting private entities control over something as personal and basic to who we are as our genes. Moreover, granting patents that limit scientific research, learning and the free flow of information violates the First Amendment."

Today's lawsuit was filed in U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York on behalf of breast cancer and women's health groups, individual women and scientific associations representing approximately 150,000 researchers, pathologists and laboratory professionals against the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (PTO), as well as Myriad Genetics and the University of Utah Research Foundation, which hold the patents on the BRCA genes. It is the first to apply the First Amendment to a gene patent challenge.

The patents granted to Myriad give the company the exclusive right to perform diagnostic tests on the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes and to prevent any researcher from even looking at the genes without first getting permission from Myriad. According to the lawsuit, such monopolistic control over these genes hampers clinical diagnosis and serves as a disincentive for research because Myriad not only has the right to enforce its patents against other entities but also has the rights to future mutations discovered on the BRCA2 gene. The gene patents are also illegal under patent law because genes are "products of nature."

"Patents are meant to protect inventions, not things that exist in nature like genes in the human body," said Chris Hansen, a staff attorney with the ACLU. "Genes isolated from the human body are no more patentable than gold extracted from a mountain."

Many women with a history of breast and ovarian cancer in their families opt to undergo genetic testing to determine if they have the mutations on their BRCA genes that put them at increased risk for these diseases. This information is critical in helping these women decide on a plan of treatment or prevention, including increased surveillance or preventive mastectomies or ovary removal. However, the fact that Myriad can exclude others from providing this testing has several negative consequences for patients: many women cannot afford the more than $3,000 Myriad charges for the test; patients cannot get second opinions on their test results; and patients whose tests come back with inconclusive results do not have the option to seek additional testing elsewhere.

"Women whose doctors recommend genetic testing should be able to find out whether they have the gene mutations linked to breast and ovarian cancer so that they are able to make choices that could save their lives, and these patents interfere with their ability to do so," said Lenora Lapidus, Director of the ACLU Women's Rights Project.

"The patents on the BRCA genes block women's access to medical information necessary for making vital health care decisions, impeding their control over their own bodies," said Sandra Park, staff attorney with the ACLU Women's Rights Project.

Because the ACLU's lawsuit challenges the whole notion of gene patenting, it could have far reaching effects beyond the patents on the BRCA genes. Approximately 20 percent of all human genes are patented, including genes associated with Alzheimer's disease, muscular dystrophy, colon cancer, asthma and many other illnesses.

"Scientific research and testing have been delayed, limited or even shut down as a result of gene patents, stifling the development of new diagnostics and treatments," said Tania Simoncelli, ACLU science advisor. "The government should be encouraging scientific innovation, not hindering it."

"Patenting human genes is counter to common sense, patent law and the Constitution," said Daniel B. Ravicher, Executive Director of PUBPAT and co-counsel in the lawsuit. "Genes are identified, not invented, and patenting genetic sequences is like patenting blood, air or e=mc2."

If Myriad's BRCA genes patents were invalidated, the clinicians, pathologists and researchers represented by the ACLU would be able to engage freely in research, testing and clinical practice involving the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes, and the patients would be able to obtain second opinions on test results and have access to genetic testing services from multiple, and perhaps more affordable, sources.

In addition to several individual women patients, plaintiffs in the case include:

Association for Molecular Pathology
American College of Medical Genetics
American Society for Clinical Pathology
College of American Pathologists
Haig Kazazian, MD, Professor in the Department of Genetics at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine
Arupa Ganguly, PhD, Associate Professor in the Department of Genetics at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania
Wendy Chung, MD, PhD, Director of Clinical Genetics at Columbia University
Harry Ostrer, MD, Professor of Pediatrics, Pathology and Medicine and Director of the Human Genetics Program at New York University School of Medicine
David Ledbetter, PhD, Professor of Human Genetics and Director of the Division of Medical Genetics at the Emory University School of Medicine
Stephen Warren, PhD, William Patterson Timmie Professor of Human Genetics and Chair of the Department of Human Genetics at Emory University
Ellen Matloff, M.S., genetic counselor
Elsa Reich, M.S., Professor in the Department of Pediatrics (Human Genetics Program) at New York University
Breast Cancer Action
Boston Women's Health Book Collective (Our Bodies Ourselves)

Attorneys on the case, Association for Molecular Pathology, et al. v. U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, et al., include Hansen and Aden Fine of the ACLU First Amendment Working Group; Lapidus and Park of the ACLU Women's Rights Project; and Ravicher of PUBPAT. Simoncelli, the ACLU's science advisor, provides expert guidance on the case.

Plaintiff and supporter statements and a copy of the complaint can be found online at: www.aclu.org/brca


SOURCE American Civil Liberties Union

Corruption: The Loopholes for Corruption and Money Laundering are Getting Smaller

- Foreign Corrupt Practices Act shows more teeth

- International effort on anti-corruption increases

- WorldCompliance: Intelligence Database reaches new accuracy level

MIAMI, May 11 /PRNewswire/ -- Individuals and companies demanding bribes for services are facing increasing difficulties. For once, worldwide legislation has made it more difficult to place funds in the financial system. More than 125 countries have sharpened their laws to combat money laundering and terrorism financing since 2001. More importantly, the willingness of organizations to tolerate bribes is drastically decreasing. Currently, more and more Fortune 1000 companies are introducing processes and solutions to avoid the risk of involvement in foreign corruption.

Background is the stronger enforcement of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, originally enacted in 1977. During the past 30 years only 80 cases were investigated, however since the beginning of the year, already 70 investigations have been initiated. Several companies in the United States have been subject to fines and settlements (Lucent, Halliburton), but also international companies are targets of investigations (Siemens, BAE). Most recently the offices of the German company MAN AG were raided.

"More and more fortune 1000 companies are looking for a systematic way to avoid corruption allegations," according to Dirk Mohrmann, CEO of WorldCompliance, which is specialized in providing anti corruption databases. The Foreign Corrupt Practices Act prohibits the bribing of Foreign Officials and requires companies to maintain adequate processes and documenting payments to avoid inadvertent payments of bribes. "Knowing whether your suppliers or business partners are closely connected to Foreign Public Officials is a very important element in a useful FCPA compliance program," said Mr. Mohrmann.

WorldCompliance has been successful in offering unrivaled protection to its customers, by providing the largest and most comprehensive database of Foreign Officials, their family members, close associates and companies. Yesterday, WorldCompliance announced the successful summer release of its Online License, which allows its clients to find foreign officials with laser like accuracy. Profiles show photos, names, dates of birth, biographies and display the relationship network in a unique graphical way for easy risk analyses. "This allows our clients to quickly decide whether a business partner poses a risk in the FCPA sense and the audit proof workflow features enable them to demonstrate compliance efforts at any given time at a later stage," said Mr. Mohrmann.

WorldCompliance protects over 2000 clients in over 100 countries, including over 50 of the world's largest financial institutions, many Fortune 1000 companies, financial regulators, intelligence agencies and the Big Four. Its product suite is used to identify individuals and companies linked to over twenty different risk categories, such as terrorism, narcotics, money laundering, and fraud, collateral crimes, beneficial owners and PEPs (Politically Exposed Persons).


Website: www.worldcompliance.com


SOURCE WorldCompliance

Justice Department Withdraws Report on Antitrust Monopoly Law

Antitrust Division to Apply More Rigorous Standard With Focus on the Impact of Exclusionary Conduct on Consumers

WASHINGTON, May 11 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Christine A. Varney, Assistant Attorney General in charge of the Department's Antitrust Division, today announced that the Department is withdrawing, effective immediately, a report relating to monopolization offenses under the antitrust laws that was issued in September 2008. As of today, the Section 2 report will no longer be Department of Justice policy. Consumers, businesses, courts and antitrust practitioners should not rely on it as Department of Justice antitrust enforcement policy.

The report, "Competition and Monopoly: Single-Firm Conduct Under Section 2 of the Sherman Act," raised too many hurdles to government antitrust enforcement and favored extreme caution and the development of safe harbors for certain conduct within reach of Section 2, Varney said. Varney announced the withdrawal of the report today at a speech at the Center for American Progress.

"Withdrawing the Section 2 report is a shift in philosophy and the clearest way to let everyone know that the Antitrust Division will be aggressively pursuing cases where monopolists try to use their dominance in the marketplace to stifle competition and harm consumers," said Varney. "The Division will return to tried and true case law and Supreme Court precedent in enforcing the antitrust laws."

The report was issued after a series of joint hearings, involving more than 100 participants, that the Department and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) held from June 2006 to May 2007 to explore the antitrust treatment of single-firm conduct. The FTC did not join with the Department in its report.

Varney said that while there is no question that Section 2 cases present unique challenges, the report advocated hesitancy in the face of potential abuses by monopoly firms. She said that implicit in this overly cautious approach is the notion that most unilateral conduct is driven by efficiency and that monopoly markets are generally self-correcting. "The recent developments in the marketplace should make it clear that we can no longer rely upon the marketplace alone to ensure that competition and consumers will be protected," Varney added.

"I want to commend the efforts of those who participated in the Section 2 hearings," said Varney. "While I do not agree with the conclusions of the Section 2 report, I do believe that the hearings and the report provided a valuable discussion of the enforcement issues involving single-firm conduct."


SOURCE U.S. Department of Justice

Consumer Confidence Rises In Greater Washington

Regional Consumers Three Times More Confident in Greater Washington than Nation; Future Expectations Jump

WASHINGTON, May 11 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Greater Washington region's Consumer Confidence Index jumped a solid seven points between December 2008 and now, from 49 to 56, according to a survey released by the Greater Washington Board of Trade. The Board of Trade's Consumer Confidence Index, which indicates the consumer's degree of optimism on the economy, shows a significant rise in the view of the region's current economy, high expectations for future economic conditions and confidence in employment.

"Movement from the benchmark established in the middle of the economic downfall in December to the survey released today accurately identifies consumer confidence levels," said Jim Dinegar, president and CEO of the Board of Trade. "The seven point rise in the Consumer Confidence Index is a clear indication of growing economic optimism in Greater Washington."

The survey, conducted for the Board of Trade by Clarus Research Group, a nonpartisan Washington-based research firm, was sponsored by Tatum, LLC, a leading professional services company supporting the office of the CFO. A scientifically-selected sample of 1,208 consumers in the Greater Washington region was surveyed by live telephone interviewers from April 21 to 27, 2009.

"Consumers now tilt positive in their perception of current economic conditions in the region," said Dr. Ron Faucheux, president of Clarus Research Group. "This represents a change from December 2008, when consumers tilted to the negative side on current conditions by eight points."

In both the benchmark survey and the survey released today, consumers are considerably more positive about future expectations for the region's economy, Faucheux noted.

The Index of Future Expectations is 72, much higher than the perceptions of where things are now (index of 39). Future expectations are ten points higher now than they were in December 2008 (72 versus 62).

"This data supports a sense of growing optimism over the next six months," said Pete Pfeiffer, managing partner of Tatum LLC. "As consumer confidence rises and jobs stabilize, businesses will begin to lift hiring restrictions and spend more to meet increased demands from customers. The domino effect of confident consumers is very encouraging."

"The region's economic optimism has been consistent," said Jim Dinegar. "Positive perceptions of the Greater Washington region's economy are 41 percent - three times greater than the positive perceptions of the national economy."

Many respondents are confident in their current employment too, Dinegar noted, with nearly four-out-of five respondents expecting their employers to either keep their current number of jobs or increase them, and nearly four-out-of-five expecting their employment to continue during the next six months "as it is now." Additionally, despite difficult economic times, 43 percent of the workforce said that their salaries were either increased or supplemented by bonuses or added benefits and 15 percent expect to receive promotions in the next six months.

According to the survey, Washington, DC and counties in Maryland experienced the biggest rise in consumer confidence since last December (each up eight points), followed by counties in Northern Virginia (up three points). As a region, consumers tilted positive on their perceptions of current economic conditions as well as on future expectations (by two points). This shows increased confidence in the regional economy since December 2008 when consumers titled negative on current conditions (by eight points).

Consumer spending accounts for roughly two-thirds of our economy. When consumers are reluctant to spend, the economy is affected and when they open their pocket books, the economy moves. Many analysts believe consumer confidence is one of the most important economic predictors.

To see more key highlights, download the report at www.boardoftrade.org/consumerconfidence.

Greater Washington Board of Trade

The Greater Washington Board of Trade is the Greater Washington region's premier business network and the only local business association representing all industry sectors. Founded in 1889, the Board of Trade enjoys a long history of helping its members' businesses grow by providing content-rich programs, connecting business leaders and marketing Greater Washington's economic opportunities. As Greater Washington's regional business organization, the Board of Trade addresses business concerns that stretch across geographic boundaries, such as transportation, emergency preparedness, green as a competitive advantage and workforce issues. For more information, visit www.boardoftrade.org.

Clarus Research Group

Clarus Research Group is a full-service and nonpartisan survey research firm based in Washington, DC. Clarus provides a full range of polling and market research services to corporate, association, nonprofit and public affairs clients. Clarus conducts public opinion surveys, focus groups, dial sessions, branding studies and media research. It is headed by Dr. Ron Faucheux, who also teaches at the Public Policy Institute at Georgetown University. For more information, visit www.ClarusRG.com.

Tatum LLC

Companies turn to Tatum when critical business challenges arise because we immediately deliver financial and technology operational expertise via solutions tailored to the Office of the CFO. We leverage nearly 1,000 executives and consulting professionals nationwide to accelerate results and create more value(TM). For more information, visit www.TatumLLC.com.

CONTACT: Liz Krinock
202.857.5987 (o)
202.821.5095 (c)
LizKrinock@bot.org


SOURCE Greater Washington Board of Trade

CAIR Welcomes Roxana Saberi's Release by Iran

U.S. Muslim group planned delegation seeking 'gesture of reconciliation'

WASHINGTON, May 11 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- A prominent national Islamic civil rights and advocacy organization today welcomed Iran's release of American journalist Roxana Saberi, who was freed Monday after an Iranian appeals court suspended her eight-year prison sentence on charges of espionage.

Last month, the Washington-based Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) announced that it was planning to send a delegation to Iran to ask that Saberi be released as a "gesture of reconciliation" that would benefit the cause of international peace and stability.

SEE: CAIR Prepares Delegation to Iran Seeking Journalist's Release

http://tinyurl.com/pxuvqg

"We are pleased that Roxana Saberi has been released and hope this move on the part of Iran will create a political atmosphere more conducive to improved relations between our two nations," said CAIR Board Chairman State Sen. Larry Shaw (NC).

He noted that CAIR informed President Obama and Secretary of State Clinton of its planned mission and received a letter to Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad from the family of former FBI agent Robert Levinson, who has been missing in Iran since 2007. Shaw said that letter will now be sent to Iranian officials.

On April 9, CAIR National Executive Director Nihad Awad sent a letter to President Ahmadinejad calling on the government of Iran to release Saberi. In his letter, Awad wrote in part:

"We recognize the serious nature of the issues that seem to hinder an improved relationship between our two nations. We ask Iran to take this opportunity to make a gesture of reconciliation that will help create an atmosphere in which those issues may be addressed in a positive manner."

SEE: U.S. Muslim Organization Calls on Iran to Release Journalist

http://tinyurl.com/djx3jt

In 2006, Awad and CAIR Legislative Director Corey Saylor traveled to Iraq to appeal for the release of American journalist Jill Carroll.

SEE: U.S. Muslim Leaders Call for Release of Journalist in Iraq

http://tinyurl.com/c3u8ka

CAIR, America's largest Muslim civil liberties and advocacy organization, has 35 offices and chapters nationwide and in Canada. Its mission is to enhance the understanding of Islam, encourage dialogue, protect civil liberties, empower American Muslims, and build coalitions that promote justice and mutual understanding.

CONTACT: CAIR National Communications Director Ibrahim Hooper, 202-488-8787, 202-744-7726, E-Mail: ihooper@cair.com; CAIR Communications Coordinator Amina Rubin, 202-488-8787, 202-341-4171, E-Mail: arubin@cair.com


SOURCE Council on American-Islamic Relations

Global Recession Forces Cutbacks in MBA Recruiting, But New Business School Grads Still Command a Hefty Premium

MCLEAN, Va., May 11 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Employers continue to place a high premium on people with an MBA or other graduate management degrees, even as they sharply curtail plans to hire new business school graduates in response to the deep global recession, according to new research from the Graduate Management Admission Council(R) (GMAC(R)).

Recruiters said they expect to hire an average of six new MBAs in 2009, down from the average of 12 they hired last year. In addition, the number of firms planning to hire MBAs this year declined 9 percent compared with 2008. But employers also reported that when they do hire MBAs, they plan to pay them nearly twice as much as people with only an undergraduate education, on average. Employers also plan to offer higher average starting salaries to MBAs than to people with other graduate management degrees, such as a master's in finance.

The data come from the just-released 2009 GMAC Corporate Recruiters Survey, which drew responses from 2,825 hiring managers from 2,092 companies in 63 countries. The Graduate Management Admission Council, an international nonprofit association of business schools, sponsors the Graduate Management Admission Test(R) (GMAT(R)). GMAC worked with the European Foundation for Management Development and the MBA Career Services Council to conduct the survey.

"The fundamentals have not changed. Corporations continue to value the MBA, and they continue to pursue people with the unique mix of skills and talents that characterize business school graduates," said Dave Wilson, president and CEO of GMAC. "But just as employers across the economic spectrum have had to take a wait-and-see approach to their hiring plans this year, firms that hire business school graduates have been compelled to retrench in response to the downturn."

The survey indicates that MBA hiring activity is uneven across sectors of the economy. Demand for MBAs remains strong in industries including consulting, healthcare, and energy, although it is weaker in other industries, such as the nonprofit and high-technology sectors. But regardless of their hiring plans, recruiters said they have had a good experience with business school graduates; 98 percent of respondents to the survey said they are satisfied with their current employees who have MBAs.

Despite the challenging job market, a sizable number of MBAs have been able to line up employment months before finishing their degrees this year. Half of all new full-time MBA graduates who participated in the 2009 GMAC Global Management Education Graduate Survey said they landed at least one job offer before graduation. On average, these graduates had 1.9 job offers and expect to earn 66 percent more money after earning their MBA than they did prior to starting school.

The Graduate Management Admission Council (www.gmac.com) is a nonprofit education organization of leading graduate business schools worldwide dedicated to creating access to and disseminating information about graduate management education. GMAC is based in McLean, Virginia, and has a European office in London. The Council owns the Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT), used by approximately 4,600 graduate management programs at some 1,900 business schools around the world to assess applicants. The GMAT -- the only standardized test designed expressly for graduate business and management programs worldwide -- is currently available at more than 450 test centers in over 100 countries. More information about the GMAT is available at www.mba.com.


SOURCE Graduate Management Admission Council

NASA's Shuttle Atlantis Launches on a Final Mission to Hubble

NASA Logo. (PRNewsFoto/NASA)

WASHINGTON, DC UNITED STATES

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla., May 11 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Space shuttle Atlantis with its seven-member crew launched at 2:01 p.m. EDT Monday from NASA's Kennedy Space Center on the final Hubble Space Telescope servicing mission.

(Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20081007/38461LOGO )

Atlantis' 11-day mission will include five spacewalks to refurbish Hubble with state-of-the-art science instruments designed to improve the telescope's discovery capabilities by up to 70 times while extending its lifetime through at least 2014.

Shortly before liftoff, Commander Scott Altman thanked the teams that helped make the launch possible.

"At last our launch has come along," said Altman. "...Getting to this point has been challenging, but the whole team, everyone, has pulled together to take us into space."

Altman is joined on STS-125 by Pilot Gregory C. Johnson and Mission Specialists Megan McArthur, John Grunsfeld, Mike Massimino, Andrew Feustel and Michael Good. McArthur will serve as the flight engineer and lead for robotic arm operations while the remaining mission specialists pair up for the hands-on spacewalk work after Hubble is captured and secured in the payload bay. Altman, Grunsfeld and Massimino are space shuttle and Hubble mission veterans. Johnson, Feustel and Good are first-time space fliers.

The STS-125 mission is the 126th shuttle flight, the 30th for Atlantis and the second of five planned in 2009. Hubble was delivered to space on April 24, 1990, on the STS-31 mission. STS-125 is referred to as Servicing Mission 4, although it is technically the fifth servicing flight to the telescope.

"Hubble has a long history of providing outstanding science and beautiful pictures," said Ed Weiler, associate administrator for NASA's Science Mission Directorate. "If the servicing mission is successful, it will give us a telescope that will continue to astound both scientists and the public for many years to come."

Among Hubble's greatest discoveries is the age of the universe (13.7 billion years); the finding that virtually all major galaxies have black holes at their center; the discovery that the process of planetary formation is relatively common; the first ever organic molecule in the atmosphere of a planet orbiting another star; and evidence that the expansion of the universe is accelerating -- caused by an unknown force that makes up approximately 72 percent of the matter-energy content of the universe.

NASA is providing continuous television and Internet coverage of Atlantis' mission. NASA Television features live mission events, daily mission status news conferences and 24-hour commentary. NASA TV is webcast at:

http://www.nasa.gov/ntv

NASA's Web coverage of STS-125 includes current mission information, interactive features, news conference images, graphics and videos. Mission coverage, including the latest NASA TV schedule, also is available on the main space shuttle Web site at:

http://www.nasa.gov/shuttle

Live updates to the NASA News Twitter feed will be added throughout the shuttle mission and landing. To access the NASA News Twitter feed and other agency Twitter feeds, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/collaborate

Daily news conferences with STS-125 mission managers will take place at NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston. During normal business hours of 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. EDT Monday through Friday, reporters may ask questions from participating NASA locations. Please contact your preferred NASA facility before its daily close of business to confirm its availability before each event.

For NASA TV streaming video, downlink and schedule information, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/ntv

For information about NASA's Hubble Space Telescope, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/hubble


SOURCE NASA

Novo Nordisk Agrees To Pay $9 Million Fine in Connection With Payment of $1.4 Million in Kickbacks Through the United Nations Oil-for-Food Program

WASHINGTON, May 11 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Novo Nordisk A/S (Novo), a Danish corporation based in Bagsvaerd, Denmark, has agreed to pay a $9 million penalty for illegal kickbacks paid to the former Iraqi government, Assistant Attorney General Lanny A. Breuer of the Criminal Division announced today. Novo agreed to pay the fine as part of a deferred prosecution agreement with the Department. The matter is part of the Justice Department's ongoing investigation into the U.N. Oil-for-Food program.

A criminal information was filed today against Novo in U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia charging Novo with one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and to violate the books and records provisions of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA). Novo, an international manufacturer of insulin, medicines and other pharmaceutical supplies, has acknowledged responsibility for improper payments made by its agents to the former Iraqi government in order to obtain contracts with the Iraqi ministry of health to provide insulin and other medicines. The agreement requires the company and its subsidiaries to cooperate fully with the Justice Department's ongoing Oil-for-Food investigation.

According to the agreement and the information filed today, between 2001 and 2003, Novo paid approximately $1.4 million to the former Iraqi government by inflating the price of contracts by 10 percent before submitting the contracts to the United Nations for approval and concealed from the United Nations the fact that the price contained a kickback to the former Iraqi government. Novo also admitted it inaccurately recorded the kickback payments as "commissions" in its books and records.

In recognition of Novo's thorough review of the illicit payments and its implementation of enhanced compliance policies and procedures, the Department has agreed to defer prosecution of criminal charges against Novo for a period of three years. If Novo abides by the terms of the agreement, at the end of the three-year period the Department will dismiss the criminal information.

The Oil-for-Food Program was established by the United Nations to enable Iraq to sell its oil for humanitarian purposes, in the context of an extensive international sanctions regime. The Oil-for-Food Program mandated that the proceeds of oil sales be deposited in a United Nations bank account and that those proceeds be used by the Iraqi government only to purchase humanitarian goods and services, such a food and medicine, approved by the United Nations. Beginning in 2000, the former Iraqi government began requiring companies wishing to sell humanitarian goods to government ministries to pay a kickback, often mischaracterized as an "after sales services fee," to the government in order to be granted a contract. The amount of that fee was usually 10 percent of the contract price. Such payments were not permitted under the Oil-for-Food Program or other sanction regimes then in place.

In a related matter, Novo reached a settlement today with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) on a complaint and agreed to pay $3,025,066 in civil penalties and $6,005,079 in disgorgement of profits, including pre-judgment interest, in connection with contracts for which it paid kickbacks to the former Iraqi government.

The case is being prosecuted by Fraud Section Senior Trial Attorney Jonathan Lopez with assistance from Paralegal Specialist Sarah Marberg.

The Department acknowledges and expresses its appreciation for the significant assistance provided by SEC's Enforcement Division in the ongoing Oil-for-Food investigation.


SOURCE U.S. Department of Justice

Rough Roads Costing Motorists Hundreds More Each Year

DEARBORN, Mich., May 8 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Driving on rough roads costs the average American motorist approximately $400 a year in extra vehicle operating costs. Drivers living in urban areas with populations over 250,000 are paying upwards of $750 more annually because of accelerated vehicle deterioration, increased maintenance, additional fuel consumption, and tire wear caused by poor road conditions.

Rough Roads Ahead: Fix Them Now or Pay for It Later, a report released today by the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) and TRIP, reports that one-third of the nation's major highways, including Interstates, freeways and major roads, are in poor or mediocre condition. Roads in urban areas, which carry 66 percent of the traffic, are in much worse shape.

"The American people are paying for rough roads multiple times," said Kirk T. Steudle, Director of the Michigan Department of Transportation, at a news conference held to release the report. "Rough roads lead to diminished safety, higher vehicle operating costs and more expensive road repairs. It costs $1 to keep a road in good shape for every $7 you would have to spend on reconstruction. It's another drag on the economy.

The report uses the latest government statistics to show pavement conditions in all 50 states and vehicle operating costs by state and urban areas. The report also finds that:

30 to 60 percent of the roads in the nation's largest urban areas are in poor condition.

36 percent of the roads in the Detroit urban area are in poor condition compared to the Los Angeles area and surrounding communities, which have 64 percent of their roads in poor condition.

61 percent of rural roads are in good condition.

72 percent of the Interstate Highway System is in good condition, but age, weather conditions and burgeoning traffic are eroding ride quality.

"Our nation has invested $1.75 trillion in our public highway system over the past 50 years," said John Horsley, AASHTO Executive Director. "We hope Congress will make it possible for the federal government to sustain its share of the increased investment needed to keep America's roads in good condition. If not, it will cost the American people billions more later."

The report points out that traffic growth has far outpaced highway construction, particularly in major metropolitan areas. The number of miles driven in this country jumped more than 41 percent from 1990 to 2007 -- from 2.1 trillion miles in 1990 to 3 trillion in 2007. In some parts of the country, dramatic population growth has occurred without a corresponding increase in road capacity, placing enormous pressure on roads that, in many cases, were built 50 years ago.

"The federal stimulus program is providing a helpful down payment towards repairing some of the nation's rough roads," said Frank Moretti, TRIP's Director of Policy and Research. "But it will take a significant long-term boost in investment by all levels of government to provide Americans with a smooth ride."

The full report is available at http://roughroads.transportation.org, along with examples from states working to improve their highway systems, charts and photographs. Rough Roads is part of Are We There Yet? We Can Be!, AASHTO's effort to build awareness and support for the nation's transportation system.

The American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) is the "Voice of Transportation" representing State Departments of Transportation in all 50 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. AASHTO is a nonprofit, nonpartisan association serving as a catalyst for excellence in transportation. TRIP is a national transportation research organization that promotes transportation policies to relieve traffic congestion, improve road and bridge conditions, improve air quality, make highway travel safer and enhance economic productivity.


SOURCE American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials

Citizens Flag Alliance: Vitter Presents Flag Amendment in Senate

Flag protection efforts begin anew

WASHINGTON, May 8 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Following a three year absence, a flag protection amendment has returned to the United States Senate. On May 6, U.S. Senator David Vitter [R-LA], along with 17 colleagues, introduced Senate Joint Resolution 15, a constitutional amendment to prohibit the physical desecration of the flag of the United States. The language of the amendment is concise: "The Congress shall have power to prohibit the physical desecration of the flag of the United States."

A flag amendment has moved successfully in the House of Representatives through six consecutive Congresses, only to fail by as little as one vote in the Senate.

The issue has been debated since a 1989 Supreme Court decision struck down flag protection laws in 48 states. A 5-4 vote of the high court declared that flag burning was permissible - a right under the free speech provision of the First Amendment. Groups like the Elks, AMVETS, Knights of Columbus, and The American Legion, all part of the 140-organization Citizens Flag Alliance, continue to work to reinstate the protection.

"The amendment offered by Senator Vitter is moderate. It restores the traditional meaning of the Bill of Rights. It simply returns to Congress the authority to make law, should majorities in both houses choose to do so," noted Harvard Law Professor Richard Parker, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Citizens Flag Alliance. "The kind of law it allows Congress to make is also limited. Other than physical desecration of an American flag, words and acts are entirely beyond its reach. The purpose of any such law would be to encourage a simple moderation of expressive behavior."

In similar action last week, Reps. Jo Ann Emerson [R-MO] and Jim Marshall [D-GA] introduced a companion measure, House Joint Resolution 47, which on introduction was referred to the House Judiciary Committee.

"Opponents have said that respect cannot be mandated or legislated, it comes from the heart. That is true - as far as it goes. But, while respect cannot be mandated by law, it can be undermined by law. That is exactly what the 5-4 Court majority did, defying a tradition of two centuries' standing. And that is what the proposed constitutional amendment would undo," said Parker.

The Citizens Flag Alliance, Inc., is a broad based, national coalition seeking to return to the American people the right to protect the American flag from acts of physical desecration. Its membership consists of more than 140 civic, fraternal, veterans, minority and business organizations. For additional information, log on to www.legion.org/cfa.

Contact: Deborah Andrews
Phone: 317 630-1384


SOURCE Citizens Flag Alliance

NASA's THEMIS: 'Singing' Electrons Help Create and Destroy 'Killer' Electrons

NASA Logo. (PRNewsFoto/NASA)

WASHINGTON, DC UNITED STATES

GREENBELT, Md., May 8 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Scientists using NASA's fleet of THEMIS spacecraft have discovered how radio waves produced by electrons injected into Earth's near-space environment both generate and remove high-speed "killer" electrons.

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Killer electrons are born within Earth's natural radiation belts, called the Van Allen belts after their discoverer, James Van Allen. Killer electrons are mostly found in the outer belt, which over the equator begins approximately 8,000 miles above Earth and tapers off about 28,000 miles high.

The high-speed electrons pose a threat to satellites in or near the outer belt -- those in medium-level and higher (geosynchronous) orbits -- like the Global Positioning System and most communications satellites. They are known as "killer" electrons because they can penetrate a spacecraft's sensitive electronics and cause short circuits.

"This discovery is important to understand the physical processes that shape the radiation belts, so that one day we will be able to predict the moment-by-moment evolution of the radiation belts and be in a position to safeguard satellites in these regions, or astronauts passing through them on the way to the moon or other destinations in the solar system," said Dr. Jacob Bortnik of the University of California, Los Angeles, lead author of a paper on this research appearing May 8 in Science.

Electrons are subatomic particles that carry negative electric charge, and we harness their flow every day as electricity. Electrons are also present in space in a gas of electrically charged particles called plasma, which is constantly blown from the surface of the sun. When this plasma interacts with Earth's magnetic field, some of it is shot toward Earth. The magnetic field over Earth's night side acts like a slingshot, propelling blobs of plasma toward Earth. When this happens, electrons in the plasma blobs release extra energy gained from the slingshot by "singing" -- they generate a discrete type of organized radio wave called "chorus," which sounds like birds singing when played through an audio converter.

Scientists previously discovered that electrons in the outer radiation belt can extract energy from these chorus waves to reach near-light speed and become killer electrons. The new research, confirmed by the team's THEMIS (Time History of Events and Macroscale Interactions during Substorms) observations, is that the chorus waves can be refracted into the inner portion of the radiation belts by dense plasma near Earth and bounce around from hemisphere to hemisphere within the radiation belts. When this happens, the chorus waves become disorganized and evolve into another type of radio wave called "hiss," according to the team.

Hiss waves, named for the sound they make when played through a speaker, are of interest to space weather forecasters because earlier research showed they can clear killer electrons from lower altitudes of the outer radiation belt. Hiss deflects the speedy particles into Earth's upper atmosphere, where they lose energy and are absorbed when they hit atoms and molecules there. Despite its important role, it was not clear how hiss was generated.

"It is not immediately obvious that these two waves are related, but we had a fortuitous observation where the THEMIS spacecraft were lined up just right to make the connection," said Bortnik. "First we observed chorus on the THEMIS 'E' spacecraft, then a few seconds later, we observed hiss on the THEMIS 'D' spacecraft, about 20,000 kilometers (almost 12,500 miles) away, with the same modulation pattern as the chorus."

"Last year, we published a Nature paper that put forward a theory that seemed to explain just about everything we knew about hiss," adds Bortnik. "We showed theoretically how chorus could propagate from a distant region, and essentially evolve into hiss. We reproduced statistical information about hiss, and a few case-examples published in the literature seemed to agree with what we were predicting. The only problem was that it seemed really difficult to verify the theory directly -- to have a satellite in the (distant) chorus source region, to have another satellite in the hiss region, to have both satellites recording in high-resolution simultaneously, for the waves to be active and present at the same time, and for the satellites to be in the right relative configuration to each other to make the measurement possible. That's where THEMIS came in. It has the right set of instruments, and the right configuration at certain parts of its orbit."

According to the team, it's possible other mechanisms could contribute to the generation of hiss as well. "Lightning could certainly contribute, and so could 'in situ' growth -- the high-speed particles in the belts could generate hiss with their own motion. However, it's just a question of which mechanism is dominant, and each might dominate at different times and locations. More research is needed to determine this," said Bortnik.

The research was funded by NASA. For images, refer to:

http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/themis/news/themis_singing_electrons.html


SOURCE NASA

President Obama Outlines His Plan for Missile Defense

ALEXANDRIA, Va., May 8 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Riki Ellison, Chairman and Founder of the Missile Defense Advocacy Alliance (MDAA) www.missiledefenseadvocacy.org informed the members of MDAA about the Fiscal Year 2010 budget request for missile defense today. In his alert Ellison reviewed the requests, the impacts and then closed his remarks with two critical questions for our nation about the new direction of our missile defense program. His comments are as follows:

"President Barack Obama released the federal budget for 2010 yesterday in Washington D.C., and this was his first major budget release of his Administration setting the precedent for his Presidency. Inside of his $3.4 trillion budget was the Department of Defense's Budget request of $534 billion and the Missile Defense Budget request for $7.8 billion. The Department of Defense budget was increased by $21 billion, a 4% increase from last year while funding going to the Missile Defense Agency budget was decreased by $1.2 billion, a 13% decrease."

"This Administration has reshaped, restructured and redirected missile defense as they make it their own and take full ownership from the former President George W. Bush and the four previous Presidents that have contributed Department of Defense dollars towards missile defense. With an overall $8.2 billion spent on Missile Defense including Army Patriot Missile Defense systems at $400 million for 2010, missile defense still remains a core mission of the Department of Defense and President Barack Obama's Administration."

"The Obama Administration's direction for missile defense focuses on:

- Increasing capability against short and medium range ballistic missiles in regions against rogue nations to protect our forward based armed forces and allies through deploying more THAAD, SM3 missiles and AEGIS BMD Ships as well as developing land based SM3 missile defense systems.

- Developing assent and upper boost phase missile defense capabilities through SM3/ AEGIS development, enhanced THAAD capability, and deploying a Space Tracking and Surveillance System (STSS) constellation.

- Revamping the testing program with an aggressive amount of significant intercept tests, an estimated 37 or so by 2015.

- Holding in place the development of the European Midcourse Radar in the Czech Republic and the 10 Ground based missiles in Poland until 2011 and ratification comes forward by the Czech Republic and Poland on the agreements with the United States.

- Reducing and enhancing the long range ballistic missile protection of the United States homeland to 30 Ground Based Interceptors in Alaska and California from a projected 50 (40 in US and 10 in Poland)."

"After review of the statements made and examination of the budget, there are two questions regarding this new administration's direction and pragmatic approach for the protection of the American people from ballistic missiles.

1. With the increase of ballistic missile and nuclear proliferation from rogue nations since the beginning of this year highlighted by Iran's satellite launch on February 3; Failure of Diplomacy and international sanctions including UN security resolutions to prevent North Korea from launching a long range missile or space vehicle; North Korea's successful 3 staging of a long range missile on April 5; and North Korea's opening up of their nuclear program and Iran's continual uranium enrichment programs - why is the United States not increasing its missile defense resources?

2. As of less than 6 months ago, the United States Department of Defense through the Missile Defense Agency and the Strategic Combat Command had determined that 50 ground based interceptors were required to defend the territory and the homeland of the United States of America from a simultaneous attack of around two dozen or so projected long range ballistic missiles from North Korea and Iran. What has changed in the threat development and proliferation of ballistic missile capability of either North Korea and Iran in the last 6 months to warrant a 40% decrease to 30 ground based interceptors to protect the American Public and their nation?"

"Missile defense is about our nation and the fundamental core protecting our homeland from current and future threats and should always be a high priority . To sacrifice or reduce the long range missile protection of our nation for short and medium range missile defense capabilities should not be the choice; all should be supported."

"It is of strong merit that international leadership for missile defense is and continues to be led by our nation. The threat continues to grow and we cannot afford to be the only country with capabilities to ensure protection, deterrence and dissuasion against rogue nations. The United States is working with 17 nations in the international community and NATO on missile defense as well as developing missile defense systems with more than 6 countries, thus missile defense resources must be able to continue to support these efforts for global protection. A global problem requires a global solution."

"President Barack Obama and his Administration need to have other options than the United Nations, diplomacy, and use of military force, for if not, he will face a world of new nuclear powers that will be driven by lack of missile defense and U.S. deterrence to become nuclear. This is too important for our nation and our world to not allocate the full resources from the U.S. government.

Riki Ellison is available for on-the-record interviews. Call Mike Terrill at 602 885-1955.


SOURCE Missile Defense Advocacy Alliance

NASA Shuttle Commander Tweets, Will Answer Questions From Space

NASA Logo. (PRNewsFoto/NASA)

WASHINGTON, DC UNITED STATES

HOUSTON, May 8 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- NASA astronaut Mark Polansky, commander of the next space shuttle mission to the International Space Station in June, is sharing updates about his training and flight on Twitter. He invites followers to submit video questions via YouTube that he will answer from orbit.

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Polansky, a New Jersey native and former Air Force test pilot, will command the space shuttle Endeavour on mission STS-127, a flight targeted for launch June 13 to deliver the final portions of the space station's Japanese laboratory. While posting tweets about his crew's training, Polansky also will select video questions submitted by followers. The videos will be transmitted to orbit during the mission and answered live during a special event that will be broadcast on NASA Television and posted to Polansky's Twitter and YouTube pages.

Polansky, whose Twitter account is Astro_127, can be followed at:

http://www.twitter.com/Astro_127

To submit a question, Polansky's Twitter followers should post a video question no longer than 30 seconds to YouTube and tweet the link to Polansky's account, @Astro_127. From now through the launch of STS-127, one or two of the questions submitted will be selected each week to be answered from orbit. A video invitation from Polansky may be viewed at:

http://www.youtube.com/reelnasa

Polansky's crewmates are Pilot Doug Hurley and Mission Specialists Dave Wolf, Christopher Cassidy, Tom Marshburn, Julie Payette and Tim Kopra. Wolf, Cassidy, Marshburn and Kopra will perform the mission's five spacewalks. Kopra will remain aboard the station after Endeavour departs as a flight engineer for Expedition 20. Koichi Wakata, a Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency astronaut, will return to Earth on Endeavour to conclude his three-month stay at the station.

The mission is Polansky's second space shuttle command and third spaceflight. For more information about Polansky, mission STS-127, and to view video questions that have been selected so far, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/shuttle/shuttlemissions/sts127

For a list of NASA missions providing updates on social media Web sites, visit

http://www.nasa.gov/collaborate

For NASA TV streaming video, downlink and scheduling information, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/ntv


SOURCE NASA

NASA Langley Keeping an Eye on Shuttle During Hubble Mission

NASA Logo. (PRNewsFoto/NASA)

WASHINGTON, DC UNITED STATES

HAMPTON, Va., May 8 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Researchers at NASA's Langley Research Center have an added stake in this month's space shuttle mission. Not only are they part of the impact assessment and aerothermodynamic heating teams, one group will be watching Atlantis' return to earth, literally.

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Space shuttle Atlantis' STS-125 crew is scheduled to launch Monday afternoon, May 11, and return May 22. It's rocketing to the Hubble Space Telescope to refurbish Hubble with state-of-the-art science instruments. After the astronauts' visit, the telescope's capabilities will be expanded and its lifetime extended through at least 2014.

To reach Hubble, Atlantis will fly in an orbit that has a slightly higher risk of orbital debris strike than usual. That's of great interest to NASA Langley researchers, who participate on damage assessment and impact dynamics teams during shuttle missions. Those teams identify and evaluate if there's any risk to the shuttle if the orbiter's fragile tiles get hit from debris.

Another group from Langley is keeping an eye specifically on the heat of the shuttle's re-entry into earth's atmosphere. They're working to improve computer models and designs for future spacecraft and they're using the space shuttle as a flying testbed.

"The Hypersonic Thermodynamic Infrared Measurements team is interested in capturing a thermal image of the shuttle," said aerospace engineer and principal investigator Tom Horvath in the Aerothermodynamics Branch at Langley. "We plan to have a Navy aircraft fly below the shuttle during re-entry so that systems on board can remotely monitor and record heating to the shuttle's lower surface using a long-range infrared camera."

The US Navy NP-3D Orion aircraft and the long-range infrared optical system are called "Cast Glance" and are operated by the NAVAIR Weapons Division, Pt. Mugu, Calif. The team says it's quite a challenge to focus on an object flying 15 times the speed of a bullet from an airplane in flight. They do a lot of intricate pre-mission planning.

"You only have one shot. It's not like you can ask them to go around again and give us another try at it and so that's why the planning is so important," said Steve Tack, Cast Glance flight operations lead. "It's a really exciting time... that 30-40 seconds when the shuttle is just screaming past us at Mach 15 and we're making a really hard turn to maintain tracking on it."

The NP-3D Orion, which can stay aloft for about 11 hours, stays over international waters until it's time for the shuttle to re-enter. At closest approach, the aircraft and its crew will be approximately 25-40 miles from the shuttle. Because the orbiter is banking on descent the plane will not be directly under it. Mission planners say the aircraft location and flight maneuvers proposed for the observation have been carefully planned to ensure safety to the orbiter and the respective crews.

A team from NASA Langley will be in mission control during re-entry to make recommendations to the flight crew regarding adjustments to the camera settings and aircraft position for optimal viewing. The data will be recorded and downloaded post-mission once the P-3 Orion returns back to its base of operations.

Cast Glance has a proven track record of acquiring high quality data during previous Space Shuttle missions. The crew of the Cast Glance aircraft successfully captured imagery of the orbiter during re-entry during three previous missions. After STS-119, in March, the team managed to shoot almost nine minutes of Discovery on descent.

For additional information about NASA, please go to:

http://www.nasa.gov/


SOURCE NASA

World Vision Finds Condition of Refugee Camps in Pakistan 'Intolerable'

- Aid Agency Completes Early Assessment, Begins Efforts To Provide Aid to 200,000

- Aid Workers Find Camps Strained Under Burden Of Incoming Refugees

SWABI, Pakistan, May 9 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Temperatures over 100 degrees Fahrenheit, overcrowding, inadequate toilets and a lack of electricity make refugee camps in and around the North West Frontier Province (NWFP) in Pakistan "intolerable," according to relief workers for the international aid agency, World Vision.

"Many children and their families have walked for days to reach camps like this one in Swabi. They have fled the fighting, left behind their livelihoods, and arrived at the camps exhausted and afraid," said Jeff Hall, World Vision's deputy director for advocacy in the Middle East. "Despite the coordinated efforts of the Pakistani authorities, World Vision, and other aid agencies on the ground, we may not be able to meet the most basic needs of the refugees as quickly as they are arriving in the camps if it continues at this pace."

There are just over 4,000 people currently living in Chota Lahore, the camp set up in Swabi. The majority of the refugees taking shelter at the camp are women and children. The camp is several miles from the nearest commercial area, so work isn't available, and it is difficult for people to purchase basic supplies.

Many of the people in Chota Lahore have fled from the mountains of Pakistan, and they are used to cooler climates. In Chota Lahore, the sun beats down on the camp, sending the temperatures above 100 degrees Fahrenheit, and shade is nearly nonexistent. The pit latrines are filling up quickly and will become unpleasant in the summer heat. There is no electricity, and health services are extremely limited.

Because the fighting escalated so quickly, many people had to leave everything behind and immediately head for safety. As a result, they were forced to leave behind their crops at harvest time, and they fear that their crops and livestock have been destroyed in the fighting, nearly eliminating many families' livelihoods for the next year. Some families have also reported having to leave elderly parents behind in the conflict area because they were not strong enough to make the difficult trip to the camps.

According to World Vision's assessment team in Swabi, the number of refugees arriving in the camps could increase dramatically in the coming days if hostilities are not contained, straining the already limited resources in the region, and the camps may not be able to keep providing basic services to the families as more and more people flee their homes.

World Vision is working alongside the local government and other aid agencies to provide relief to an estimated 200,000 people fleeing from the violence. As the aid agency begins to scale up its efforts, the first priority will be food, water, and adequate shelter for the families. Intense fighting between militant groups and the Pakistani forces in and around the Swat valley has driven more families from their homes, adding to the 550,000 people already displaced over the past three years of violence.

To make a donation to World Vision's relief work in Pakistan, please call 1-888-56-CHILD (1-888-562-4453) or go to www.worldvision.org.

About World Vision's Work In Pakistan

World Vision has been working in Pakistan since 1992, focusing on emergency relief and response, child protection, HIV and AIDS awareness, sustainable economic development through organic farming, health and hygiene, and empowering women through vocational training and literacy programs.


SOURCE World Vision

CAIR Seeks Probe Into Harassment of N.C. Muslim

Egg-throwing vandals targeted hijab-wearing mother's home since 2005

WASHINGTON, May 10 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) today called on state and national law enforcement authorities to investigate possible civil rights violations in the harassment of a Muslim mother in North Carolina whose home has been targeted repeatedly by vandals.

The 53-year-old mother of four in Greensboro, N.C., who wears an Islamic head scarf (hijab), reports that vandals have been throwing eggs at her home since she moved into the neighborhood in 2005. She believes the attacks have been prompted by her Islamic attire. The last attack on her house came on April 13.

SEE: The Ugly Side of Our City (News & Record)

http://www.news-record.com/content/2009/05/09/article/the_ugly_side_of_our_city

"We urge local, state and national law enforcement authorities to investigate the possible bias motive in this troubling case and to bring the perpetrators to justice," said CAIR National Communications Director Ibrahim Hooper. "No American of any faith should be subjected to such harassment."

Hooper added that it is up to state and national religious and political leaders to challenge the growing level of Islampohobia in American society that can result in such incidents.

He said CAIR offers advice for reacting to anti-Muslim hate crimes in its "Muslim Community Safety Kit."

SEE: CAIR Muslim Community Safety Kit

http://www.cair.com/ActionCenter/CommunityToolKit.aspx

CAIR, America's largest Islamic civil liberties group, has 35 offices and chapters nationwide and in Canada. Its mission is to enhance the understanding of Islam, encourage dialogue, protect civil liberties, empower American Muslims, and build coalitions that promote justice and mutual understanding.

CONTACT: CAIR National Communications Director Ibrahim Hooper, 202-488-8787 or 202-744-7726, E-Mail: ihooper@cair.com; CAIR Communications Coordinator Amina Rubin, 202-488-8787 or 202-341-4171, E-Mail: arubin@cair.com


SOURCE Council on American-Islamic Relations

Small Businesses Hugely Reliant on Credit Cards According to New NSBA Survey

WASHINGTON, May 10 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The National Small Business Association today released data showing that reliance on credit cards is growing among small businesses. Unfortunately, so, too, is the number of small-business respondents who reported worsening credit-card terms. The NSBA 2009 Small Business Credit Card Survey provides a detailed view of how small businesses are utilizing their credit cards, how their credit-card companies are treating them, and the impacts of deteriorating credit-card terms on their business.

"As small businesses across the nation are struggling to keep their doors open, the need for affordable and fair credit-card financing is critical," stated NSBA President Todd McCracken. "Credit cards account for the largest--and growing--single source of financing being used by small businesses today."

Conducted between April 27 and May 5, the survey showed that 59 percent of small-business respondents used credit cards in the past 12 months to finance their business, up from 49 percent in December 2008. This increase is occurring despite a rise in the number of small businesses reporting worsening credit-card terms. Asked to evaluate their credit-card terms over the last five years, 79 percent reported worsening terms--up from 69 percent in December 2008. Even more eye-opening: when asked if their credit-card terms had worsened in the last six months, a whopping 75 percent reported that they had.

The NSBA 2009 Small Business Credit Card Survey comes on the heels of passage of critical credit-card reform legislation in the U.S. House of Representatives and in advance of expected debate on a similar measure in the U.S. Senate. NSBA has been an active and outspoken proponent of credit-card reform, citing the ever-increasing reliance small businesses have on credit-card financing.

"In previous recessions, economic recovery has been led by the creation of millions of new small businesses. Unfortunately, today's entrepreneurs --unlike those of past recessions -- are severely limited in their ability to finance a new business by leveraging the value of their home, borrowing from friends and family, or securing a traditional loan. This leaves one clear, often unattractive, option: credit cards," said NSBA Chair Keith Ashmus of Frantz Ward LLP in Cleveland, Ohio.

NSBA urges the Senate to enact S. 414 and ensure that its protections are extended to the cards used by America's small-business owners. Given some of the bleak results of this survey and small business' historic role in lifting the nation out of recessions and depressions, it is an economic imperative that Congress reform the practices of the credit-card industry.

Please click here to view The NSBA 2009 Small Business Credit Card Survey.

Since 1937, NSBA has advocated on behalf of America's entrepreneurs. A staunchly nonpartisan organization, NSBA reaches more than 150,000 small businesses nationwide and is proud to be the nation's first small-business advocacy organization. For more information, please visit www.nsba.biz


SOURCE National Small Business Association

AIDS Action Welcomes President's Budget Increases Yet Expresses Distress With Failure to End Federal Ban on Syringe Exchange Funding

WASHINGTON, May 7 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- In his Fiscal Year 2010 (FY 10) budget request, President Barack Obama increased funding for HIV prevention and treatment and care by $107 million. In doing so, President Obama has put funding behind the vision set forth in his FY 10 budget outline of increasing "resources to detect, prevent, and treat HIV/AIDS domestically, especially in underserved populations."

"This is good news for the U.S., especially for people living with HIV/AIDS, those who are at risk and their families," said Rebecca Haag, Executive Director of AIDS Action in response to the budget increases. "For too many years the previous administration ignored the ongoing severity of the domestic HIV epidemic, failed to increase funding for prevention and did not keep up with the epidemic in treatment and care."

In his FY10 budget, President Obama requests an additional $54 million of funding for the Ryan White Program to help pay for the care and treatment of over 500,000 individuals living with HIV in the United States. The President's budget includes a $53 million increase for HIV prevention and surveillance services within the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) Division of HIV/AIDS Prevention (DHAP). This funding will assist DHAP in increasing the reach of HIV prevention programs in communities of color and for men who have sex with men (MSM), where the HIV epidemic continues to grow. This funding will also help to identify the 20% of those who are HIV positive and unaware of their status. In response to this specific increase Rebecca Haag stated, "It is gratifying to know that we have an Administration that understands the importance of increased funding for prevention programs across the nation, as we work to decrease the number of newly infected with HIV in the United States."

Despite the positive news regarding increased funding for HIV/AIDS, AIDS Action is extremely disappointed that the Administration failed to remove language that forbids the use of federal funding for syringe exchange programs. Syringe exchange has been repeatedly shown to effectively reduce HIV/AIDS and hepatitis transmission among injecting drug users and to connect them to other health care services, without increasing drug abuse within communities. In an era of spiraling health care costs, lifting the ban on federal funding for syringe exchange programs would yield significant cost savings. Had syringe exchange programs been widely implemented at the beginning of the epidemic, approximately 354,000 HIV infections could have been averted, saving billions of dollars in treatment costs.

The failure to remove the ban is at odds with President Obama's commitment to evidence- based policy, his campaign pledge to end the federal ban, and the Administration's recent support of syringe exchange in a statement to the United Nations Commission on Narcotic Drugs in February. "We are disappointed that President Obama has not taken this opportunity to support syringe exchange programs, which have the potential to save thousands of lives and billions of taxpayer dollars," said Joseph Interrante, CEO of Nashville CARES and Chairman of the AIDS Action Council Board. "AIDS Action will continue to work with Congressional allies to remove the ban on federal funding of syringe exchange programs."

AIDS Action is encouraged that the Administration will continue its focus on domestic HIV by fulfilling its pledge to develop a National AIDS Strategy (NAS). "A National AIDS Strategy will ensure that governmental agencies and resources will work to reduce HIV incidence, increase access to care, and address disparities. The President's budget request is an important step in accomplishing these goals. We call on Congress to build on the President's vision," said Haag.

AIDS Action strives to end the HIV epidemic by advancing public policies that prevent new infections, provide care for people living with HIV, and support the search for a cure. AIDS Action serves as the national voice for AIDS service organizations, health departments, and a diverse network of community-based organizations across the country that provide services for people living with or affected by HIV infection.


SOURCE AIDS Action

Grey Ribbon Crusade(TM) Promotes National Unification in the Fight Against Brain Tumors

Encouraging People to Become Involved During May's "National Brain Tumor Awareness Month"

WASHINGTON, May 8 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- This week American Idol David Cook and his family shared the sad news of his brother's death from a brain tumor. Unfortunately many other families will suffer this same type of loss -- over 200,000 people will be diagnosed with a brain tumor in the United States this year. In an effort to bring awareness and ultimately find a cure, the newly formed consortium known as the "Heroes of Hope" announce the debut of the Grey Ribbon Crusade to commemorate National Brain Tumor Awareness month. Over 200 individuals and 48 not-for-profit charitable organizations representing all 50 states have joined together to solidify the presence of the brain tumor community while raising the level of awareness and funding for brain tumors.

Like the well-recognized pink ribbon for breast cancer awareness, the grey ribbon is the symbol for brain tumors, which are the leading cause of solid tumor death in children and affect over 200,000 people each year. People and organizations can join the cause at www.greyribboncrusade.org. There is no fee and everyone who joins will receive a grey ribbon to wear in an effort to spread awareness of the cause.

"The work the medical community can accomplish in its quest to find a cure for brain tumors is greatly enhanced by the involvement of organizations that make up 'Heroes of Hope'," said Henry Friedman, MD, Deputy Director of The Preston Robert Tisch Brain Tumor Center at Duke University Medical Center. "Now having one cohesive resource across the nation brings more focus and strength to this cause."

The Grey Ribbon Crusade seeks to create dynamic action in the drive for funding of brain tumor research through a united force against brain tumors. The goal is to increase visibility through a strong national brand; allowing for the utilization of a combined scale of accomplishments and resources, while preserving individual and organizational goals without additional financial commitment.

The Grey Ribbon Crusade website allows members to post research requiring immediate funding, events and meetings as well as shared ideas and resources. It also provides a venue for individuals to become active in their community by partnering with the nearest not-for-profit member.

The Grey Ribbon Crusade was formed after three existing charitable organizations dedicated to brain tumor research began assisting each other in distinct areas of each other's missions, while still continuing in the specific direction of their own goals. Realizing that unification carried many benefits toward finding a cure for brain tumors, they launched the "Heroes of Hope" Grey Ribbon Crusade. The concept continues to grow as those touched by the disease join forces and take action toward a cure.

The group's first fundraiser, a national text message campaign, "Hope for a Cure is at Your Fingertips" allows you to text "BRAIN" to 40579 on your cell phone, and automatically donate $5 to brain tumor research. The one time $5 donation will be added to your mobile phone bill. Verizon users should make their donation at www.greyribboncrusade.org/donate. For more information contact Lisa Kaminsky Millar at DNL1231@aol.com or at 1-866-48-4CURE (2873)


SOURCE Heroes of Hope

Comptroller of the Currency Hosts Community Bank Directors Workshops in Syracuse, New York

WASHINGTON, May 8 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency will host workshops for national community bank directors in Syracuse, New York, at the Sheraton Syracuse University, June 9-10, 2009.

The workshops provide practical information that expand bank directors' skills and understanding of issues facing their banks. The workshops cover risk assessment ("Directors: Where is the Risk in Your Bank") and credit risk ("Credit Risk: A Director's Focus").

Workshops will be held on consecutive days and cost $65 each. Individuals may register for one or both of the workshops. Attendees receive pre-course reading and course materials, an OCC telephone seminar CD, a community bank supervision handbook, other supervisory material, a continental breakfast, and lunch. Workshops are limited to the first 50 registrants and are geared primarily to outside directors of national community banks with assets of less than $1 billion. Management directors may also find the workshops beneficial.

For information or to register online, visit http://www.occ.gov/conference.htm or call 336-451-0557.

The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency was created by Congress to charter national banks, to oversee a nationwide system of banking institutions, and to assure that national banks are safe and sound, competitive and profitable, and capable of serving the banking needs of their customers in the best possible manner. OCC press releases and other information are available at http://www.occ.gov. To receive OCC press releases and issuances by email, subscribe at http://www.occ.gov/listserv.htm.


SOURCE Office of the Comptroller of the Currency

Governor Rendell Lauds Outgoing Gaming Control Board Chair Mary DiGiacomo Colins

HARRISBURG, Pa., May 8 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Pennsylvania Governor Edward G. Rendell said today that outgoing Gaming Control Board Chair Mary DiGiacomo Colins has served with honor and integrity, and that the entire Commonwealth has benefited from her diligent work to both foster the start of the new slot machine industry and develop strict oversight guidelines to protect the interests of the citizens.

Governor Rendell made the comments as Colins announced that she is stepping down today as the second Chair of the casino oversight agency, serving during a period of extraordinary growth of the Commonwealth's nascent industry.

"I am very grateful to Judge Colins for guiding the Gaming Control Board through a very critical stage in the development of this important industry in Pennsylvania," Governor Rendell said. "She has demonstrated unimpeachable integrity and an uncommon commitment to find consensus in working through difficult issues, enhancing the board's growing reputation as a national leader in gaming regulation and oversight."

Colins continued to serve at the pleasure of the Governor for nearly a year even though her second term concluded in July 2008. Colins, an original appointee to the Board by Governor Rendell in September 2004 for an initial one year term, was reappointed to a full three year term in July 2005 and named by the Governor as Chair in August 2007.

Colins says she was very fortunate to serve as Chairman with a great number of talented and dedicated persons, and was grateful to Governor Rendell for his faith in her capabilities.

"Presiding over the Board has been challenging, exciting and at times difficult. But, throughout my tenure at the Board, I've constantly been sustained by the dedication and commitment of the staff," said Colins. "I am particularly proud of the regulatory framework I helped to establish that gives direction to the gaming industry, protects the interests of the citizens of Pennsylvania, and has created property tax relief and jobs."

Throughout her tenure on the Board, Colins was a driving force in the swift and successful development of both the Commonwealth's slot machine gaming market and of the Gaming Control Board, Pennsylvania's first startup agency in nearly 40 years. In her role as Board member, and later Chair, Colins utilized her extensive legal background to direct the development of some of the toughest regulations in the gaming industry, including landmark regulations dealing with problem gambling.

In addition, Colins led in constructing an open public-input hearing process during the initial licensing phase that provided an opportunity for citizens, community groups and public officials to directly tell the Board about how proposed casino projects would affect them and their neighborhoods. In 2006, twenty-two of these hearings were held throughout the state resulting in the receipt of oral or written testimony from thousands of Pennsylvanians. This public input process, while not mandated by law, was so successful and critical to the licensing process, that it was later added to the Gaming Act by the Legislature as a mandatory step in future licensing decisions.

While the United States gaming industry generally suffered through the recent economic downturn. Pennsylvania's gaming industry grew during Colins' tenure as Chair. With seven of the twelve licensed casinos open (the eighth is due to open May 22, 2009), slot machine gaming in the Commonwealth saw a steady month-over-month growth in revenues with casinos already generating an average of $2.8 million a day in taxes that are returned to Commonwealth citizens, primarily toward property tax relief.

Just as importantly, during Colins' term on the Board, nearly 7,500 living wage casino jobs have been created along with 17,000 construction related jobs at a time when overall state employment numbers have decreased.

Also during her tenure as Chair, Colins steered the successful ownership change of the financially troubled Pittsburgh casino project. This effort thwarted a significant delay in construction, put hundreds of construction employees back to work and cleared the way for an additional thousand jobs to be created once the casino opens its doors in August of this year. In addition, the decision approved by the Board under Colins' leadership also made sure that the new owners adhered to all commitments made to the City of Pittsburgh during the licensing process. These commitments include funding for the new multi-purpose arena and millions of dollars in additional contributions to city groups.

The Gaming Control Board, created upon passage of the Pennsylvania Racehorse Development and Gaming Act in July 2004, began operations in December of that year with just the seven member Board and a few state employees. Colins has been instrumental in growing the organization to more than 250 professionals that perform licensing, enforcement and compliance duties in Harrisburg, Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, Scranton and at all casinos.

Frank Donaghue, Acting Executive Director of the Gaming Control Board says Colins did a tremendous job in guiding staff through the creation and promulgation of new gaming regulations, encouraging intellectual debate among staff regarding the policies and procedures that would best serve the citizens of the Commonwealth in the agency's important role of gaming oversight.

"Judge Colins worked diligently through many long hours to fulfill the mandates of the Gaming Act and promote a strict regulatory environment for Pennsylvania," Donaghue says. "She accomplished this by encouraging open dialogue with staff, the public and the regulated gaming community to work toward establishing an effective yet efficient regulatory body."

Colins was elected to the Court of Common Pleas of Philadelphia County in 1990 and won retention in 2000. Before becoming a judge, she served as Assistant Chief of the Economic Crimes Unit in the Philadelphia District Attorney's office. She was hired as an Assistant District Attorney by then-District Attorney Rendell in 1985. She also served as in-house Associate Labor Counsel to CertainTeed Corp. and was a hearing examiner for the Federal Employee Appeals Authority. She received her BA in English from the University of Pennsylvania in 1970, an MA in English from Villanova University in 1973, her J.D. from Temple University School of Law in 1974 and a Master's in Labor Laws from Temple University School of Law in 1980.

CONTACT: Doug Harbach or Richard McGarvey
(717) 346-8321


SOURCE Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board

Transition Plan for Scranton State School for the Deaf Will Benefit Students, Community

Western PA School for the Deaf will operate school on current campus

HARRISBURG, Pa., May 8 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Starting with the 2009-10 school year, the acclaimed Western Pennsylvania School for the Deaf will begin providing education to deaf and hard of hearing students at the facility that currently houses the Scranton State School for the Deaf, a move that will permanently preserve quality education services in northeastern Pennsylvania for the deaf and hard of hearing, Education Secretary Gerald L. Zahorchak announced today.

"The Western Pennsylvania School for the Deaf has a track record of success and is committed to ensuring every child at the Scranton State School for the Deaf will continue to receive the services and opportunities necessary to meet their unique needs," Secretary Zahorchak said.

"Every single student enrolled in SSSD today will be able to continue learning in Scranton next year," Zahorchak said.

Under the agreement announced today, the Western Pennsylvania School for the Deaf will take over Scranton's existing programs and continue to operate residential and day programs on the existing site of SSSD during the 2009-10 school year.

"Change is often difficult, so we have crafted a transition plan that will be as accommodating as possible to the students and their families," the secretary said.

Over a three-year period, WPSD will work with students, families and the community to transition the existing program into a permanent day program for kindergarten through 8th grades.

The transition plan calls for the commonwealth to lease the 10-acre property currently used by SSSD to a third party. The commonwealth is in conversation with Marywood University regarding a potential lease to manage the property, but Secretary Zahorchak noted WPSD also could be the lessee if Marywood opts not to lease the property. In either case, WPSD will be the entity occupying the property in 2009-10 in order to provide education to students who are currently enrolled in SSSD.

Under the three-year transition plan, the Western Pennsylvania School for the Deaf will:

Continue the existing programs, both day and residential, for the deaf and hard of hearing on the site of SSSD for the 2009-10 school year.

Establish a permanent day program in 2010-11 for elementary and middle school aged children, while continuing to enroll new students in the day program.

Work with students currently enrolled at SSSD and their families to accommodate all children -- residential and day students -- with the educational services they need. In future years, families that prefer a residential program will be able to enroll at WPSD's 20-acre campus in suburban Pittsburgh.

"Governor Edward G. Rendell rightfully recognized that having the state directly run a school is not the best way to provide the most effective academic programs," Secretary Zahorchak said. "The agreement we are announcing today shows there is a better way -- one that is responsive to the students of the Scranton school as well as to Pennsylvania's taxpayers."

Secretary Zahorchak credited Senate Democratic Leader Robert Mellow for helping to craft the agreement.

"Establishing a high-quality transition plan would not have been possible without the hard work of Senator Mellow," the secretary said. "From the start of this process, he showed a tremendous commitment to SSSD students, their families and the region."

Transition efforts not requiring legislative approval will begin immediately, including working with SSSD students, families and employees to ensure any concerns are addressed. Zahorchak indicated that PDE has sent letters to all families of SSSD students about the transition, and the department has informed SSSD employees and resident school districts as well.

Senator Mellow said part of the transition plan requires WPSD to interview any qualified staff at SSSD who want to continue working with deaf and hard of hearing students.

"The Scranton State School for the Deaf has been a part of our community for more than a century, and this transition plan ensures that Scranton will be a home for high quality education for students who are deaf and hard of hearing for years to come," the senator said.

Founded in 1869, the Western Pennsylvania School for the Deaf is the largest comprehensive center for deaf education in Pennsylvania, serving more than 250 deaf and hard-of-hearing children from more than 100 school districts throughout 30 counties. It provides quality educational services and a complete extracurricular program on its 20-acre campus in suburban Pittsburgh.

Secretary Zahorchak said he hopes the involvement of such highly regarded institutions will ease any frustrations that have arisen in recent weeks as SSSD students and staff awaited details of the transition plan.

"I realize this process has been nerve-wracking for many, but the time we have invested in these last several weeks to create the best transition plan possible will benefit these students for a lifetime," he said.

CONTACT: Michael Race
(717) 783-9802


SOURCE Pennsylvania Department of Education

House Democratic Leader Should Not Join Republicans in Targeting Social Security, Says Progressive Leader

Borosage: Steny Hoyer's Proposal to Cut Benefits, Fast Track Social Security Cuts is Bad Policy and Bad Politics

WASHINGTON, May 8 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Campaign for America's Future co-director Robert Borosage today said that House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer will get burned if he insists on stepping on Social Security, the "third rail of American politics."

Rep. Hoyer said on Wednesday that Congress should change the Social Security system to "bring in more revenues," "restrain the growth of benefits" and possibly "raise the retirement age." Rep. Hoyer proposed the creation of a special commission to develop Social Security legislation detailing cuts which would receive fast track treatment - an up-or-down vote in both chambers of Congress with no amendments.

STATEMENT OF ROBERT BOROSAGE

Rep. Hoyer wants to put cuts in Social Security benefits on the table. He argues that cutting Social Security benefits will help address America's long term deficits. This is bad policy and worse politics.

In reality, America does not have an entitlements problem. It has a broken health care system. The entirety of our long term debt problem is caused by soaring health care costs.

Social Security has a surplus. That means today's workers have already prepaid their retirement. The Congressional Budget Office projects that Social Security, by drawing down its trust fund, will be able to pay benefits until the year 2049 with no changes whatsoever. Fixing health care means taking on the insurance companies, no easy task. But that is no reason to go after Social Security which is not the cause of the problem and cannot provide the solution.

American workers have paid a regressive Social Security payroll tax throughout their lives with the understanding that they'd get a secure floor for their retirement. The payroll tax was increased in 1983 with the understanding that a surplus would be built up and then paid down to pay for the boomers. A deal is a deal. It would be a gross injustice for the nation to break its contract with workers by increasing the payroll tax on average Americans or cutting their Social Security benefits. Congress may have squandered that money on tax cuts to the wealthy or bailouts of the banks. That may require progressive tax reform. It does not require shafting the workers who played by the rules.

This is also ruinous politics. Americans have lost more than $15 trillion in housing and stock wealth, with the great bulk of the losses being incurred by people age 45 and older. At a time when Americans are shattered by the loss in their retirement savings, Rep. Hoyer would add to their insecurity by calling for cutting the one benefit that is backed by the full faith and credit of the US government - Social Security.

To suggest that the retirement age be lifted suggests Rep. Hoyer simply is out of touch. Most people will now have to work far past retirement age simply to make ends meet. What Rep. Hoyer is suggesting is that he will deprive them of any retirement support during that period. It is hard to imagine anything more destructive of Democrats' claim to be the party of working Americans than to propose pushing that reform through the Congress on a fast track.

Retirement security is an essential part of the American Dream. Today, less than half of workers participate in any retirement plan at work; only a fraction of them have access to a traditional kind of pension that guarantees income in retirement. The rest have savings in their homes and retirement accounts that have just been devastated in the Great Recession. Democrats should be talking about increasing Social Security payments to help lift the economy out of its decline, not reducing them to pay off long term deficits that are caused by our broken health care system. Keep on this track, Rep. Hoyer, and you will get badly burned.


SOURCE Campaign for America's Future

NASA Announces STS-125 Shuttle Prelaunch and Mission Web Coverage

NASA Logo. (PRNewsFoto/NASA)

WASHINGTON, DC UNITED STATES

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla., May 8 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- A prelaunch webcast, live blogs, podcast, pictures and videos will highlight NASA's Web coverage of space shuttle Atlantis' STS-125 mission to service and upgrade NASA's Hubble Space Telescope. Atlantis is scheduled to lift off Monday, May 11, at 2:01 p.m. EDT from NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. NASA will provide online updates at: http://www.nasa.gov/shuttle.

(Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20081007/38461LOGO)

A webcast May 10 at noon will start the in-depth online coverage of the mission. Host Damon Talley of NASA's Digital Learning Network and correspondent Rebecca Sprague will preview the mission and examine the remarkable history and discoveries the Hubble observatory has made. Astrophysicist Mario Livio of the Hubble Space Telescope Science Institute will discuss the telescope's impact beyond the scientific community.

A blog will provide launch countdown updates beginning at 8:30 a.m. May 11. Originating from the Launch Control Center at NASA's Kennedy Space Center, the blog is the definitive Internet source for information leading up to launch.

During the STS-125 mission, visitors to NASA's shuttle Web site can read about the astronauts' progress and watch their five spacewalks live. Also, updates will be provided to the NASA News Twitter feed. To access the feed, visit:

http://www.twitter.com/nasa

As Atlantis' flight wraps up, NASA will update a blog detailing the spacecraft's return to Earth.


SOURCE NASA

Slow Climb Still Stops Short of the Very Top According to Illinois CPA Society Annual Survey on Women in Accounting

CHICAGO, May 8 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Women CPAs have been making a slow but steady climb through the ranks of public accounting. Yet in the seventh year the Illinois CPA Society, through its Women's Executive Committee, has conducted its Annual Survey on the Role of Women in CPA Firms, the findings show the struggle continues to reach the very top leadership positions.

The just released 2009 survey findings show a slight increase in the number of women represented in firm/office management positions, up to 12.4 percent from 10 percent last year after gaining a steady one point increase each year. There's also been gradual improvement in the overall number of women in executive positions from 10.6 percent in 2006 to 18.7 percent in 2009. And while the survey finds the number of women entering public accounting firms has decreased from 54 percent in 2003 to 49 percent in 2009, the rate at which women are being retained increased slightly -- three percentage points -- over the same period.

However, the number of men still far outweighs the number of women in partner/principal positions -- men hold 82.4 percent of those positions, women 17.6 percent. These percentages are nearly identical to last year's finding of 82.8 percent for men and 17.2 percent for women, and varied little from year to year.

"Careerbuilder.com recently cited "Accountant and auditor" as one of the ten most promising jobs for the class of 2009," said Elaine Weiss, president and CEO of the Illinois CPA Society. "Our challenge is to complete the climb women have made in the profession, so all young grads know they can take their career to the highest level."

The 2009 "Accounting Women" survey was distributed to 90 public accounting firms in Illinois with 15 or more professionals to track the percentage of women at different levels of the organization -- partner/principal, senior manager/manager, and senior staff. It also gauges the effectiveness of initiatives and programs targeted to women with findings based on responses from individual women and the firms.

Flexible work arrangements and mentoring programs continue to be most in demand among women working at firms that do not offer these types of initiatives. However, there's some discrepancy on the perception of their effectiveness. For example, 57 percent of the firms rated flexible work arrangements as "highly effective", while 45 percent of the women rated them "moderately effective." The Society's Women's Executive Committee plans on taking a look at firms that have been successful at promoting women to see if their efforts can be used by others.

Copies of the complete survey results are available by contacting Judi Kulm at 312-993-0407, extension 251 or kulmj@icpas.org.

About the Illinois CPA Society

The Illinois CPA Society, founded in 1903, is the fifth largest state CPA society in the nation, with more than 24,000 members. It is the premier professional organization that represents CPAs in Illinois. During its over 100 years of existence, the Society has advanced the highest ethical and financial standards of the profession, and has been a leader in educating the public on financial issues.


SOURCE Illinois CPA Society

U.S. Conference of Mayors President Miami Mayor Manny Diaz: Cities Value Gun Trace Provision in President Obama's Budget

ISSUES STATEMENT ON PROPOSAL TO LIFT THE TIAHRT AMENDMENT'S LIMIT ON LAW ENFORCEMENT ACCESS TO FEDERAL GUN TRACE DATA

WASHINGTON, May 8 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The following is a statement by U.S. Conference of Mayors President Miami Mayor Manny Diaz:

"I can assure President Obama that the proposal in his budget to remove the barrier blocking law enforcement's access to the federal file of gun trace data has not gone unnoticed this morning in City Halls and Police Departments across this nation. Mayors and law enforcement leaders are viewing this as a first step in turning around an ill-conceived set of laws that have compromised their efforts to fight illegal gun trafficking and the gun-related violence it spawns.

"In a comprehensive agenda on crime drafted by mayors last year and delivered to President Obama and Congress, we specifically stated that law enforcement's access to valuable gun trace data should not be limited in any way by either state or federal law. The Tiahrt amendment's limitation on access was the example we cited.

"In yesterday's budget submission we got a response: If the President's proposal is adopted, law enforcement agencies and prosecutors at every level of government would no longer be denied access to the contents of the federal Firearms Trace Database that can be used in their criminal investigations or prosecutions. Still, limits would remain on what could be done with the data: for the first time we would have access to aggregate, not just case-specific data, but that data could not be released to the public. Local officials and local law enforcement could not discuss publicly the types of weapons causing problems if their information is based on this trace data, nor could they discuss what they are doing to deal with gun trafficking if their strategies are based on this data.

"There remain many federal laws and regulations that make it harder for mayors, police, and prosecutors to keep guns out of the hands of the criminals who threaten the safety of city residents. In the days ahead we'll continue to press the President and Congress for more sensible legislation, but today we'll express our appreciation for one change that will help to keep all Americans a little safer."

The U.S. Conference of Mayors is the official nonpartisan organization of cities with populations of 30,000 or more. There are 1,139 such cities in the country today, each represented in the Conference by its chief elected official, the Mayor. For additional information, visit www.usmayors.org.


SOURCE U.S. Conference of Mayors

Hospital Staffing Cuts - Pragmatic, Panic or Carefully Planned?

ST. PAUL, Minn., May 1 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- As the world sits on the brink of a pandemic flu outbreak, Minnesota's hospitals are attempting to reduce the ranks of personnel most skilled to address emergency health needs.

Minnesota Nurses Association, the union representing more than 20,000 Registered Nurses in 89 bargaining units across the state, has received demands from nine hospitals to reopen contracts regarding wages. In the metro area, more than 100 MNA members have been laid off from their jobs since December 2008. The economic situation sounds dire as employers raise concerns about rising uncompensated care, proposed state budget cuts and dips in census and investments.

"We're not buying it," said MNA President Linda Slattengren. "Yes, we are pushing back at a time when our family and friends have all suffered from layoffs in this economic downturn. Yes, we are saying no to these demands from our employers."

Why? Call nurses cautious - skeptics perhaps. As 24/7 bedside providers, nurses know patient census fluctuates, sometimes wildly, as in the case of a pandemic. The hospital industry has not proven their case to MNA members, who express doubts because hospital administrative judgment has proven to be, all too often, less than stellar when it comes to the safety of patients in our care.

"North Memorial Hospital, where I work, enjoyed a nearly $179 million net profit over the last six years," said Pam Scott, RN. "But due to decisions like purchasing NowCare for $3 million in 2008 and reporting a $4 million loss in the latest financial statement, we have our doubts about the wisdom of administrative choices. My question: Isn't the purpose of reserves to accommodate more unexpected circumstances, such as economic pressures?"

The medical arms race is alive and well in Minnesota, as hospitals have rushed to compete with each other by providing the latest gadgetry or architecturally-inspired surroundings. "They've projected at least $300 million in construction costs for the next three years at Children's Hospitals and Clinics," said Melissa Hansing, RN, MNA Tri-Chair and staff nurse in Children's emergency department. "My questions: Bricks and mortar may impress financiers, but what is going on behind the walls? Aren't critically ill patients being attended to by overworked, fatigued nursing personnel who simply do not have enough colleagues on each shift? How do you justify cutting corners on skilled personnel at the bedside, when studies conclusively prove the increased risk to patients when staffing is not adequate?"

The claim that patient volume is down conceals the fact that nurses are working with a much sicker, more complex patient population. The Medicare Case-Mix Index (MCI) reflects the increased intensity (sometimes called severity) or hospital resource requirements of treating Medicare patients over time. Methodist Hospital's recent financial disclosure, available at munifilings.com, reveals the disturbing evidence. "In the last quarter, Methodist Hospital saw their MCI increase 5.3% over 2007's 4th quarter," said Margaret Gamble, RN. "My question: how do hospital accountants expect nurses to speed up healing time?"

Hospital schemes to wring wage concessions out of its workforce falsely depict an image that administrators are simply starting to ask for communal sacrifice. "When we all pitch in, we'll make things better," they claim. Nurses have been pitching in for quite a while now.

"I've already reduced my salary by 3% because I've agreed to reduce my workdays - without pay - when patient volume was low in the past 3 months," said Juli Uzlik, RN of Fairview Southdale. The unspoken practice of nurses working off the clock over meal breaks or after they punch out also effectively donates time to the hospital bottom line. Ms. Uzlik went on to say, "Four of my colleagues have opted for early retirement. Over the last 90 days, Registered Nurses have agreed to a minimum value of $126,700 in salary hours. This doesn't even account for mandatory low need days we've all taken, and other casual requests we've honored to work a shift here and there. Our question: what cuts in salary have the administrative staffs taken recently?"

On every shift, nurses witness waste and misuse of resources. "We have offered cost-saving suggestions time and time again, but it is the consultants who invariably capture the ear of decision-makers," said Ms. Slattengren. "My question: When will they learn?"

Using the economic crisis as an excuse to reduce labor costs of the hospital's core assets is a short-term temptation that will lead to higher costs and compromised care. The members of MNA challenge hospital executives throughout Minnesota to use clear-eyed, far-sighted courage to keep the interests of patients above the profit margin.

Uniting nurses in vision and voice since 1905. With 20,000 members, MNA is the leading organization for registered nurses in the Midwest and is among the oldest and largest representatives of RNs for collective bargaining in the nation. MNA is a multi-purpose union that fosters high standards for nursing education and practice, and works to advance the profession through legislative activity. MNA is affiliated with the United American Nurses and the Minnesota AFL-CIO.


SOURCE Minnesota Nurses Association

Obama's Proposal to Double-Tax Profits Will Kill U.S. Jobs

WASHINGTON, May 4 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- With President Barack Obama and Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner today announcing a job-killing tax increase of over $200 billion over the next ten years, Americans for Tax Reform issued the following fact sheet on the state of international and corporate taxation:

America has the highest corporate income tax rate in the developed world. The United States is tied with Japan for one very dubious honor -- having the highest corporate income tax rate in the developed world. According to the OECD, the United States has a combined marginal corporate rate of nearly 40 percent. This compares very negatively to our European competitors' average rate of 25 percent. The Republic of Ireland stands in the starkest contrast, with a corporate income tax rate of 12.5 percent. In the developing world, rates of 10 or 15 percent are commonplace.

America is one of the only developed countries that double-taxes the international profits of our own companies. If a Polish company earns a profit in France, it pays the French corporate income tax, and nothing else. But if a U.S. company earns that same profit in France, it must pay the French corporate tax and the U.S. corporate tax (minus whatever was paid to France). So not only does the U.S. impose the highest corporate rate in the world, it makes sure that this rate is applied to both domestic and international profits. This is called a "worldwide taxation system" and the U.S. is one of a tiny handful of countries that still practices it.

Recognizing the problem this creates, Congress has crafted a confusing set of exclusions, deferrals, deductions, and credits on international profits. In general, U.S. companies can avoid paying this double-tax until they repatriate the profits back to the U.S.

By seeking to take away these double-tax band-aids without lowering the corporate rate substantially or fixing the global taxation scheme, Obama's proposal will shove jobs and capital out of America and into foreign countries. Obama's budget and Congressional tax-writers have been clear -- they want companies to pay the full corporate rate as soon as the international profit is earned. In a global economy, companies don't have to take this lying down. It's a relatively simple matter for a U.S. company with an Irish subsidiary to become an Irish company with a U.S. subsidiary. The Obama plan will force thousands of companies to make this job-killing decision. Companies that export goods will soon start exporting jobs.

The U.S. should tax our companies the way the rest of the world taxes theirs -- territoriality. The rest of the developed world has figured this out: if they want to retain jobs and capital in their countries, they have to adopt territoriality. This means that companies only pay corporate income tax in the country where the profit is earned. The U.S. partially tried this in 2005, when companies were allowed to repatriate deferred foreign earnings at a 5.25% rate -- far lower than what they would have to pay otherwise. The result was a one-year infusion of $318 billion in capital to the United States, resulting in $17 billion in additional corporate income tax payments, and the creation of thousands of new jobs.

The U.S. needs to lower our corporate income tax rate to become more competitive. American employers are competing globally with Irish, British, German, etc. companies. It makes no sense to saddle our employers with the highest corporate rate in the world. At the very least, we need to lower our corporate tax rate to 25 percent or less. This simply begins to make our tax treatment of large employers somewhat comparable to our European competitors. When combined with territoriality, this move would begin to change the corporate tax culture in the U.S. from a jobs killer to a jobs magnet.

Americans for Tax Reform is a non-partisan coalition of taxpayers and taxpayer groups who oppose all tax increases. For more information or to arrange an interview please contact John Kartch at (202) 785-0266 or jkartch@atr.org.


SOURCE Americans for Tax Reform

EU Plan to Increase Government Control Not the Answer for ICANN

WASHINGTON, May 4 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- In calling for greater accountability from the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN), European Union Commissioner for Information Society and Media Viviane Reding today echoed the concerns of many committed ICANN stakeholders. But in calling for increased government control, she threatens to steer ICANN away from the private sector leadership that made the Internet what it is today, NetChoice Executive Director Steve DelBianco said today.

"ICANN plans to let its transition agreement with the U.S. Government expire in September, which has triggered many well-meaning questions and concerns from governments, businesses, and organizations concerned about the future of the Internet," DelBianco said. "While we applaud Reding's call to privatize ICANN and make it more accountable to stakeholders, we're concerned that her proposals may cause new problems."

Reding acknowledges that U.S. Government has played an important role in ensuring ICANN's accountability to the Internet community, and proposes a new accountability mechanism to replace the U.S. Government's existing oversight role. To increase accountability, Reding wants to allow anyone to challenge ICANN decisions before a new international "tribunal."

Additionally, Reding suggests the creation of a new multilateral bureaucracy -- a "G12 for the Internet" -- that would allow governments to vote on "recommendations to ICANN where appropriate."

"We must respectfully disagree with Reding's vision of a 'fully privatized and independent ICANN' that is beholden to a new multi-governmental entity. The goal for ICANN has always been to move toward private-sector leadership of the Domain Name System, not towards greater control by governments," DelBianco said.

NetChoice applauded Reding's original thinking on the idea of a third-party accountability mechanism for ICANN, but noted that it would hardly be possible to develop and test such a structure in the few months remaining before September.

"It's a good idea to improve ICANN's mechanisms for private sector accountability, but it's going to take more than four months to do it," DelBianco said. "If the goal is to create an effective, globally accountable ICANN while upholding the security and stability of the Internet's addressing system, it may be best to extend the current agreements with the U.S. Government until these new mechanisms can be put into place."

About NetChoice

NetChoice is an advocacy organization that fights threats to online commerce and promotes policies that protect Internet innovation and communication on a state, federal and international basis. The Washington, DC-based group protects Internet commerce-driven competition and opposes regulations that hinder consumer choice and hurt small businesses.


SOURCE NetChoice

IBM Implements Electronic Filing at the BA

IBM Corporation logo. (PRNewsFoto/IBM Corporation)

ARMONK, NY UNITED STATES

Germany's Federal Employment Agency (Bundesagentur fur Arbeit/ BA) awards contract to IBM / Swifter processing benefits applicants

DUSSELDORF, Germany and NUREMBERG, Germany, May 5 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- IBM (NYSE: IBM) today announced that it has signed a new services agreement with Germany's Federal Employment Agency, Bundesagentur fur Arbeit (BA) to help the agency file, distribute, process and manage documents electronically.

(Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20090416/IBMLOGO )

Under terms of the agreement, IBM Global Business Services will implement IBM's FileNetP8 enterprise content management platform in which a customized user interface will be developed for the BA. The project, stated to take up two years, is a part of the e-government strategy pursued by the BA with a view to further improving its performance.

The aim is to achieve transparent and multi-client capable filing, distribution, processing and management of electronic documents and files.

"With the e-file system we aim to achieve several objectives simultaneously -- to reduce our processing times significantly to the benefit of our customers, to boost overall system transparency, and thereby to make the BA generally more efficient," said the Federal Employment Agency's Rainer Wrobel, project leader.

Mountains of paper files, which have to be transported at great expense, are still very much a part of the day-to-day workload at the Federal Employment Agency. In contrast to processing paper files, electronic documents and files can be accessed immediately and simultaneously by authorized employees, thereby improving substantially the ability of Agency offices to provide information.

By using a uniform document management system solution, the time it takes to deal with individual applications and transactions can be reduced significantly and a higher overall degree of transparency can be achieved.

The system is based on IBM's FileNet P8 enterprise content management platform. The platform provides a unified content, process and compliance environment for managing documents and controlling workflows. It features uniform, standardized interfaces for all specialized IT applications and thereby provides the technical and organizational link for digital document management and processing.

"This agreement builds on IBM's long-term work with the Federal Employment Agency and will help them develop smarter ways of managing information," said Axel Bindewalt, Industry Leader Social Security IBM Global Business Services, Germany. "IBM works with public sector clients worldwide and its deep knowledge in the amount of data involved in agencies like the BA, has enabled us to develop and implement smarter solutions that save time, reduce costs and increase productivity."

Once the rollout is completed, which is likely to be in 2012, a total of around 50,000 users will have access to the platform. The contract with IBM was signed in March 2009.

About IBM

For more about IBM, visit www.ibm.com.

Contact:
Randy Zane
IBM Media Relations
917-472-3589
rzane@us.ibm.com

Dagmar Domke
IBM Deutschland GmbH
Press and Public Relations
Tel.: +49 211 476 1913
Cell: +49 170 480 8228
dagmar.domke@de.ibm.com


SOURCE IBM

National Federation of the Blind Comments on Release of Large-screen Kindle

Urges Accessibility of New E-book Reader for Students

BALTIMORE, May 6 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The National Federation of the Blind, the nation's oldest and largest organization of blind Americans, commented today on the release by Amazon, Inc. of a new version of its Kindle electronic reading device. The new Kindle has a larger screen than previous versions and is being marketed by Amazon as a potential platform for the display of textbooks for college and graduate students.

Dr. Marc Maurer, President of the National Federation of the Blind, said: "We are appalled that Amazon is releasing a new Kindle device ostensibly for the use of students that does not contain features that make it accessible to the blind. While this new device has the ability to read text aloud, its controls and user interface are not accessible to blind people; therefore, blind students will not have access to electronic textbooks available for the device. If the controls on the Kindle are made accessible to the blind, however, blind students will have equal access to textbooks at the same time as their sighted peers for the first time in history. We therefore urge Amazon to introduce a user interface for the Kindle that is accessible to the blind as soon as possible. Until such an accessible interface is introduced by Amazon, no college or university should deploy this device for use by its students, since doing so will place blind students at an unfair disadvantage compared to their sighted peers and will violate state and federal laws requiring equal access to textbooks and course materials for students with disabilities."


SOURCE National Federation of the Blind

Jumpstart and Pearson Foundation Announce Fourth Annual Read for the Record Campaign

Jumpstart and Pearson Foundation Announce Fourth Annual Read for the Record Campaign. (PRNewsFoto/Pearson Foundation)

MINNEAPOLIS, MN UNITED STATES

One Million "Very Hungry Caterpillar" Readers to Break World Record

MINNEAPOLIS, May 6 /PRNewswire/ -- On October 8, more than one million children and adults are expected to team up with a single "Hungry Caterpillar" to help break a world record and draw attention to the early education crisis affecting millions of at-risk young children here in the U.S. and across the globe.

(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20090506/NY12118 )

The nonprofit organization Jumpstart and the Pearson Foundation announced Jumpstart's fourth annual Read for the Record campaign today at the International Reading Association convention in Minneapolis. On a single day in October, in thousands of settings across the world, readers of all ages will be joining together to break the record for the world's largest shared reading experience.

This year's official campaign book is a special, limited edition of the Philomel Books classic "The Very Hungry Caterpillar," by Eric Carle. The commemorative book includes a foreword with messages from Matt Lauer and Meredith Vieira of NBC's TODAY show, award-winning actress Mary Louise Parker, and Grammy Award-winning recording artist and actor LL Cool J. The special limited edition can be purchased online at www.readfortherecord.org/books, where people can also donate books to children in need.

The Pearson Foundation will donate more than 200,000 copies of "The Very Hungry Caterpillar" to children in need, and invites businesses and other institutions to sponsor additional book donations to children in low-income communities in the U.S. and abroad. Further information can be found at www.pearsonfoundation.org/rftr09. Schools, libraries, civic groups, and organizations interested in securing their own commemorative copies can also visit this site to learn more.

"The books we read as children provide us with treasured childhood memories," said Jumpstart president James Cleveland. "Unfortunately, most children in low-income communities have few, if any, age-appropriate books in their homes. As a result, they miss out on the reading experiences that form the foundation for success in school and life. In fact, each year one third of America's children arrive at their first day of school without the skills necessary to succeed. At Jumpstart, we're remedying this problem by giving these young people important one-to-one attention, one child at a time."

For the fourth consecutive year, the Pearson Foundation is underwriting the cost of the Campaign's official book, ensuring that 100% of the proceeds from sales of this edition directly benefit Jumpstart's work with at-risk children. From now through the fall, the Pearson Foundation and Jumpstart will be working with teachers, district superintendents, government officials, libraries, businesses, parent groups, and educational organizations to organize reading events on October 8, and to donate copies of "The Very Hungry Caterpillar" to Head Start and other early learning centers, elementary schools, and other places that serve low-income children.

"Focusing everyone's attention on one book for a single day is a great way to highlight the importance of reading as the foundation for all other learning," said Pearson Foundation president Mark Nieker. "Additionally, the Read for the Record campaign shines the spotlight on the critical role Jumpstart is playing in closing the gap in school readiness between children from low-income communities and their middle income peers."

Over the past three years, more than one million people have taken part in this record-breaking campaign. Jumpstart's Read for the Record has raised more than $3 million to support Jumpstart's mission, and more than 500,000 books have been donated to children in need. In addition, Jumpstart and Pearson's innovative Read for the Record collaboration has been awarded a coveted Cause Marketing Halo Award. The campaign is further supported by Campaign Sponsors American Eagle Outfitters, Penguin, Sodexo, and Official Retail Sponsor Wal-Mart.

For more information, visit www.readfortherecord.org and www.pearsonfoundation.org. In addition to information on how to participate, the websites provide information about donating books to Jumpstart children, as well as hosting and joining shared reading events across the nation.

About Jumpstart

Jumpstart is a national early education organization that works toward the day every child in America enters school prepared to succeed. By pairing nearly 4,000 trained adult mentors with underserved preschoolers for a full school year, Jumpstart helps children develop the language, literacy, and social skills they'll need to thrive in kindergarten and beyond. Working alongside parents and families, Jumpstart is currently serving nearly 15,000 children across 20 states, in partnership with more than 300 early learning centers and 74 universities and colleges throughout the country. Jumpstart's national sponsors include American Eagle Outfitters, AmeriCorps, Pearson, Sodexo, and Starbucks. Jumpstart is the five-time recipient of the Fast Company/Monitor Social Capitalist Award (2004-2008) and has received a four-star rating from Charity Navigator. For more information, visit the Jumpstart website at www.jstart.org.

About the Pearson Foundation

Pearson, the international education and information company, is Jumpstart's Read for the Record's Sponsor and Founding Partner. The Pearson Foundation extends Pearson's commitment to education by partnering with leading nonprofit, civic, and business organizations to provide financial, organizational, and publishing assistance across the globe. The Foundation aims to make a difference by sponsoring innovative educational programs and extending its educational expertise to help in classrooms and in local communities. For more information, visit www.pearsonfoundation.org.


SOURCE Pearson Foundation

Study Finds Policy Changes During Obama Presidency Will Likely Be More Significant Than During Clinton, Reagan, or First FDR Administrations

American Political Science Association logo. (PRNewsFoto/American Political Science Association)

WASHINGTON, DC UNITED STATES

WASHINGTON, May 6 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Unlike the post-election disappointment that has followed many election outcomes, the Obama presidency will likely break through a structural bias in American politics favoring the status quo and bring about significant changes in policy. This prediction is made by a new study grounded in a scientific theory of politics and conducted by political scientist Jonathan Woon (University of Pittsburgh).

(Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20081029/APSALOGO )

The findings are presented in an article entitled "Change we Can Believe In? Using Political Science to Predict Policy Change in the Obama Presidency" which appears in the April issue of PS: Political Science & Politics, a journal of the American Political Science Association. The article is available in its entirety online at http://www.apsanet.org/media/PDFs/PSApr09Woon.pdf.

"Based on the results of the 2008 presidential and congressional elections, an analysis using theories and methods of modern political science...suggests that the conditions are ripe for real policy change. Specifically, we should expect policies to move significantly in a more liberal direction, few or no policies should move in a conservative direction, and many of the outcomes will be moderate or somewhat left of center," observes Woon.

His study is based on the "pivotal politics" theory and employs the concept of the "gridlock interval" to assess the likelihood of policy change in Obama administration. Gridlock intervals define the political zone in which existing policies are unlikely to change given supermajority voting requirements for overriding vetoes on the one hand, and overcoming filibusters on the other. His study explains that the predictions of policy change are based on an expected shift in the gridlock interval, which is the result not only of Obama's election but also of Democratic gains in the Senate.

The sheer magnitude of the study's predicted policy changes during the Obama presidency is historically significant. For example, Woon determines the shift in favor of policy change that occurred in 2008 as being about twice as large as the one that occurred with Bill Clinton's election in 1992. Perhaps even more telling is the study's assessment that the shift favoring policy changes was 40% larger in 2008 than in 1980 when Ronald Reagan defeated Jimmy Carter, and even twice as large than in 1932 when FDR was first elected.

"Modern political science's analytical theory and methods provide us with a scientific basis for confidently predicting that the promise of change will become a reality," concludes Woon. "Even if the tone in Washington remains shrill and partisan, we can expect to observe a significant leftward shift in policies and therefore a clean break from the policymaking of the past 14 years."

The American Political Science Association (est. 1903) is the leading professional organization for the study of politics and has over 14,000 members in 80 countries. For more news and information about political science research visit the APSA media website, www.politicalsciencenews.org.


SOURCE American Political Science Association

President of Alavi Foundation Indicted for Obstruction of Justice

WASHINGTON, May 6 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Lev L. Dassin, the Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced today that Farshid Jahedi, the president of the Alavi Foundation, was indicted for allegedly destroying documents subpoenaed by a grand jury investigating the Alavi Foundation's relationship with Bank Melli Iran and the ownership of a Manhattan office building. On December 19, 2008, Jahedi was arrested in New York City on a criminal complaint in this case.

According to the indictment filed yesterday, the criminal complaint, and other documents filed in Manhattan federal court:

On December 17, 2008, in connection with a grand jury investigation concerning the Alavi Foundation and its financial relationship with Bank Melli Iran (Bank Melli) and two offshore entities controlled by Bank Melli -- Assa Company Limited and Assa Corporation -- Jahedi was served, as president of Alavi, with a grand jury subpoena. The subpoena was directed to the Alavi Foundation and commanded the production to the federal grand jury of financial documents concerning the Alavi Foundation, Assa Corporation, Assa Company Limited, and the building located at 650 Fifth Avenue Company. Jahedi was explicitly cautioned by law enforcement agents not to destroy any documents called for by the subpoena. The next day, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) personnel observed Jahedi discarding torn documents into a public trash can. Further investigation revealed that these documents concerned Assa Limited, Assa Corporation, and 650 Fifth Avenue Company.

As previously made public in the complaint filed in this matter, the Alavi Foundation is a successor organization of the Pahlavi Foundation, a non-profit organization originally operated by the Shah of Iran to pursue Iran's charitable interests in the United States. In the 1970s, the Pahlavi Foundation constructed an office tower (the "Building"), located at 650 Fifth Avenue, New York, N.Y. A substantial loan from Bank Melli Iran (Bank Melli), a state-owned bank in Iran, financed the construction of the Building.

In 1989, the Alavi Foundation, in partnership with Bank Melli, formed 650 Fifth Avenue Company. To disguise Bank Melli's ownership interest, the parties agreed to transfer 35% of 650 Fifth Avenue Company to Assa Corporation (an entity wholly owned by Assa Company Limited). Assa Company Limited is a Jersey, Channel Islands, entity, which was and has since been wholly owned by Iranian citizens who represent the interests of Bank Melli. In conjunction with the transfer of the 35% interest in 650 Fifth Avenue to Assa Corporation, Bank Melli cancelled its loan on the Building. Today, the Alavi Foundation owns 60% of 650 Fifth Avenue Company, and Bank Melli, through Assa Corporation and Assa Company Limited, owns 40% of 650 Fifth Avenue Company.

In 1995, in order to implement a series of executive orders issued pursuant to the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA), the Department of Treasury promulgated the Iranian Transaction Regulations (ITRs) -- which prohibit any person from exporting or causing to be exported from the United States, to Iran or the Government of Iran, any goods, technology, or services without having first obtained a valid export license from the United States Department of Treasury, Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC).

Following issuance of the ITRs, but without an OFAC license to do so, Assa Corporation and Assa Company Limited continued to provide services to Bank Melli by maintaining Bank Melli's interest in 650 Fifth Avenue Company and transferring income from 650 Fifth Avenue Company to Bank Melli.

In 1999, OFAC identified Bank Melli, and all of its offices worldwide, as entities owned or controlled by the Government of Iran.

On December 17, 2008, the United States filed a forfeiture Complaint which seeks to forfeit all right, title and interest of Assa Corporation, Assa Company Limited, and Bank Melli in 650 Fifth Avenue Company. The United States also seeks to forfeit funds that were seized, pursuant to federal seizure warrants, from Assa Corporation's bank accounts. The forfeiture Complaint alleges that the funds in the bank accounts are forfeitable as proceeds of IEEPA violations, and that Assa Corporation's interest in 650 Fifth Avenue Company is forfeitable as property involved in money laundering and a conspiracy to commit money laundering.

Jahedi is charged in the indictment with two felony offenses. Count one charges Jahedi with destroying a document, with the intent to impair that document's availability for use in an official proceeding, which carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. Count two charges Jahedi with obstruction of justice, which carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison.

Jahedi is scheduled to be arraigned on the indictment by United States District Judge Shira A. Scheindlin on May 8, 2009, at 4:00 p.m.

Mr. Dassin praised the investigative work of the New York Joint Terrorism Task Force -- which principally consists of agents of the FBI and detectives of the New York City Police Department -- and the New York Field Office of the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation Division.

Assistant United States Attorneys Harry Chernoff, David Leibowitz, and John Cronan are in charge of the prosecution.

The charges and allegations contained in the Indictment and Complaint are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.


SOURCE U.S. Department of Justice

NASA's Spitzer Telescope Warms Up to New Career

NASA Logo. (PRNewsFoto/NASA)

WASHINGTON, DC UNITED STATES

WASHINGTON, May 6 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The primary mission of NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope is about to end after more than five and a half years of probing the cosmos with its keen infrared eye. Within about a week of May 12, the telescope is expected to run out of the liquid helium needed to chill some of its instruments to operating temperatures.

(Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20081007/38461LOGO)

The end of the coolant will begin a new era for Spitzer. The telescope will start its "warm" mission with two channels of one instrument still working at full capacity. Some of the science explored by a warm Spitzer will be the same, and some will be entirely new.

"We like to think of Spitzer as being reborn," said Robert Wilson, Spitzer project manager at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif. "Spitzer led an amazing life, performing above and beyond its call of duty. Its primary mission might be over, but it will tackle new scientific pursuits, and more breakthroughs are sure to come."

Spitzer is the last of NASA's Great Observatories, a suite of telescopes designed to see the visible and invisible colors of the universe. The suite also includes NASA's Hubble and Chandra space telescopes. Spitzer has explored, with unprecedented sensitivity, the infrared side of the cosmos, where dark, dusty and distant objects hide.

For a telescope to detect infrared light -- essentially heat -- from cool cosmic objects, it must have very little heat of its own. During the past five years, liquid helium has run through Spitzer's "veins," keeping its three instruments chilled to -456 degrees Fahrenheit (-271 Celsius), or less than 3 degrees above absolute zero, the coldest temperature theoretically attainable. The cryogen was projected to last as little as two and a half years, but Spitzer's efficient design and careful operations enabled it to last more than five and a half years.

Spitzer's new "warm" temperature is still quite chilly at -404 degrees Fahrenheit (-242 Celsius), much colder than a winter day in Antarctica when temperatures sometimes reach -75 degrees Fahrenheit (-59 Celsius). This temperature rise means two of Spitzer's instruments -- its longer wavelength multiband imaging photometer and its infrared spectrograph -- will no longer be cold enough to detect cool objects in space.

However, the telescope's two shortest-wavelength detectors in its infrared array camera will continue to function perfectly. They will still pick up the glow from a range of objects: asteroids in our solar system, dusty stars, planet-forming disks, gas-giant planets and distant galaxies. In addition, Spitzer still will be able to see through the dust that permeates our galaxy and blocks visible-light views.

"We will do exciting and important science with these two infrared channels," said Spitzer Project Scientist Michael Werner of JPL. Werner has been working on Spitzer for more than 30 years. "Our new science program takes advantage of what these channels do best. We're focusing on aspects of the cosmos that we still have much to learn about."

Since its launch from Cape Canaveral, Fla., on Aug. 25, 2003, Spitzer has made countless breakthroughs in astronomy. Observations of comets both near and far have established that the stuff of comets and planets is similar throughout the galaxy. Breathtaking photos of dusty stellar nests have led to new insights into how stars are born. And Spitzer's eye on the very distant universe, billions of light-years away, has revealed hundreds of massive black holes lurking in the dark.

Perhaps the most revolutionary and surprising Spitzer finds involve planets around other stars, called exoplanets. Exoplanets are, in almost all cases, too close to their parent stars to be seen from our Earthly point of view. Nevertheless, planet hunters continue to uncover them by looking for changes in the parent stars. Before Spitzer, everything we knew about exoplanets came from indirect observations such as these.

In 2005, Spitzer detected the first actual photons from an exoplanet. In a clever technique, now referred to as the secondary-eclipse method, Spitzer was able to collect the light of a hot, gaseous exoplanet and learn about its temperature. Further detailed spectroscopic studies later revealed more about the atmospheres, or "weather," on similar planets. More recently, Spitzer witnessed changes in the weather on a wildly eccentric gas exoplanet -- a storm of colossal proportions brewing up in a matter of hours before quickly settling down.

"Nobody had any idea Spitzer would be able to directly study exoplanets when we designed it," Werner said. "When astronomers planned the first observations, we had no idea if they would work. To our amazement and delight, they did."

These are a few of Spitzer's achievements during the past five and a half years. Data from the telescope are cited in more than 1,500 scientific papers. And scientists and engineers expect the rewards to keep on coming during Spitzer's golden years.

Some of Spitzer's new pursuits include refining estimates of Hubble's constant, or the rate at which our universe is stretching apart; searching for galaxies at the edge of the universe; assessing how often potentially hazardous asteroids might impact Earth by measuring the sizes of asteroids; and characterizing the atmospheres of gas-giant planets expected to be discovered soon by NASA's Kepler mission. As was true during the cold Spitzer mission, these and the other programs are selected through a competition in which scientists from around the world are invited to participate.

JPL manages the Spitzer mission for NASA's Science Mission Directorate in Washington. Science operations are conducted at the Spitzer Science Center at the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, Calif. Lockheed Martin Space Systems in Denver, and Ball Aerospace & Technology Corp. in Boulder, Colo. support mission and science operations. NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md., built Spitzer's infrared array camera; the instrument's principal investigator is Giovanni Fazio of the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics in Cambridge, Mass. Ball Aerospace & Technology Corp. built Spitzer's infrared spectrograph; its principal investigator is Jim Houck of Cornell University in Ithaca, N.Y. Ball Aerospace & Technology Corp. and the University of Arizona in Tucson, built the multiband imaging photometer for Spitzer; its principal investigator is George Rieke of the University of Arizona.

For more information about Spitzer, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/spitzer

and

http://www.spitzer.caltech.edu/spitzer


SOURCE NASA

Nation's Letter Carriers Prepared for 50-State Food Drive Saturday

WASHINGTON, May 6 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Letter carriers across the country will collect non-perishable food donations Saturday (May 9) as they deliver mail along their postal routes in the nation's largest one-day effort to Stamp Out Hunger.

The 17th annual Letter Carriers' National Food Drive is being conducted by the National Association of Letter Carriers (NALC) with the assistance of rural letter carriers and other postal employees and volunteers. The postal union is seeking to exceed last year's record 73.1 million pounds of food delivered to community food banks and pantries.

NALC President William H. Young said the food donations from postal customers will help millions of American families caught in the downward economic spiral that has caused high unemployment and tightened credit. The drive is especially important for children who, during the summer months, see most school lunch programs suspended.

"This is a difficult time for many families. It is critical that the food banks and pantries across the nation have sufficient supplies to provide nutritious meals for the growing number of people needing assistance," Young said. "Letter carriers take pride in delivering the generous donations of their postal customers to those in need in their community."

Donations will be collected along postal routes in over 10,000 cities and towns in all 50 states and U.S. jurisdictions. Citizens should leave non-perishable food donations - such as canned meat and fish, soup, cereals, pasta and rice - in a bag near their mailbox on Saturday before their letter carrier arrives. Glass containers and expired items should be avoided. (In Chicago and New York City, residents should take their donation to their local post office or make an online donation.)

Over 120 million postcards, sponsored by the Campbell Soup Company and the U.S. Postal Service's Priority Mail, have been mailed to postal customers to remind them of the drive. Other national supporters are Valpak, United Way of America, the AFL-CIO and the Feeding America food bank network, formerly known as America's Second Harvest.


SOURCE National Association of Letter Carriers

Obama's Proposal to Double-Tax Profits Will Kill U.S. Jobs

WASHINGTON, May 4 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- With President Barack Obama and Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner today announcing a job-killing tax increase of over $200 billion over the next ten years, Americans for Tax Reform issued the following fact sheet on the state of international and corporate taxation:

America has the highest corporate income tax rate in the developed world. The United States is tied with Japan for one very dubious honor -- having the highest corporate income tax rate in the developed world. According to the OECD, the United States has a combined marginal corporate rate of nearly 40 percent. This compares very negatively to our European competitors' average rate of 25 percent. The Republic of Ireland stands in the starkest contrast, with a corporate income tax rate of 12.5 percent. In the developing world, rates of 10 or 15 percent are commonplace.

America is one of the only developed countries that double-taxes the international profits of our own companies. If a Polish company earns a profit in France, it pays the French corporate income tax, and nothing else. But if a U.S. company earns that same profit in France, it must pay the French corporate tax and the U.S. corporate tax (minus whatever was paid to France). So not only does the U.S. impose the highest corporate rate in the world, it makes sure that this rate is applied to both domestic and international profits. This is called a "worldwide taxation system" and the U.S. is one of a tiny handful of countries that still practices it.

Recognizing the problem this creates, Congress has crafted a confusing set of exclusions, deferrals, deductions, and credits on international profits. In general, U.S. companies can avoid paying this double-tax until they repatriate the profits back to the U.S.

By seeking to take away these double-tax band-aids without lowering the corporate rate substantially or fixing the global taxation scheme, Obama's proposal will shove jobs and capital out of America and into foreign countries. Obama's budget and Congressional tax-writers have been clear -- they want companies to pay the full corporate rate as soon as the international profit is earned. In a global economy, companies don't have to take this lying down. It's a relatively simple matter for a U.S. company with an Irish subsidiary to become an Irish company with a U.S. subsidiary. The Obama plan will force thousands of companies to make this job-killing decision. Companies that export goods will soon start exporting jobs.

The U.S. should tax our companies the way the rest of the world taxes theirs -- territoriality. The rest of the developed world has figured this out: if they want to retain jobs and capital in their countries, they have to adopt territoriality. This means that companies only pay corporate income tax in the country where the profit is earned. The U.S. partially tried this in 2005, when companies were allowed to repatriate deferred foreign earnings at a 5.25% rate -- far lower than what they would have to pay otherwise. The result was a one-year infusion of $318 billion in capital to the United States, resulting in $17 billion in additional corporate income tax payments, and the creation of thousands of new jobs.

The U.S. needs to lower our corporate income tax rate to become more competitive. American employers are competing globally with Irish, British, German, etc. companies. It makes no sense to saddle our employers with the highest corporate rate in the world. At the very least, we need to lower our corporate tax rate to 25 percent or less. This simply begins to make our tax treatment of large employers somewhat comparable to our European competitors. When combined with territoriality, this move would begin to change the corporate tax culture in the U.S. from a jobs killer to a jobs magnet.

Americans for Tax Reform is a non-partisan coalition of taxpayers and taxpayer groups who oppose all tax increases. For more information or to arrange an interview please contact John Kartch at (202) 785-0266 or jkartch@atr.org.


SOURCE Americans for Tax Reform

NASA Selects Future Projects to Study Mars and Mercury

NASA Logo. (PRNewsFoto/NASA)

WASHINGTON, DC UNITED STATES

WASHINGTON, May 4 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- NASA has selected two science investigations that will aid in the interior examination of Mars and probe the tenuous atmosphere of Mercury. The projects, valued at approximately $38 million, also establish new alliances with the European Space Agency, or ESA.

(Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20081007/38461LOGO)

"The selections will further advance our knowledge of these exciting terrestrial planets," said Jim Green, director of NASA's Planetary Division at NASA Headquarters in Washington. "The international collaboration will create a new chapter in planetary science and provide a strong partnership with the international science community to complement future robotic and human exploration activities."

The Lander Radio-Science on ExoMars, or LaRa, will use NASA's Deep Space Network of radio telescopes to track part of ESA's ExoMars mission. Scheduled to launch in 2016, the mission consists of a fixed lander and a rover that will roam Mars collecting soil samples for detailed analysis.

Data relayed from the lander back to the network will allow scientists to measure and analyze variations in the length of the day and location of the planet's rotational axis. This data will help researchers further dissect the structure of the Red Planet's interior, including the size of its core. When combined with the lander's onboard instruments, the data also may help confirm whether the planet's interior is still, at least partially, composed of liquid. William Folkner of NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, Calif., is the principal investigator. The project costs approximately $6.6 million.

The second selection, named Strofio, will employ a unique mass spectrometer. The instrument will determine the mass of atoms and molecules to reveal the composition of Mercury's atmosphere. The investigation will study the atmosphere, which is formed from material ejected from its surface, to reveal the composition of Mercury's surface.

Strofio will investigate Mercury as a key component of the Italian Space Agency's suite of science instruments that will fly aboard ESA's BepiColombo mission. Scheduled for launch in 2013, the mission is composed of two spacecraft. Japan will build one spacecraft to study the planet's magnetic field. ESA will build the other to study Mercury directly. Stefano Livi of the Southwest Research Institute in San Antonio is the principal investigator. The project costs approximately $31.8 million.

The selections were among eight proposals submitted in December 2008 in response to NASA's new Stand Alone Mission of Opportunity, known as Salmon. NASA solicited proposals for investigations that address planetary science research objectives on non-agency missions. A key criterion is that science goals, including data archiving and analysis, must be accomplished for less than $35 million.

NASA's Deep Space Network is an international system of antennas that support interplanetary spacecraft missions and radio and radar astronomy observations for the exploration of the solar system and the universe. The network also supports selected Earth-orbiting missions. The system consists of three deep-space communications facilities placed around the world in California's Mojave Desert; Madrid, Spain; and near Canberra, Australia. This strategic placement permits constant observation of spacecraft as Earth rotates and helps to make the network the largest and most sensitive scientific telecommunications system in the world.

NASA's Planetary Science Division aims to improve understanding of the planets and small bodies that inhabit our solar system. Mission activities include helping scientists answer questions about the solar system's formation, how it reached its current diverse state, and how life evolved on Earth and possibly elsewhere in the solar system. The Mars Exploration Program, a component of the Planetary Division, seeks to characterize and understand Mars as a dynamic system, including its present and past environment, climate cycles, geology and biological potential.

For more information about the Stand Alone Mission of Opportunity, visit:

http://salmon.larc.nasa.gov

For information about NASA and agency programs, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov


SOURCE NASA

Herschel and Planck Missions to Study Cosmos Share Ride to Space

NASA Logo. (PRNewsFoto/NASA)

WASHINGTON, DC UNITED STATES

WASHINGTON, May 5 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Two missions to study the cosmos, the Herschel and Planck spacecraft, are scheduled to blast into space May 14 aboard the same Ariane 5 rocket from the Guiana Space Center in French Guiana. The European Space Agency, or ESA, leads both missions with significant participation from NASA.

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"The missions are quite different, but they'll hitch a ride to space together," said Ulf Israelsson, NASA project manager for both Herschel and Planck. "Launch processing is moving along smoothly. Both missions' instruments have completed their final checkouts, and the spacecrafts' thruster tanks have been fueled."

Israelsson is with NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, or JPL, in Pasadena, Calif., which contributed key technology to both missions. NASA team members will play an important role in data analysis and science operations.

The Herschel observatory has the unique ability to peek into the dustiest and earliest stages of planet, star and galaxy growth. The spacecraft's astronomy mirror -- about 11.5 feet (3.5 meters) in diameter -- is the largest ever launched into space. The mirror will collect longer-wavelength light in the infrared and submillimeter range -- light never before investigated by an astronomy mission.

"We haven't had ready access to the wavelengths between infrared and microwaves before, in part because Earth's atmosphere blocks them from reaching the ground," said Paul Goldsmith, the NASA project scientist for Herschel at JPL. "Because our views were so limited before, we can expect a vast range of serendipitous discoveries, from new molecules in interstellar space to new types of objects."

The coolest objects in the universe, such as dusty, developing stars and galaxies, appear as dark blobs when viewed with visible-light telescopes. As a result, astronomers do not know what is happening inside them. However, at longer wavelengths in the far-infrared and submillimeter range, cool objects shine brightly. Herschel will detect light from objects as cold as -263 degrees Celsius, or 10 Kelvin, which is 10 degrees above the coldest temperature theoretically attainable. Onboard liquid helium, which is expected to last more than three and a half years, will chill one of Herschel's detectors to a frosty 0.3 Kelvin.

Planck will answer fundamental questions about how the universe came to be and how it will change in the future. It will look back in time to just 400,000 years after our universe exploded into existence nearly 14 billion years ago in the event known as the Big Bang. The mission will spend at least 15 months making the most precise measurements yet of light at microwave wavelengths across our entire sky, including what is called the cosmic microwave background. This light is from the primordial soup of particles that eventually evolved to become our modern-day universe. The light has traveled about 14 billion years to reach us, and, in that time, has cooled and stretched to longer wavelengths because space is expanding.

"The cosmic microwave background shows us the universe directly at age 400,000 years, not the movie, not the historical novel, but the original photons," said Charles Lawrence, NASA project scientist for Planck at JPL. "Planck will give us the clearest view ever of this baby universe, showing us the results of physical processes in the first brief moments after the Big Bang, and the starting point for the formation of stars and galaxies."

Planck will be cold too. One of its instruments will be cooled to just 0.1 Kelvin. Innovative "cryocooler" technology, developed in part by JPL, will chill the instruments.

Shortly after launch, Planck and Herschel will separate from the rocket and follow different trajectories to the second Lagrangian point of our solar system, a point in space 930,000 miles (1.5 million kilometers) from Earth.

Herschel and Planck are both ESA missions with important participation from NASA. NASA's Herschel Project Office and Planck Project Office are both based at JPL. A consortium of European-led institutes provided science instruments for Herschel. JPL contributed mission-enabling technology for two of Herschel's three science instruments and both of Planck's science instruments. The NASA Herschel Science Center, part of the Infrared Processing and Analysis Center at the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, supports the U.S. astronomical community. NASA, U.S. and European Planck scientists will work together to analyze the Planck data.


More information about the Herschel mission is available online at:

http://www.nasa.gov/herschel

More information about the Planck mission is available online at:

http://www.nasa.gov/planck


SOURCE NASA

Justice Department to Monitor Elections in Mississippi

WASHINGTON, May 4 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Justice Department today announced that on May 5, 2009, it will monitor municipal elections in the towns of Cleveland, Como, Meridian and Sardis, Miss., to ensure compliance with the Voting Rights Act of 1965.

Under the Voting Rights Act, the Justice Department is authorized to ask the U.S. Office of Personnel Management to send federal observers to areas that are specially covered in the act or by a federal court order. Federal observers will be assigned to monitor polling place activities for the election in the town of Cleveland based on the special coverage provisions. The observers will watch and record activities during voting hours at polling locations in this jurisdiction, and Civil Rights Division attorneys will coordinate the federal activities and maintain contact with local election officials. In addition, Justice Department personnel will monitor the municipal elections in the towns of Como, Meridian and Sardis for compliance with the Voting Rights Act.

Each year, the Justice Department deploys hundreds of federal observers from the Office of Personnel Management, as well as departmental staff, to monitor elections across the country. In calendar year 2008, for example, 1,060 federal observers and 344 Department personnel were sent to monitor 114 elections in 76 jurisdictions in 24 states. To file complaints about discriminatory voting practices, including acts of harassment or intimidation, voters may call the Voting Section of the Justice Department's Civil Rights Division at 1-800-253-3931.

More information about the Voting Rights Act and other federal voting laws is available on the Department of Justice Web site at www.usdoj.gov/crt/voting/.


SOURCE U.S. Department of Justice

Ohio Man Pleads Guilty To Child Pornography Charges

WASHINGTON, May 4 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Timothy Lantz, 57, of Columbus, Ohio, pleaded guilty today in Columbus to one count of transportation of child pornography and one count of failing to update his sex offender registration, Assistant Attorney General of the Criminal Division Lanny A. Breuer, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio Gregory G. Lockhart and Special Agent-in-Charge William Plunkett of the FBI in Cincinnati, announced.

During today's plea hearing before U.S. Magistrate Judge Mark R. Abel, Lantz admitted transporting and shipping child pornography from Ohio to New York through the Internet, and to failing to update his sex offender registration. Lantz admitted that in connection with the commission of his crimes, he had in his possession multiple computer hard drives containing approximately 1,200 digital videos and 9,000 digital images of one or more minors engaging in sexually explicit conduct. Lantz further admitted that he provided access for others to download his child pornography files either for free or in exchange for other child pornography images.

Lantz is scheduled to be sentenced no earlier than 60 days from today. He may face a sentence of 180 months in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, and up to a life-time term of supervised release. He will be required to continue to be registered as a sex offender in accordance with state and federal law.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Deborah Solove of the Southern District of Ohio and Trial Attorney Mi Yung C. Park of CEOS. The case was investigated by the Cybercrimes Task Force of the FBI's Columbus, Ohio, Field Office and CEOS' High Technology Investigative Unit.


SOURCE U.S. Department of Justice

Chancellor University Gets Smarter About Online Leads with TARGUSinfo

Online University Aims to Improve Student Enrollment by Instantly Verifying Interested Students

VIENNA, Va., May 5 /PRNewswire/ -- During these tough economic times, online universities are seeing a rise in demand from unemployed workers. According to a recent report by the Sloan Consortium, the growth rate for enrollments in these institutions is 12.9 percent, far outpacing the 1.2 percent projected growth rate for the overall higher education student population. Sorting through the growing volumes of potential student inquiries is becoming increasingly difficult for online universities.

TARGUSinfo, the leading provider of On-Demand Insight(SM) about prospects and customers, today announced that Chancellor University, the second oldest business school in the United States, has added TARGUSinfo's On-Demand Lead Verification(SM) services as part of its toolkit to increase admissions of qualified online students from across the country.

"Our university's heritage is focused on attracting and graduating a rich pedigree of business legends, such as John D. Rockefeller, Harvey Firestone and Theodore Ernst," said Ron Kennedy, CEO, Chancellor University. "From the moment a prospective online student completes a form on our website or we obtain a lead from another source, we can leverage TARGUSinfo services to be more effective contacting and, ultimately, enrolling them in the university program that best suits them."

TARGUSinfo's On-Demand Lead Verification services not only validate the individual pieces of a lead's contact information, but also verifies the linkage to the same person. To boost the number of leads that can be successfully contacted, the service also standardizes addresses, corrects mistyped information and appends missing contact data when available.

"TARGUSinfo has a strong reputation of improving lead quality within the online education market," said Shaun Redgate, chief operating officer, Chancellor University. "As we continue to expand our investment with various lead generator partners, we are confident that we'll have peace of mind of tracking the quality of those leads over time leveraging On-Demand Lead Verification from TARGUSinfo."

"Chancellor University is at the forefront of offering some of the most rewarding online education opportunities in the nation," said Dave Wengel, general manager, TARGUSinfo. "We are pleased to be chosen for our On-Demand Lead Verification capabilities today and look forward to meeting their future lead scoring goals. Our goal, like so many online universities, remains to deliver the most up-to-date and accurate information about prospective students to admissions teams nationwide."

About TARGUSinfo

TARGUSinfo, the leading provider of On-Demand Insight(SM), provides unique identification, verification, scoring and location solutions that enable communication service providers, retailers, call-center operators, Web-based marketers and others to dramatically increase the quality of their services and the effectiveness of their marketing. A privately held company, TARGUSinfo is headquartered in Vienna, Va. For more information, visit www.TARGUSinfo.com.

Contact:
Rufus Manning
TARGUSinfo
703.272.6215
pr@targusinfo.com


SOURCE TARGUSinfo

Corey McPherson Nash Discusses Social Media at Tuck School of Business

- Corey Partner Addresses Top Six Rules of Social Media -

WATERTOWN, Mass., May 5 /PRNewswire/ -- Chris Klaehn, Partner and Director of Brand Strategy, at Corey McPherson Nash (www.corey.com), a leading national branding and design firm based in Watertown, Massachusetts, recently outlined the six rules for social media to a group of deans and administrators at the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth on the Hanover, N.H. campus.

Corey McPherson Nash and the Tuck School of Business have a long and collaborative history of creating online user experiences. Social media is the natural next step in the evolution from branding and communications.

"Tuck has always been a forward-thinking organization so it makes sense they are embracing social media as a way to strengthen their brand and reach key constituents," said Klaehn.

Klaehn's presentation focused on defining social media and assessing its impact both personally and professionally. She highlighted specific examples showing the relevancy and growing ubiquity of this medium and the opportunities for an organization's brand. Corey McPherson Nash uses social media to project who they are, how they think, and what they're up to. They also use it to tell both current and prospective clients how they define thoughtful branding and design.

About Corey McPherson Nash

Corey McPherson Nash (CMN), a national branding and design firm, helps organizations achieve measurable brand equity across a wide variety of print, interactive communications and social media outlets. Founded more than 25 years ago, CMN is widely recognized for its thoughtful design and strategic insights into the critical task of brand iteration and creative development, and cultural institutions.

Visit Corey online at:

Wikipedia.org

Facebook Us

Flickr

Twitter


SOURCE Corey McPherson Nash

Blood Donors Are Heroes, Too

Give the gift of life, in honor of those who keep us healthy and safe

NEW YORK, May 5 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- New York Blood Center (NYBC) and its regions call upon the community to please donate blood during the month of May, in recognition of those who serve to protect our health and safety. Now is the time to donate blood, to help maintain your community blood supply during the summer months.

May marks the start of National Family Month, the length of time between Mother's Day in May and Father's Day in June. Other May observances include National Hospital and Healthcare Week from May 10-16, National Emergency Medical Services Week from May 17-23, Fleet Week from May 20-27 in New York City honoring thousands of servicemen and women from the U.S. Marine Corps, Navy and Coast Guard; and Memorial Day weekend, honoring those who gave the ultimate sacrifice to protect our country and freedom.

Nearly everyone knows someone who works in healthcare, someone who serves in the military, or maybe an officer, firefighter, or first responder. Or, maybe you know someone whose life was saved by these individuals. Please donate blood this month, in honor of those who respond to the call of duty and give of themselves to help others. A single blood donation can help save the lives of three people.

Every two seconds, someone needs blood, and one out of three people will need a life-saving blood transfusion in his or her lifetime. To meet local needs, New York Blood Center requires 2,000 blood donations each day.

People can give blood every 56 days. New York Blood Center (NYBC) and its regions thank every individual blood donor and the wide variety of organizations that sponsor blood drives throughout the summer months.

Any company, community organization, place of worship, or individual may host a blood drive. Blood donors receive free mini-medical exams on site including information about their temperature, pulse rate, blood pressure and hemoglobin level. Eligible donors include those people at least age 16 with parental consent (in NY) or 17 (in NJ), who weigh a minimum of 110 pounds, are in good health and meet all Food & Drug Administration and NY or NJ State Department of Health donor criteria. People over 75 may donate with a doctor's note.

To donate blood, please call:

Toll Free: 1-800-933-2566

Visit: www.nybloodcenter.org

About New York Blood Center:

New York Blood Center (NYBC) is one of the nation's largest non-profit, community-based blood centers. NYBC has been providing blood, transfusion products and services to patients in greater New York since 1964. NYBC is also home to the Lindsley F. Kimball Research Institute and the National Cord Blood Program at the Howard P. Milstein National Cord Blood Center, the world's largest public cord blood bank. NYBC provides medical services and programs (Clinical, Transfusion, and Hemophilia Services) through our medical professionals and transfusion medicine physicians.

Contact: Leslie Gonzalez
lgonzalez2@nybloodcenter.org
(212) 570-3304 Office
(646) 342-3038 Mobile


SOURCE New York Blood Center

Kidney Stones in Children on The Rise, U-M Expert Says

High sodium diets, sedentary lifestyles and not drinking enough water are to blame.

ANN ARBOR, Mich., May 4 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- When Lisa Garnes received a call from her daughter's daycare saying that 3-year-old Emma was complaining of back pain, she never dreamt the cause would be a condition often associated with middle aged men: kidney stones.

"They said that Emma was doubled over in pain and saying that her back hurt her," says Garnes.

Garnes took her to the pediatrician, who suggested it was a urinary tract infection. A half hour later, she called again to tell her doctor that her daughter couldn't keep anything down. The doctor suggested taking her to the ER.

After a battery of tests, including an ultrasound, the doctor returned with the news: she had kidney stones.

"It was quite hard to believe," Garnes says.

The growing incidence of kidney stones in children can be linked to the modern diet and lifestyle, says Gary Faerber, MD, a urologist at the University of Michigan Health System.

"I am seeing more and more children who have kidney stones," says Faerber. "It's a real phenomenon."

To treat Emma, urologists performed two lithotripsies to break up the stones and performed surgery on a tough one she couldn't pass. Doctors said she had high levels of oxalates (found in many fruits and vegetables) in her system, which required putting her on a low oxalate diet. Oxalates can be found in strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, chocolate, peanut butter and nuts. Doctors also suggested she spike up her water intake.

Typically, kidney stones are found in adults between the ages of 35 and 60 but children can get them, too. A family history of kidney stones is also a significant risk factor.

Children today seem to live a lifestyle that puts them at risk of kidney stones, meaning they consume sugar-filled drinks and a fast-food diet that is high in sodium, a known risk factor in the formation of kidney stones, says Faerber.

"The sedentary lifestyle we're starting to see in the younger age group and the pediatric group is also a risk factor because we know that obesity increases the risk of forming kidney stones," he adds.

The most common kidney stones in the U.S. are calcium oxalate stones.

Oxalates are found in high concentration in fruits and vegetables such as leafy green vegetables and strawberries.

Recent research has shown a link between global warming and dehydration.

The more dehydrated one becomes, the more concentrated the urine becomes, which forms crystals and crystals form into kidney stones, Faerber adds.

Recent studies in global warming indicate that the number of patients who are treated for kidney stones yearly is going to increase from 1 million to 2 million.

The most common reason people have kidney stones is that the urine becomes super-saturated and it doesn't take much for a small crystal to form in the urine. Crystal can grow into stones and get larger and larger as long as they sit in the super-saturated fluid. This is why it's really important for kidney stone patients to make sure they keep their urine really diluted, Faerber says.

The most common symptoms in children with kidney stones are back and abdominal pain. Parents may often mistake their child's symptoms for appendicitis or gastritis. Kidney stones tend to be way down on the list of possible problems.

Doctors recommend for children between the ages of 5 and 10 who have kidney stones to drink six glasses of water a day and those kids over 10, to drink 10 glasses.

Treatment:

If stones are small, doctors recommend for the children to pass them on their own.
If the stone needs to be treated, shockwave lithotripsy is used. The procedure occurs under an anesthetic. Sound waves are used to break up the stone into small pieces, which the child can then pass.
Sometimes doctors perform a ureteroscopy. They pass a very small miniaturized instrument through the urinary system and treat the stone with a laser.
In cases where the stone is very large, access to the kidney is made through a very small incision in the back. Using a small scope the urinary system is entered, the stone is broken up and the pieces are then retrieved.

"The main takeaway is to get your child to stay away from sugar-filled drinks, sodas, colas and go to something natural like plain old water," he says.

More information:

Gary Joseph Faerber, M.D.

http://tinyurl.com/cj6zn7

Kidney Stones

http://tinyurl.com/cz4y4m


SOURCE University of Michigan Health System

Children with Concussions Require Follow-up Care Before Returning to Play, Say Researchers

PHILADELPHIA, May 4 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Children hospitalized with concussions should wait until they are seen by a clinician in a follow-up exam before returning to regular sports or playtime activities, according to researchers at The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia.

Rather than only consulting a doctor when there are obvious trouble signs after the initial treatment, the Children's Hospital researchers recommend that a qualified healthcare provider perform a formal assessment after hospital discharge but before child resumes exertional activities. The study team used a computer-based testing program created to assess athletes with concussions and determine when it was safe to return to play. The authors found that nearly all the children admitted to the hospital with a concussion had some abnormal brain function during initial testing.

"Head injuries that occur during regular activities, such as riding a bike or in a car crash, are more common than sports injuries and yet the same issues arise, the children want to go back to sports, or to school or outside to play," said Michael L. Nance, M.D., lead author of the study and director of the Trauma Program at Children's Hospital. "The old recommendation would be to go see your pediatrician if you are having trouble, but sometimes families don't recognize there is trouble until six months later. We think they should be seen again by a qualified healthcare provider before returning to play."

The researchers' article appears in the May issue of the journal Annals of Surgery.

Mild traumatic brain injury, commonly referred to as a concussion, is a head injury that typically does not cause any visible physical damage, but frequently has symptoms such as headache, vomiting, loss of consciousness, or fatigue. Mild traumatic brain injury is a common injury in children yet only about 12 percent of those resulting in hospitalization occur during athletic activities.

Prior research has demonstrated that children are more likely to sustain another concussion if they return to play or exertional activities prematurely. In addition, high school athletes recover more slowly than college or professional athletes. Presumably the same is true for children with concussion from non-sports related causes.

The study, which looked at 116 children ages 11 through 17 at an urban Level 1 trauma center over two years, set out to determine if measurable impairments existed in children admitted to the hospital with a concussion and if the computer-based testing program could be easily used in the hospital setting. The computer assessment is administered bedside and takes about 25 minutes.

The test results revealed an alarmingly high rate of cognitive deficits in nearly all patients. It tests specific abilities, such as attention span, memory, nonverbal problem solving and reaction time. Almost all patients tested below the 25 percentile in at least one area; the majority demonstrated significant impairment for all four subtests.

The test also assesses the degree of concussion symptoms and the majority of children with concussions demonstrated an abnormal symptom score. The follow-up group demonstrated significant improvement in neurocognitive performance on all four subtests as well as an improvement in their symptom scores.

"This computer test is a useful tool both in initial hospital evaluation and in performing follow-up evaluations," said Nance.

One challenge is to have patients return for follow-up appointments. Despite the best efforts of the health care team, just over half the patients returned for scheduled visits. Dangers of resuming activity after concussion include prolonging symptoms, repeat concussions and even death.

"We suspect that the patients electing not to follow-up were at risk as well, and would have benefited from a formal assessment before returning to physically exertive activity," Nance said. "It is this misconception of not feeling injured that places the patient at additional risk."

Dr. Nance's co-authors are Alison Polk-Williams, B.A., from The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia; Michael Collins, Ph.D., University of Pittsburgh Medical Center Sports Concussion Program; and Douglas Wiebe, Ph.D., Center for Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics at the University of Pennsylvania. The study was supported in part from the Josephine J. and John M. Templeton, Jr., Endowed Chair in Pediatric Trauma.

About The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia: The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia was founded in 1855 as the nation's first pediatric hospital. Through its long-standing commitment to providing exceptional patient care, training new generations of pediatric healthcare professionals and pioneering major research initiatives, Children's Hospital has fostered many discoveries that have benefited children worldwide. Its pediatric research program is among the largest in the country, ranking third in National Institutes of Health funding. In addition, its unique family-centered care and public service programs have brought the 430-bed hospital recognition as a leading advocate for children and adolescents. For more information, visit http://www.chop.edu.


Contact:
Juliann Walsh
Media Relations Specialist
(267) 426-6054
Walshj1@email.chop.edu


SOURCE The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia

EHE International and the S.L.E. Lupus Foundation Celebrate Lupus Awareness Month in Rockefeller Plaza

The Ad Council's "Could I Have Lupus?" PSA campaign featured in display window through May 31, 2009

NEW YORK, May 4 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The S.L.E. Lupus Foundation, a leading organization in the fight against lupus, is kicking off Lupus Awareness Month by unveiling a 115-sq ft educational display window at 10 Rockefeller Plaza. The window, viewed by thousands of visitors each day, was generously donated by EHE International for the month of May.

The display aims to build public awareness of systemic lupus erythematosus (also known as lupus or S.L.E.), a destructive autoimmune disease that is often misdiagnosed and misunderstood. More than 1.5 million American have lupus. Nine out of ten people with lupus are women -- most of whom are diagnosed between the ages of 15 and 45.

To increase knowledge of lupus among young women, the display presents the recently launched Ad Council campaign, "Could I Have Lupus?" which features diary-like entries from real women with lupus talking about their mysterious symptoms of fatigue, pain, hair loss and rash. The campaign's tagline reads, "When you need answers, ask a doctor the right question. Could I have lupus?"

Lupus is a leading cause of kidney disease, cardiovascular disease and stroke among young women, yet 80% of young women in the United States say they have little or no knowledge of lupus, according to a national online survey from the Ad Council.

"May is National Lupus Awareness Month and the Rockefeller Center window display provides a highly visual way for us to educate people about the disease," said Margaret Dowd, S.L.E. Lupus Foundation Executive Director. "The message we want to communicate is that if you are a young woman and you feel ill on an on-going basis, go see your doctor and ask them if you could have lupus. We are grateful for the support and generosity of EHE International in helping us get the word out to the women of New York."

"EHE International is very pleased to be able to offer the S.L.E. Lupus Foundation this window to raise awareness and recognize signs and symptoms of this disease," said Deb McKeever, EHE International President.

About the S.L.E. Lupus Foundation

The S.L.E. Lupus Foundation, headquartered in New York City with a West Coast division in Los Angeles, is the country's preeminent nonprofit organization providing direct patient services, education, public awareness and funding for novel lupus research on the national level. To learn more about lupus and the foundation, call 800-74-LUPUS or visit www.LupusNY.org.

About EHE International

Since 1913, EHE International has been a recognized leader in employee and individual Preventive Healthcare Plans (PHP) specifically designed for the early identification of preventable disease and risk factors; clinical management of health findings; referral resources; and personal coaching intervention programs of adverse lifestyle behaviors associated with poor nutrition, physical inactivity, and smoking. Its nationally available PHP is a comprehensive, integrated approach to preventive healthcare for the reduction and management of future medical claims expenses. For more information, contact EHE International, 10 Rockefeller Plaza, 4TH Floor, New York, New York 10020; 212.332.3702; www.EHEINTL.com.


SOURCE S.L.E. Lupus Foundation

National Survey: Parents Report Increased Awareness of Risks of Teen Prescription Drug Abuse, But Preventative Action Lags

Media Plays Major Role in Prompting Parent-Teen Discussions about Substance Abuse

Mothers Take the Lead in Monitoring, Dads Have Opportunity to Engage More with Kids

NEW YORK, May 4 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The 14th annual national survey of parents' attitudes about teen drug and alcohol use was released today by the nonprofit Partnership for a Drug-Free America and MetLife Foundation. The Partnership/MetLife Foundation Parents Attitude Tracking Study (PATS) reveals a strong increase in parental awareness of the dangers of one of the most troubling and persistent trends in teen drug use -- teen abuse of prescription medications.

This nationally projectable survey of 1,004 parents of children in grades 4-12 was conducted in-home by the Partnership with major funding beginning in 2008 from MetLife Foundation.

The study highlights remarkable year-over-year progress in increasing parents' perception of the risks posed by teen abuse of prescription (Rx) medications -- an entrenched behavior that nearly 20 percent of teens admit to engaging in during their lifetime.

According to the PATS 2008 survey, in a single year's time, the number of parents who mistakenly believe that abusing prescription medicines is "much safer" than using illicit street drugs dropped by nearly half--from 19 percent in 2007 to just ten percent in 2008. The same level of progress was reported regarding beliefs about the addictive potential of some prescription medicines when misused. In 2007, 24 percent of parents believed that intentional abuse of prescription medicines would not be addictive. In 2008, that number decreased significantly to 11 percent.

The heightened awareness has yet to translate into increased parental action to prevent the behavior, however. The data show a small, yet statistically insignificant, percentage gain in the number of parents who say they have discussed the dangers of Rx abuse with their teens, from 68 percent in 2007 to 72 percent in 2008. The top three drug topics parents report discussing with teens are drugs in general, cigarettes and alcohol.

"One of the most important things for parents to realize is the immense influence they have in their children's lives," said Partnership President Steve Pasierb. "It's encouraging to see that more parents are now aware of the very real health risks of abusing medications, but now parents must take the next step -- having frequent, open conversations with their teens to protect them from this dangerous behavior."

In a related finding, PATS 2008 indicated that parent-teen discussions about the risks of abusing over-the-counter cough medicine have increased nearly 18 percent, with 65 percent of parents reporting these discussions, versus 55 percent in 2007.

Media Prompts Parent-Teen Conversations

The primary -- and increasingly influential -- cue for parent-teen discussions about drug and alcohol issues is the media, particularly television. In 2008, 70 percent of parents surveyed reported that something portrayed in the media prompted a conversation with their child about drugs or alcohol, and 64 percent specified that they were motivated to start a discussion by seeing something drug-related on television. This represents a significant increase from 2007, when 63 percent and 57 percent of parents, respectively, reported the media in general or television specifically as a cue to talk to teens about substance abuse.

The PATS data also revealed that more parents are prompted to address teen drug or alcohol use before special events, like graduation, and at key transition times when teens are most vulnerable, including starting a new grade or moving into middle or high school. Significantly more parents in 2008 (27 percent) versus 2007 (20 percent) talked to their child or teen as they were preparing to enter a new grade in school, and nearly 30 percent of parents in 2008 used special occasions including prom and graduation as an opportunity to have the conversation, up from just 18 percent in 2007.

"As parents feel more confident talking with their kids about the risks of drug and alcohol use, it is crucial for them to capitalize on opportunities to keep the conversation going," said Dennis White, President and CEO of MetLife Foundation. "Parents and caregivers can use 'teachable moments,' such as a relevant local news story or a show featuring a drug topic, as a natural conversation starter."

Mothers Take the Lead in Monitoring, Dads Have Opportunity to Engage More With Kids

The 2008 PATS study reveals a jump in the number of parents who are aware of their ability to influence their teens' decision to use drugs or alcohol. The percentage of parents who agreed with the statement "there is very little parents can do to prevent their kids from trying drugs (other than alcohol)" dropped nearly 40 percent since 2007 to just 21 percent in 2008. More parents believe that they can help prevent alcohol use as well, with just 23 percent agreeing that there is little parents can do to prevent drinking, down from 34 percent in 2007.

As parents gain confidence in their prevention abilities, they are less likely to view educating kids about the risks of drug use as the responsibility of their child's school. Fewer than 1 in 3 parents (27 percent) in 2008 agreed that schools should be primarily responsible for drug education, down from nearly 40 percent the previous year.

Within the home, however, there are dramatic differences in attitudes between mothers and fathers. Fathers were nearly three times as likely to believe that drug education should take place in school (34 percent of fathers versus 10 percent of mothers). Additionally, fathers report greater difficulty reconciling the desire to have their child see them as a friend with the need to set rules and monitor their teens. Fathers were far more likely (18 percent) to report having difficulty enforcing rules about alcohol, cigarette or drug use than mothers (10 percent). Fathers also placed greater value on being their child's friend (59 percent of fathers, 51 percent of mothers) although the majority of parents thought friendship with their child was important. As mothers take the lead role in monitoring their teens, this creates a unique opportunity for fathers to engage their children on this important health issue.

"Research consistently shows that teens who learn a lot about the risks of drugs at home are up to 50 percent less likely to use, yet many parents have difficulty talking with their kids about drugs and alcohol," said Pasierb. "Parents and caregivers have real power in influencing the decisions teens make for themselves."

The Partnership/MetLife Foundation PATS study is an in-home, anonymous survey conducted for the Partnership and MetLife Foundation by deKadt Marketing and Research with a margin of error of +/- 3 percent. For more information and the full PATS Parents report visit www.drugfree.org.

The Partnership for a Drug-Free America is a nonprofit organization uniting parents, renowned scientists and communications professionals to help families raise healthy children. The Partnership motivates and equips parents to prevent their children from using drugs and alcohol, intervene when drug and alcohol use is present and find help for family and friends in trouble. The Partnership's site, drugfree.org, translates current research on teen behavior, addiction and treatment into easy to understand tips and tools and connects parents with expert advice and support. For parents who need help starting and maintaining conversations with their kids about drugs and alcohol, Time To Talk, a nationwide parents' movement, offers empowering tips and tools at TimeToTalk.org. The Partnership depends on donations from individuals, corporations, foundations and government.

For over 20 years, MetLife Foundation has provided support for initiatives focusing on substance abuse prevention and education. Since 1999, the Foundation has collaborated with the Partnership for a Drug-Free America on a national public awareness campaign to help parents and caregivers communicate with children about the risks of drug use. MetLife Foundation was established in 1976 by MetLife to carry on its long-standing tradition of corporate contributions and community involvement. For more information about the Foundation, visit www.metlife.org.


SOURCE Partnership for a Drug-Free America

Why Is Organic Worth It for You?

Organic Institute Conducts Search for Consumer Ambassador as Industry Marks 17 Percent Sales Growth


Deadline for Submissions Extended; Considering Videos Via YouTube Through May 31


GREENFIELD, Mass., May 4 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- As consumers' commitment to organic products fuels impressive 17 percent growth despite a tough economy, the Organic Agriculture and Products Education Institute (Organic Institute) is conducting a truly organic search via YouTube for its first-ever national consumer ambassador to serve as a spokesperson.


Are you a mom just wanting to do your part to help the environment? A foodie baking organic treats for friends? A family farmer raising organic food to help foster a more sustainable planet? The Organic Institute may want you as its "organic idol."


Participation is easy and no celebrities are allowed: the Organic Institute - the non-profit educational organization affiliated with the 1,700-member Organic Trade Association (OTA) - is calling on everyday individuals to submit videos explaining why they feel organic products are worth it.


Through May 31, visit the Organic Institute's YouTube group at http://www.youtube.com/group/organicidol and submit a 30-second video explaining "the moment you realized organic was worth it." Heartfelt, creative and quirky videos are welcomed, and encouraged.


"Despite a down economy, the organic industry's 17 percent sales growth proves there are more and more individuals each year who are realizing organic food is worth it for their health, their families and the environment," said Christine Bushway, president of the Organic Institute and executive director of OTA. "We know there are myriad individuals with distinct and amazing stories on why they choose organic products. Through these efforts, we want to share their stories with the world and encourage others to choose the same."


The Organic Institute's board will consider the top 12 videos with the most views by 11:59 p.m. EDT on May 31 as the initiative's program finalists - a three week extension from the original May 8 deadline. At the All Things Organic trade show in Chicago in mid-June, the Organic Institute and OTA members will review finalists and select the overall winner, designating him or her as the official pitch person for the Organic Institute's fall 2009 consumer education campaign. The winner will receive a trip for two to Washington, D.C., and his or her story also will be shared on the Organic Institute's consumer awareness Web site, www.organicitsworthit.com.


For full details, visit www.organicitsworthit.com/getinvolved.html.


The Organic Institute is launching the initiative on the heels of its first-ever national consumer education and awareness campaign, which launched in March. "Organic. It's worth it." is an online outreach effort highlighting the benefits of organic food, farming and home products.


About the Organic Institute

The mission of the Organic Agriculture and Products Education Institute (Organic Institute) is to educate about the attributes, benefits and practices of organic agriculture and products today for better environmental and personal health tomorrow. To achieve its mission, the Organic Institute focuses on informing, educating and training agriculturalists, processors, academics and other professionals, as well as students, consumers and the general public in order to increase the amount of farmland under organic production and the number of people choosing organic products. www.theorganicinstitute.org


About the Organic Trade Association

Founded nearly 25 years ago, the Organic Trade Association (OTA) is the membership-based business association for organic agriculture and products in North America. Its 1,700 members include growers, shippers, processors, certifiers, farmers' associations, distributors, importers, exporters, consultants, retailers and others. OTA's mission is to promote and protect the growth of organic trade to benefit the environment, farmers, the public and the economy. www.ota.com


SOURCE Organic Trade Association

Welcome to SocialPC

Welcome to the SocialPC blog.