December 2009

Happy Holidays from the News Unfiltered team! Posting will resume on Monday, January 4, 2010.

Former 9/11 Commission Co-Chairmen Governor Tom Kean and Congressman Lee Hamilton, co-chairs of the Bipartisan Policy Center's National Security Preparedness Group, issued the following statement regarding the recent attempted terrorist attack: "The attempted terrorist attack on Christmas day underscores that the threat of international terrorism remains strong. The 9/11 Commission recommended a Director of National Intelligence (DNI), in part, to facilitate the sharing of vital national security information. This episode shows the need to support and strengthen the DNI's authority. Reforming U.S. intelligence is a multi-year process requiring sustained support from the White House and the Congress." The Bipartisan Policy Center's National Security Preparedness Group (NSPG), which is co-chaired by Congressman Lee Hamilton and Governor Tom Kean, is a successor to the 9/11 Commission. The NSPG has been conducting a five-year review of the Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act and the effectiveness of the DNI. The study is ongoing. Congressman Hamilton and Governor Kean have accepted an invitation to testify before the Senate Homeland Security Committee hearing on intelligence reform in February. Full release.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) today announced a two-phase rollout of eTrace 4.0, the newest version of ATF's web-based firearms tracing software, to the governments of Mexico, Guatemala and Costa Rica. The bilingual edition, commonly called Spanish eTrace, will allow law enforcement agencies in those countries to easily capitalize on the full benefits of eTrace in Spanish or English, and will provide data conventions in accordance with international standards. The first phase of the rollout is a live release of the software, in limited deployment to Mexico and the two Central American governments, in order to gauge system performance in a real-world user environment and to address user feedback. The second phase will entail full deployment to other international partners in Spanish-speaking nations. (A full news conference and demonstration of the new system is being planned at ATF headquarters as part of the second phase deployment.) "Spanish eTrace marks the beginning of a new stage of cooperation between ATF and its international partners," said ATF Deputy Director Kenneth E. Melson. "It will strengthen our efforts as we stand together at the frontlines against gun violence and illegal firearms trafficking. We must identify those who put guns in the hands of criminals, and comprehensive tracing of all recovered crime guns is the first step by law enforcement in stopping the violence that plagues many communities inside and outside the United States." Full release.

A new research program called the Medication Exposure in Pregnancy Risk Evaluation Program (MEPREP) will fund research to study the effects of prescription medications used during pregnancy. The program is a collaboration among the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and researchers at the HMO Research Network Center for Education and Research in Therapeutics (CERT), Kaiser Permanente's multiple research centers and Vanderbilt University. About two-thirds of women who deliver a baby have taken at least one prescription medication during pregnancy according to a journal article published in the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology. There are very few clinical trials that test the safety of medications in pregnancy due to concerns about the health of the mother and child. "This program is a great example of FDA and the private sector working together to improve the health of pregnant women and their children," said Margaret Hamburg, MD, Commissioner of Food and Drugs. "These data will guide regulatory policy and influence medical practice." Full release.

National Institute For Alcohol Recovery (NIFAR®) is unveiling a new online program, Youth Awareness, a practical tool to help concerned parents and educators prevent teen alcohol and drug use. This endeavor is one of several new programs launched by NIFAR, a progressive organization dedicated to alcohol prevention and recovery programs for home use. Currently, alcohol use is widespread among youth. Surprisingly, 62% of high school seniors report they have been drunk -- and 31% say they have had five or more drinks in a row in the last two weeks[1]. Concurrently, each day young people are injured or fatally killed in alcohol-related incidents. Further, a survey of female college students found a significant relationship between the amount of reported weekly drinking and experiences of sexual victimization[2]. Youth Awareness explains what alcohol and drugs are and how they can impact a young person's future. The program is designed to be fun as well as informative. "Today's teens don't want to be lectured. They just want the info so they can make up their own minds", said Kamran Loghman, Executive Director of NIFAR. Further, the program is available at Nifar.com via high-speed streaming audio and downloads for an iPod® or mp3 player -- a modern format kids know and love. Full release.

First it was insurance companies, then it was banks and that was followed by auto companies. Now, the federal government is putting U.S. taxpayers and utility customers at new risk under a controversial U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) loan guarantee program that is slated to award $18.5 billion, with Atlanta-based Southern Company predicted to be first on the list for program funds to build two new nuclear reactors at Plant Vogtle in Waynesboro, Georgia. Ironically, the DOE's "top choice" for the nuclear reactor loan guarantees, which are backed by U.S. taxpayers in the event of defaults, is the very same Plant Vogtle that helped to kill the previous nuclear power boom in the United States in the 1970s and 1980s. Huge cost overruns at the original Plant Vogtle - which escalated from $660 million for four reactors to a whopping $8.87 billion for two - likely played a role in putting the brakes on nuclear expansion plans pursued decades ago in the United States. Will history repeat itself on Plant Vogtle cost overruns? Full release.

The Teamsters Union announced that it will postpone a protest planned today at the headquarters of Brigade Capital Management in New York after conversations with Brigade that the hedge fund does not currently own any YRC Worldwide Inc. (Nasdaq: YRCW) bonds. In addition, UBS has indicated they have tendered their bonds in the exchange. The Teamsters will continue to monitor the situation and will plan future protests at these institutions and others if contrary evidence surfaces. All bondholders need to understand what is at risk if they do not participate in YRCW's debt exchange. The company has extended the bond exchange deadline to 11 p.m. EST Dec. 30. "There is too much at risk for bondholders to sacrifice the livelihood of 30,000 workers for the marginal profits they might realize by their continued inaction," said Teamsters General President Jim Hoffa. "It's a simple choice -- help a good, U.S. company recover and protect 30,000 jobs or allow our struggling economy to take another devastating hit. I think the choice is clear -- bondholders must now do their part." Full release.

Idaho consumers whose health insurance companies refuse to pay the bill for necessary health and medical services will have a new tool on their side in their coming year. Under the Health Carrier External Review Act, starting January 1, the Idaho Department of Insurance will review denied health insurance claims to help ensure consumers aren't wrongfully denied coverage. The act was signed into law by Governor 'Butch' Otter in April and sponsored by Senator Dean Cameron and Representative Russ Mathews. "Too often consumers have to battle with their insurance companies to get the care and the coverage they need," said Jim Wordelman, State Director for AARP in Idaho. "AARP commends Governor Otter for his leadership on this issue and Senator Cameron and Representative Mathews for providing Idaho consumers with a new resource to make sure their health care claims are not wrongfully denied." Full release.

The President of Sri Lanka, Mahinda Rajapaksa, has extended by four months an independent investigation into allegations made by the U.S. State Department, in a paper entitled 'Report to Congress on Incidents During the Recent Conflict in Sri Lanka.' The extension will allow the committee to thoroughly investigate and respond to all allegations in the report to Congress, as well as advise the government on the action to be taken on the recent query by Mr. Philip Alston, the UN Special Rapporteur regarding remarks by the country's former army chief Sarath Fonseka. The Committee was established in November 2009 by President Rajapaksa to investigate allegations in the report, including the use by LTTE (Liberation Tamil Tigers Eelam) terrorist organization of children in armed conflict, harm brought to civilians during the war, the killing of captives seeking to surrender, disappearances and a lack of humanitarian conditions. Full release.

Archivist of the United States David S. Ferriero announced today the establishment of the National Declassification Center (NDC) within the National Archives and Records Administration. The creation of the NDC is specified in the new Executive Order on Classified National Security Information signed by President Obama on December 29, 2009. Specifically, the NDC is charged with streamlining declassification processes, facilitating quality assurance measures, and implementing standard training for declassification reviewers. In making the announcement, Mr. Ferriero said, "The Federal government has reached a watershed moment in records declassification. The current backlog is so huge that Americans are being denied the ability to hold government officials accountable for their actions. By streamlining the declassification process, the NDC will usher in a new day in the world of access, allowing the National Archives to make more records available for public scrutiny much more quickly." Full release.

Martin Luther King Jr. weekend marks the kick-off of the Black AIDS Institute's National Trump AIDS Bid Whist Tournament in Atlanta, GA. Trump AIDS provides a platform to mobilize Black communities and serves as a vehicle to raise funds and build awareness in the fight against HIV/AIDS. Participants are encouraged to get involved with ending the AIDS epidemic in the Black community while having fun and potentially winning guaranteed cash Tournament prizes. There are several local qualifying tournaments to participate in from January 15 to the weekend of August 27, 2010. Visit www.trumpaids.org for a complete list of cities hosting events. The Tournament will culminate at the Trump AIDS nationals November 2010. Full release.

Albert Gonzalez, 28, of Miami, pleaded guilty today to conspiring to hack into computer networks supporting major American retail and financial organizations, and to steal data relating to tens of millions of credit and debit cards, announced Assistant Attorney General of the Criminal Division Lanny A. Breuer, U.S. Attorney for the District of New Jersey Paul J. Fishman, U.S. Attorney for the District of Massachusetts Carmen Milagros Ortiz and Director of the U.S. Secret Service Mark Sullivan. Gonzalez, aka "segvec," "soupnazi" and "j4guar17," pleaded guilty to two counts of conspiracy to gain unauthorized access to the payment card networks operated by, among others, Heartland Payment Systems, a New Jersey-based card processor; 7-Eleven, a Texas-based nationwide convenience store chain; and Hannaford Brothers Co. Inc., a Maine-based supermarket chain. The plea was entered in federal court in Boston before U.S. District Court Judge Douglas P. Woodlock. The case is one of the largest data breaches ever investigated and prosecuted in the United States. Full release.

The Chair of the Board of Advisors for the Economic Crime Institute (ECI) of Utica College has been named to the Financial Crisis Inquiry Commission. Martin Biegelman has been appointed assistant director of the Financial Crisis Inquiry Commission, charged by the U.S. Congress with investigating the financial meltdown of 2008. Most recently director of financial integrity at Microsoft Corporation, Biegelman led a global investigative program focused on fraud and corruption. He joins the commission with 37 years of experience in fraud, corruption, and security investigations. He has taken a leave of absence from Microsoft while serving on the Commission. Prior to his position at Microsoft, Biegelman was a federal law enforcement professional with the United States Postal Inspection Service. At one time, he was director of litigation and investigative services in the fraud investigation practice at BDO Seidman, LLP, an international accounting and consulting firm. Full release.

Although Americans see Medicare as a key part of the country's social contract and want to preserve it in some recognizable form, they are willing to consider significant changes in the program to hold down its costs as the U.S. population ages. In day-long "Choice-Dialogues" in which Americans from all walks of life considered the pros and cons of a range of choices for reforming Medicare, common ground was found in several key areas: * Allow Medicare to negotiate prices for prescription drugs (94 percent support). * Encourage hospice care instead of heroic end-of-life measures (85 percent support). * Only cover treatments that are scientifically proven to be effective (68 percent support). * Emphasize preventive care and personal responsibility (89 percent consider preventive care very important or essential). * Gradually increase the Medicare eligibility age from 65 to 67 (68 percent support). If additional money is needed to maintain Medicare in a way that is familiar in the future, Americans would rather see the government raise taxes than increase the federal debt. Full release.

The American College of Cardiology (ACC) today announced that it filed a complaint against the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Kathleen Sebelius in United States District Court. The complaint alleges that Secretary Sebelius, in her capacity as the HHS Secretary, unlawfully adopted the payment rates for cardiology services in the 2010 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule (PFS) by using an invalid Physician Practice Information Survey (PPIS) in a manner that threatens access to care for patients and precipitously increases medical care costs. The complaint alleges that Secretary Sebelius and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) abused their discretion and acted arbitrarily and capriciously in violation of the Medicare statute and the Administrative Procedures Act by using the invalid PPIS in adopting the payment rates for cardiology services in the PFS. According to the complaint, clear and critical defects exist with respect to the methodology and data used to develop the PPIS, which was used to justify the cuts to Medicare reimbursement rates for cardiology, and which directly undermine the viability of community practices. Full release.

Today, FlyersRights.org, the nation's largest non-profit airline consumer advocacy group, applauded the Transportation Security Administration's (TSA) efforts to improve airport security in the wake of this week's incident aboard a Northwest flight bound for Detroit. However, the group warned that a large number of its members have expressed concerns that the new TSA procedures, including the 'one-hour rule', may place an undue burden on passengers. "Obviously, safety during air travel must be the number one priority for everyone. However, we caution the TSA to fully consider the ramifications of these new rules, and take all steps necessary to ensure they are implemented with common sense and respect for the dignity of passengers. While it may seem obvious that airlines would implement these rules with a liberal dose of common sense, history has proven otherwise," said Kate Hanni, spokesperson for FlyersRight.org. Full release.

The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research announced funding for two projects investigating the placebo effect in Parkinson's disease. Placebo treatments are harmless, inactive substances administered to some of the patients in a clinical trial to provide a baseline comparison for measuring the effects of active treatment given to other patients in the trial. The placebo effect -- in which patients who receive an inert substance nonetheless experience some or all benefits of active treatment -- is a topic of growing interest to Parkinson's researchers. The placebo effect has increasingly complicated the interpretation of outcomes from PD clinical trials, creating a significant hurdle to the development of new treatments. And it may have a greater impact in clinical trials for Parkinson's than other diseases, because it involves the dopamine system, which degenerates in PD. Full release.

Today RetireSafe, representing 400,000 senior citizen supporters across America, announced a "Let's Get it Right" campaign for 2010 to establish a new Consumer Price Index for Seniors (CPI-S) so that Social Security benefits can be accurately and fairly determined each year. In addition, the group announced its support for the pending introduction of new legislation by U.S. Representative John "Jimmy" Duncan, Jr. (R-TN) which would direct the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) to finally determine the "right" CPI-S formula for seniors. RetireSafe, an advocacy organization for older Americans, supports this critical first step to correct the faulty formula now used by the BLS, the same one resulting in a "zero" COLA for 2010. According to RetireSafe President Thair Phillips, "The BLS, along with numerous other credible sources, has noted that each of the present methods now used (CPI, CPI-U, CPI-W, and CPI-E) to calculate inflation is severely flawed in measuring seniors' actual costs and expenses. While there may be other approaches to address this problem, we believe the first step should be an accurate CPI for seniors, a true CPI-S. Full release.

The National Council of Nigerian Muslim Organizations in the United States of America (NCNMO) today issued a statement condemning Friday's attempted bombing of a Northwest Airline flight into Detroit. The statement, issued by Mufutau R. Adeleke, the Council's General Secretary, was released from the Council's ongoing annual convention in Boston: "On behalf of the National Council of Nigerian Muslim Organizations in the United States of America and thousands of Nigerian-Americans across the country, I condemn the attempted terror attack on Christmas Day. "The National Council of Nigerian Muslim Organizations in the United States of America condemns all acts of terrorism. Any human being who attempts or commits acts of terror, murder, or any act of cruelty in the name of a religion is not only destroying innocent lives, but is also debasing the values of the faith of that religion. Neither such behavior nor the individual involved represent Islam. Full release.

A panel of experts from leading northeastern universities recently reached consensus that proper nutrition, regular physical and mental activity, and adequate sleep can help to maintain and even improve cognitive skills in healthy adults. Further, the panel released recommendations to help adults bolster their cognitive health. While previously research has showcased the ability for healthy adults to maintain their memory performance, the body of evidence reviewed by this panel revealed that healthy adults can now take measures that will improve their cognition. This is extremely good news for the millions of adults that are increasingly concerned about their mental acuity. Given the importance of cognition to living our lives well, it is not surprising that this area is of interest to consumers. In fact, eighty-eight percent of consumers are optimistic about the potential for improving brain fitness (ASA MetLife Foundation Attitudes and Awareness of Brain Health Poll, 2006). Full release.

As part of its commitment to protecting the safety of children, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) announced today that RC2 Corp., of Oak Brook, Ill., has agreed to pay a $1.25 million civil penalty for allegedly violating the federal lead paint ban. The penalty settlement, which has been provisionally accepted by the Commission, resolves CPSC staff allegations that RC2 Corp. and one of its wholly-owned subsidiaries, Learning Curve Brands Inc., knowingly (as defined by the Consumer Product Safety Act) imported and sold various Thomas & Friends(TM) Wooden Railway toys with paints or other surface coatings that contained lead levels above legal limits. In 1978, a federal ban was put in place which prohibited toys and other children's articles from having more than 0.06 percent lead (by weight) in paints or surface coatings. As a result of the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act of 2008, the regulatory limit was reduced to 0.009 percent on August 14, 2009. Full release,

In contrast to many national religious leaders who are lobbying for increases in immigration, a new Zogby poll of likely voters who belong to the same religious communities finds strong support for reducing overall immigration. Moreover, members strongly disagree with their leaders' contention that more immigrant workers need to be allowed into the country. Also, most parishioners and congregants prefer more enforcement to cause illegal workers to go home, rather than legalization of illegal immigrants, which most religious leaders prefer. The survey of Catholic, mainline Protestant, born-again Protestant, and Jewish voters used neutral language and was one of the largest polls on immigration ever done. The full results are at http://www.cis.org/ReligionAndImmigrationPoll. Among the findings: Most members of religious denominations do not feel that illegal immigration is caused by limits on legal immigration, as many religious leaders do; instead, members feel it's due to a lack of enforcement. Full release.

The Providence Service Corporation (Nasdaq: PRSC) today commented on the landmark healthcare legislation that was passed last week by the United States Senate. The Senate Bill, which still needs to be merged with the House Bill and therefore could still undergo substantial changes, has a number of features that are expected to add funding for many of the types of home and community based social services that Providence provides to Medicaid eligible populations. While the Senate's version of the bill also implements some cuts and cost saving measures, primarily to out of home care providers and hospitals' "Disproportionate Share" programs, the cuts are not expected to affect the Company's services. Full release.

We've all been there on making well-intentioned New Year's resolutions, among them promising faithfully to go on a diet, exercise and eat healthier. And sometimes, we may even keep those resolutions for a little while before falling off the wagon. As part of the yearly New Year's resolution-making ritual, the Alliance to Save Energy encourages consumers to check out their home's physical fitness and, depending on its overall state of health, put it on an "energy diet." How is your Home's "Physical Fitness?" The "physical fitness" of your home can make the difference between soaring energy bills or comfortable savings this winter. By cutting wasteful energy use, an energy-efficient home is a strong defense against winter winds, rain, sleet, snow, and chill while also reducing air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions and increasing national security. And Uncle Sam is offering another incentive for putting your home on an energy diet: A 30 percent tax credit - a dollar-for-dollar reduction in your income taxes owed - of up to $1,500 during the remainder of 2009 and throughout 2010 for specific energy efficiency home improvements. Details on qualifying products, including insulation and sealing products, highly efficient furnaces, heat pumps, and windows, are available at www.ase.org/taxcredits. Full release.

The American Civil Liberties Union of Washington has vowed to monitor legislative reaction to three different police shootings in Washington State to make sure the proposals do not ultimately violate people's rights if they become law. The Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms today reminds the ACLU that the right to keep and bear arms is a constitutionally-protected right, and demands the same protection from legislative abuse as any other civil right. "While our thoughts and prayers remain with the families of those officers who have been murdered in recent weeks," noted CCRKBA Chairman Alan Gottlieb, "we share the ACLU's concern that the legislature's reaction may be to clamp down on the rights of law-abiding citizens, as well as the rights of criminal suspects, without actually accomplishing anything." Washington ACLU spokesman Doug Honig was quoted by the Associated Press observing, "Our concern would be measures that are proposals that sound tough, but in practice won't do much to make us safer, but will restrict people's rights." Full release.

As the year ends with a spotlight on pending health and financial reforms in Congress, the Federal Reserve closed its comment period for mortgage rules that could save families billions of dollars. In a detailed comment letter, the Center for Responsible Lending recommends that the Federal Reserve Board strengthen a proposal to ban routine kickbacks for steering borrowers into unnecessarily risky or expensive home loans. If finalized as proposed, the ban on kickbacks (often called "yield-spread premiums") would apply to mortgage brokers, loan officers, and any party that originates mortgages for lenders who fund the loans. "The Federal Reserve has proposed to correct a direct conflict of interest between consumers and lenders, one that fueled the dangerous lending that triggered the housing crisis," said Kathleen Keest, senior policy counsel for CRL. "Many people are still wondering why so many bad loans were made. A big part of the answer is yield-spread premiums. These kickbacks are easy to hide from consumers, and they encourage brokers to aggressively market the worst kinds of loans -- even when their customers qualify for better." In research released in 2008, CRL analyzed nearly two million mortgages and found that people with weaker credit paid significantly more for mortgages originated by brokers rather than directly by lenders. Full release.

The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) today called on the FBI to investigate a possible bias motive for the murder of a Texas convenience store owner, allegedly shot to death by a suspected white supremacist. Surveillance video showed that the store owner, 50-year-old Naushad Virani, was shot during a robbery Friday night in Liberty County, Texas. Local authorities are investigating whether the murder was a hate crime. When arrested, the alleged killer told deputies: "When I saw that all of you were white I decided to give up and not fight." He also reportedly admitted that he shot the store owner. The suspect in the case has a lengthy criminal record and is believed to be a member of a white supremacist group. He has many tattoos, including a Nazi SS symbol on the right side of his neck. A CAIR representative in Texas is in touch with the family of the victim. Full release.

Genesys Health System has agreed to pay the United States $669,413 to settle a lawsuit alleging that the health care provider violated the False Claims Act by submitting false claims to Medicare, the Justice Department announced today. Genesys, a Grand Blanc, Mich.-based company, provides health care services through a network of medical facilities located in Michigan. The government alleged that between 2001 and 2007, Genesys violated the False Claims Act by billing Medicare for higher levels of service than were actually rendered to patients. Specifically, the government alleged that Genesys overbilled for evaluation and management services provided to cardiology patients. "As this case demonstrates, we are committed to vigorously pursuing those who defraud Medicare," said Tony West, Assistant Attorney General of the Justice Department's Civil Division. "Taxpayer dollars should be spent on health care services for patients, not wasted on fraud and abuse." Assistant Attorney General West praised the coordinated efforts of the Justice Department's Civil Division, the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of Michigan, and the Office of Investigations for the Department of Health and Human Services' Office of Inspector General and Office of Counsel to the Inspector General. Full release.

The U.S. Committee for Camp Ashraf Residents expresses its solidarity with the anti-government uprisings during Ashura across Iran. The Committee denounces the atrocities committed by the ruling religious fascism whose forces opened fire on unarmed protesters exercising their universal rights and ran them over with armored and security vehicles. The U.S. families of residents of Ashraf pay their utmost respect to the martyrs of freedom killed by the security forces. Having lost many loved ones either by Iran's tyrannical rulers or their Iraqi agents in the past 28 years, Ashraf families express their deepest sympathies with the families of the fallen for the cause of freedom in Iran. Chants of "Down with Khamenei," "Down with Dictator," and calls across Iran for the overthrow of ruling theocracy and establishment of democracy is at the heart of the aspirations of the Iranian Resistance and members of Iran's main opposition, the People's Mojahedin of Iran (PMOI/MEK) residing in Camp Ashraf. Indeed, the dramatic rise in efforts by Tehran and its proxies in the Iraqi government to "uproot" the PMOI in Ashraf is the flip side of the regime's barbaric crackdown on the freedom uprisings at home. Full release.

Two consumer groups today asked the Federal Trade Commission to block Google's $750 million deal to buy AdMob, a mobile advertising company, on anti-trust grounds. In addition, the groups said, the proposed acquisition raises privacy concerns that the Commission must address. In a joint letter to the FTC, Consumer Watchdog and the Center for Digital Democracy (CDD) said Google is simply buying its way to dominance in the mobile advertising market, diminishing competition to the detriment of consumers. "The mobile sector is the next frontier of the digital revolution. Without vigorous competition and strong privacy guarantees this vital and growing segment of the online economy will be stifled," wrote John M. Simpson, consumer advocate at Consumer Watchdog and CDD Executive Director Jeffery A. Chester. "Consumers will face higher prices, less innovation and fewer choices. The FTC should conduct the appropriate investigation, block the proposed Google/AdMob deal, and also address the privacy issues." Last week Google said the FTC has made a so-called "second request" for additional information about the deal indicating the commission is scrutinizing the proposal in great detail. Full release.

ASNE will receive $4,646,100 over five years from the Donald W. Reynolds Foundation to sustain the country's premier training opportunity for high school journalism advisers from 2010 through 2014. The Reynolds High School Journalism Institutes, two-week programs held at five accredited university journalism schools during the summer, are innovative and demanding. The Institutes lay essential groundwork for teachers to empower students to produce quality journalism, and understand how the First Amendment and news literacy are integral to American democracy. "In too many instances, youth journalism programs are under stress or marginalized. To counter this, Institute alums and their students emerge as leaders, making the case that journalism has strong interdisciplinary value, imparts practical life skills applicable to any career and creates a sense of community," said ASNE President Martin Kaiser, editor of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. "We are most grateful to the Reynolds Foundation for sharing in this vision and making this generous and substantial commitment." Full release.

Goodwill Industries International has joined forces with WE tv to invite women across the country to volunteer in their local communities. From now until January 31, women are encouraged to "PLEDGE 24 in 2010" by logging onto WEVolunteer.tv and participating in 24 hours of volunteer work in 2010 with the organization or nonprofit of their choice. Goodwill Industries International and its affiliate members are just one of the nonprofit organizations working with WE tv to increase awareness and participation for the program. WE Volunteer is WE tv's national effort designed to motivate women to become more involved in their local communities by pledging one full day (24 hours) of community service throughout the year. The campaign's motto is simple: "What a Difference a Day Makes." WE Volunteer is the latest campaign of WE Empowers Women, the network's four-year-old public affairs initiative dedicated to creating programs that foster and celebrate women's strength, confidence and diversity. The campaign's website, WEVolunteer.tv, powered by VolunteerMatch, makes it easy to search for and sign up for volunteer experiences with nonprofit organizations based on location and personal interest. The site also allows participants to track the amount of hours volunteered and share their volunteer stories to inspire others. Full release.

The national census next April will be the 23rd time this count has been conducted since 1790. The 18th census in 1960 profiled a nation on the verge of the space age. There were more than 179 million people in U.S., including the new states of Alaska and Hawaii. On the list of 10 largest cities, Los Angeles ranked number three, with a population of just under 2.5 million. In the decade to follow, U.S. Marines arrived in Vietnam, the Beatles appeared on American television, and 450,000 people jammed the Woodstock music festival. At the decade's end, astronauts Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin of Apollo 11 become the first humans to walk the surface of the moon. Profile America is in its 13th year as a public service of the U.S. Census Bureau. Full release.

Happy Holidays from the News Unfiltered team! Posting will resume on Monday, December 28.

The following is being released by Common Cause and Public Campaign: What was the biggest scandal of 2009? Blagojevich trying to sell a Senate seat? Senators, governors, and their mistresses? Allegations that lobbyists were lining up defense earmarks in exchange for straw donations? No, the biggest scandal of 2009 was that the entire pay-to-play system that dominates Washington and occupies Congress' time and attention sidetracked bold policies. One year after President Obama was swept into office on a ticket of change, a wall of big money from the health interests, banks, and Big Oil thwarted, slowed, or deep-sixed legislation in Washington. Special interests were on track to spend $3.3 billion to shape policy outcomes, according to a recent story in Politico. Despite the voters' mandate for change, the underlying problem of Washington - what author and Washington Post reporter Robert Kaiser calls "too damn much money" - remained unaltered and in many ways, more powerful than ever before. Full release.

Fourteen exemplary women business leaders will step into the spotlight to receive the nation's premier award for excellence among women's business enterprises (WBEs) bestowed by the Women's Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC) at its Annual Salute to Women's Business Enterprises. On Thursday, March 25, 2010, 1,000 corporate executives, WBEs and government and nonprofit VIPs will acknowledge the tenacity, drive and inventiveness demonstrated by women's business enterprise at the Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center in National Harbor, MD. The 2010 WBENC Women's Business Enterprise Stars are selected by WBENC's 14 Regional Partner Organizations (RPOs) that conduct WBENC's world-class certification of WBEs, in addition to providing skill-building educational programs and business development opportunities with major corporations. "Our 2010 Women's Business Enterprise Stars represent the best that our country offers in terms of innovation and long term success," said Linda Denny, WBENC President and CEO, the leading advocate for and authority on WBEs. "They continually discover ways to meet their corporate clients' complex needs in today's environment." Full release.

A group representing some of the nation's most prominent vending companies today called on Congress to drop language that would require vending companies to disclose the caloric content of vended food and beverage products prior to the point of sale, Vend Marketing Institute (VMI) Executive Director Chris Stave announced today. The requirement is included in both the House and Senate versions of the healthcare reform legislation currently being debated in Congress, and would apply to any business which owns or operates 20 or more vending machines. According to Stave, the organization supports the idea of nutrition disclosure, and, in fact, already has an overwhelmingly successful program in place that is much more comprehensive than the one being considered in Congress. Said Stave, "Four years ago we recognized the importance of working to educate consumers about the nutrition content in the products they were purchasing, which is why we worked with Registered Dietitian Carmen Gorniak, RD, CD, to create The Right Choice...for a Healthier You! ® nutrition program. Full release.

A new national poll released today shows strong support for "for-profit" education in this economic decline. The poll conducted by Lake Research Partners for Americans For Democratic Action Education Fund surveyed 1,000 adults with oversamples of 500 African Americans, 500 Latino/as, and 250 lower-income whites. The poll shows that "for-profit education empowers minority groups, and does not hinder them. People believe higher education is more critical now than ever to get ahead and support for-profit education as a way to make Obama's goal of increasing college graduates possible." "Make no mistake, in this tough economy, 'for-profit' education offers the flexibility and opportunity for minorities and low-income individuals to get their college degrees," said Michael J. Wilson the Executive Director of Americans for Democratic Action. "Most of these folks are already working full-time jobs...they want to get ahead but need opportunities that traditional schools don't offer." Full release.

International Brotherhood of Teamsters General President Jim Hoffa today sent letters to the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), state Attorneys General, state insurance officials and Congressional leaders on financial industry oversight calling on regulators to review the questionable promotion of credit default swaps for bonds of YRC Worldwide, Inc. (NasdaqGS: YRCW), the country's largest less-than-truckload company. Hoffa urged the oversight bodies to investigate financial firms that are underwriting and/or marketing basis packages that consist of YRC bonds and credit default swaps (CDS). Financial firms such as Goldman Sachs, Deutsche Bank, TD Bank, Barclays and UBS have a history of making markets in these types of derivative financial products. "Certain financial firms, have been or are marketing and/or underwriting a strategy where bonds in YRCW would be bought by investors with the intent of voting against the exchange, thereby triggering a bankruptcy that would pay the investors and possible other financial firms huge profits from the high CDS payments which would be triggered by a YRC bankruptcy or liquidation," Hoffa wrote. "The profit from the YRCW CDSs would far outweigh losses from the failed YRCW bonds." Full release.

Duke Energy, one of the largest electric power companies in the nation, will spend approximately $85 million to significantly reduce harmful air pollution at an Indiana power plant and pay a $1.75 million civil penalty, under a settlement to resolve violations of federal clean air laws, the Justice Department and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced today. The settlement also requires Duke to spend $6.25 million on environmental mitigation projects. The agreement, filed in federal court in Indianapolis, resolves violations of the Clean Air Act's new source review requirements found at the company's Gallagher coal-fired power plant in New Albany, Ind., located directly across the Ohio River from Louisville, Ky. The settlement is anticipated to reduce sulfur dioxide emissions at the Gallagher plant by almost 35,000 tons per year, an 86 percent reduction when compared to 2008 emissions. This is equivalent to the emissions from 500,000 heavy duty semi trucks, which is more than all the trucks registered in Indiana, Illinois, Kentucky, and Ohio combined. Sulfur Dioxide harms the environment and human health. Full release.

Goodwill Industries International is America's second largest nonprofit, according to Forbes.com's annual "America's 200 Largest Nonprofits" list. After placing 17th on last year's list, Goodwill(R) shot up to the top echelon in 2009, earning over $2.8 billion in private, non-government support last year. Goodwill joins other household nonprofit names on the top five list, including the United Way, The Salvation Army, Food for the Poor and Feed the Children. The strong ranking for Goodwill(R) reflects its charitable commitment, fundraising efficiency and donor dependency of its 166 local, headquarter agencies in the United States and Canada. "Goodwill fared exceptionally well in Forbes' three financial efficiency ratios to earn revenue for our mission of helping people find good jobs," said Jim Gibbons, president and CEO of Goodwill Industries International. "Goodwill agencies were recognized for their local relationships with businesses and corporations to create fundraising initiatives, as well as for the percent of revenues that are utilized for a charitable purpose versus management or other business expenses." Full release.

Riki Ellison, Founder and Chairman of the Missile Defense Advocacy Alliance (MDAA), www.missiledefenseadvocacy.org, explains why and how the President's missile defense plan does not address the Middle East. Ellison is one of the foremost lay experts in the field of missile defense. Ellison's comments include the following: "President Obama's missile defense plan is primarily focused on a four phase timeline approach starting in 2013 and ending in 2020 to protect Europe and US deployed forces needs to adequately address the Middle East Region first as well as increase the urgency to ensure that timelines are met to protect Europe and a significant hedge to deploy missile defenses quicker if required. The Middle East region has not been directly addressed by the President's Plan and would require at least 2 or more forward-based sensors, as well as a complete deployment of a fully layered missile defense of the current systems to be able to handle loft, minimum energy and depressed trajectories of incoming missiles towards the Middle East and Europe." Full release.

The holidays are a time of hustle and bustle - and now AARP is urging Illinoisans to add another critical item to their holiday to-do lists. As families come together for the holidays, AARP is urging people to review their phone bills, particularly bills of elderly friends, family, and neighbors, who may be paying too much -- and needlessly -- for phone services. Many Illinois consumers have paid untold amounts of money for phone services or products they did not even order or authorize -- a growing and illegal practice known as 'cramming.' However, a new Illinois law will help protect consumers against this illegal practice and will help to drive down costs for individuals in a tough economy. "Access to affordable telephone service is critical for older adults, many of whom live alone and may not have access to other forms of communication," said Bob Gallo, AARP Illinois Senior State Director. "That is why it is also critical that older adults, and all consumers, be protected against illegal practices that result in wrongfully inflated phone bills." Full release.

Nearly a quarter million impoverished children - mostly young girls - are forced to work as unpaid domestic servants in major Haitian cities, according to the first major survey of Haiti's human rights situation, the Pan American Development Foundation (PADF) announced. Called restaveks, these very poor children are sent by their parents to live in other homes with the idea that they would have access to education and food. PADF's ground-breaking study, which focused on key neighborhoods in five major cities, found that 16 percent of all children are restaveks. "Restaveks are prone to beatings, sexual assaults and other abuses by host families," says Herve Rakoto Razafimbahiny, PADF's Protecting Human Rights in Haiti Program Director. "This major survey is a key tool in our efforts to eliminate this stain on dignity." Full release.

URAC, the nation's leading health care accreditation and education organization, today announced its new Consumer Education Initiative, which teaches consumers about health insurance and identifies ways they can make more informed decisions about their health care. "Many consumers need help navigating through the health care maze. Often they do not understand what their health care plan covers and how to ask the right questions to get the best plan for their individual needs," said Alan P. Spielman, president and CEO of URAC. "Knowing when to select an HMO versus a PPO versus a CDHP plan can be difficult. Our initiative empowers consumers to take responsibility and play an active role in their health by breaking down the complex selection process into more understandable components." Full release.

2009 saw exciting research progress, unprecedented opportunities on the horizon, and more scientists than ever working on resolving important questions. Despite the year's economic and financial challenges, the National Multiple Sclerosis Society continues to propel research forward to end MS. In 2009 the Society provided over $33.5 million to support 345 new and ongoing projects in its research portfolio, plus $1.5 million for Fast Forward, the Society's drug development subsidiary which continues to attract new funding streams. In addition, thanks to the efforts of our MS activists, $5 million was specifically allocated for funding MS research out of the 2009 Department of Defense budget. As 2009 comes to a close, the Society maintains its nimble pursuit of promising research opportunities to end MS and has issued an international call for grant applications to expeditiously examine the potential impact of the chronic cerebrospinal venous insufficiency (CCSVI) hypothesis on disease process in MS. Full release.

Mark Wagar, President and CEO of Empire BlueCross BlueShield urged further improvement to the federal health care reform legislation that today does little to control the rising costs of health care and will increase premiums for too many New Yorkers and too many across the nation. "We urge Congress to not support a bill that will further increase the underlying costs of health care premiums that New York residents pay while, at the same time, subsidizing other states," added Wagar. Additionally, Wagar offers specific congressional actions that will make the most difference to New Yorkers, including: * Reducing taxes for those already paying for health benefits and not starting taxes until reform changes take effect * A stronger individual mandate for a more basic, minimum benefit package -- potentially reducing New Yorker individual premiums by more than 60 percent * Greater investment in real cost and quality improvement measures for health care providers * Reducing the disproportional impact of Medicaid cost shifts to the state of New York * Addressing the disproportionate share of Medicare cuts New York beneficiaries will shoulder. Full release.

Catch share programs result in more consistent and predictable fisheries but do not necessarily improve ecological conditions, according to a new study published online this week by the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. Employed by nations around the world, catch shares - a management system that divides up and allocates percentages, or shares, of the total allowable catch to individual fishermen or fishing groups - have generated controversy as to whether they lead to better environmental stewardship than other fishery management options. The study, funded by the Lenfest Ocean Program, concludes that these programs help to eliminate erratic swings in fishing rates, catch landings and fish population sizes, among other factors, but may not necessarily lead to larger fish populations. This research is the most in-depth and comprehensive study of the ecological impacts of catch share programs in North America. Publication of this research coincides with the public-comment period for the U. S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA) draft catch share policy, which evaluates catch share programs under the Magnuson-Stevens Act, the nation's primary fisheries law. NOAA's draft policy "encourages the consideration and adoption of catch shares wherever appropriate in fishery management and ecosystem plans and amendments and will support the design, implementation, and monitoring of catch share programs." Full release.

The American Medical Association (AMA) today announced its support for passage of the amended Senate health system reform bill (H.R. 3590). Passage of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act by the Senate will bring our nation close to the finish line on health system reform. "All Americans deserve affordable, high-quality health coverage so they can get the medical care they need - and this bill advances many of our priority issues for achieving the vision of a health system that works for patients and physicians," said AMA President-elect Cecil B. Wilson, M.D. The Senate bill includes a number of key benefits for meaningful reform. It will improve choice and access to affordable health insurance coverage and eliminate denials based on pre-existing conditions. The bill will increase coverage for preventive and wellness care that can lead to better disease prevention and management, and further the development of comparative effectiveness research that can help patients and physicians make informed treatment decisions. "Lifetime limits on health coverage will be a thing of the past - as will higher premiums based on medical conditions or gender," said Dr. Wilson. "These are important benefits for those who have insurance now - and those who want it but have been unable to get it." Full release.

Mechanics for Continental Airlines on Tuesday will engage in informational picketing at the airline's major hubs in Newark, Cleveland, Orlando, Houston, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Seattle. The mechanics are represented by the International Brotherhood of Teamsters. The Teamsters mechanics will pass out literature to the flying public explaining the importance of maintenance work and their complaints with Continental ( CAL). The Teamsters and Continental management have been bargaining for more than a year to renew the collective bargaining agreement covering more than 3,600 mechanics. Negotiations stalled after the company refused to budge from its initial economic proposal in September. Teamsters mechanics are upset that they have been without a raise for seven years. The company has made permanent pay cuts that were instituted as an emergency cost-saving measure to avoid bankruptcy in 2005. Full release.

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