January 25, 2010

The TicketDisaster.org coalition today released the following statement in response to the Department of Justice's (DOJ) decision to allow the Ticketmaster-Live Nation merger to proceed: "The DOJ has asked consumers, independent promoters, ticket brokers, artists, and venue owners to take a very large leap of faith -- that the conditions imposed on the merger will improve competition and ultimately lead to greater choice and lower prices," said Sally Greenberg, executive director of the National Consumers League, a founding member of the TicketDisaster.org coalition. "While we appreciate the efforts of the DOJ to extract meaningful concessions from the parties, we remain concerned that these two companies, with a history of anti-consumer behavior, will abide only by the letter, and not the spirit of the settlement agreement. It is therefore critically important that the DOJ hold the merged company's feet to the fire to ensure that the settlement will have its intended effect. The consumer groups, venue owners, promoters, and ticket broker members of our coalition will remain vigilant to ensure that DOJ fulfills this watchdog function." Full release.

Since the terrible tragedy in Haiti, many have sought information about the Haitian community in the United States. Below are some basic socio-demographic statistics: * The last Census Bureau data (2008) indicates there are 546,000 Haitian immigrants in the United States. That is up from 408,000 in 2000 and 218,000 in 1990.(1) * Of the 546,000 foreign-born Haitians in the United States, 48 percent are naturalized U.S. citizens; this compares to 43 percent for the overall foreign-born population.(2) * The top states of Haitian immigrant settlement are Florida (251,963; 46%), New York (135,836; 25%) New Jersey (43,316; 8%), Massachusetts (36,779; 7%), Georgia (13,287; 2%), and Maryland (11,266; 2%).(3) * Our best estimate is that there are 75,000 to 125,000 illegal Haitian immigrants in the country. In 2000, the INS estimated there were 76,000 illegal Haitian immigrants.(4) * When it extended Temporary Protected Status to Haitians, the Department of Homeland Security estimated 100,000 to 200,000 people could be eligible. While most are illegal immigrants, this estimate also includes those on temporary visas such as tourists, foreign students, and guest workers who will not have to go home.(5) Full release.

The attacks today on a number of targets in Baghdad, including the Sheraton Hotel demonstrate the continued need for U.S. involvement in Iraq, Ahrar Leader Ayad Jamal Aldin said. On a visit to Washington, Mr. Aldin again appealed to the United States to reconsider its present position on its withdrawal plans. Speaking on hearing the news, Mr. Aldin said, "This attack is a tragic indictment of the current government. They have had long enough to address the underlying corruption which enables these bombs to creep through to their targets and cause untold pain and destruction." "The United States needs to help ensure the viability of a safe, secure, uncorrupt and secular democracy in Iraq in the lead up to the election and beyond. None of these goals are going to be met if the United States government continues its silent defense of the corrupt Iraqi government." "The current Iraqi government has shown time and time again their inability to address the issues that concern all Iraqis. By walking away, the United States risks throwing 7 years of toil, blood and money away." Full release.

The potential death toll and high-visibility of Haiti's deadly earthquake have sparked comparisons to the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami. However, aid group World Vision sees more differences than similarities and cites the complexity of disaster response in urban settings as a critical complicating factor. "I can see the temptation to compare these two disasters. But they are different in incredibly significant ways. The tsunami came with a loud bang followed by eerie silence in so many villages. In Haiti, one city lies in ruins, but aftershocks, injuries and further deaths continue day after day," said World Vision relief expert Jeffrey Wright from World Vision's base of operations in Port-au-Prince. Some of the most significant differences World Vision cites include: * Lack of sufficient space for large-scale displacement camps: "In part because of Haiti's topography, and in part because this disaster took place in an urban area, we don't have wide open spaces to set up large displacement areas," says Jean-Claude Mukadi, who is leading World Vision's Response Team there. "We're finding smaller camps tucked away on hillsides and even in the middle of neighborhoods full of rubble. In rural areas, we are able to use large spaces to set up camps for thousands – even tens of thousands – of people. And it becomes much easier to bring populations food and relief supplies quickly." Full release.

The Department of Justice today announced that three detainees have been transferred from the detention facility at Guantanamo Bay to the Government of Slovakia. As directed by the President's Jan. 22, 2009, Executive Order, the interagency Guantanamo Review Task Force conducted a comprehensive review of each of these cases. As a result of that review, which examined a number of factors, including security issues, the detainees were approved for transfer by unanimous consent among all the agencies involved in the Task Force. In accordance with Congressionally-mandated reporting requirements, the Administration informed Congress of its intent to transfer the detainees at least 15 days before their transfer. Yesterday, the three detainees were transferred to the Government of Slovakia. The identities of these three individuals are being withheld at the request of the Government of Slovakia for security and privacy reasons. The United States is grateful to the Government of Slovakia for its willingness to support U.S. efforts to close the Guantanamo Bay detention facility. Full release.

Foreign ministers meeting in Montreal today should agree to cancel Haiti's $890 million international debt in the wake of the devastating earthquake, international relief and development organization Oxfam said. Debt cancellation is one of Oxfam's five priorities for Haitian reconstruction. The other elements are: * support for Haitian farmers and small business; * ensure poor areas benefit from cash grants to speed economic recovery; * support for civil society and the Haitian government, including 'ministries in a box;' and * build back better, e.g. earthquake-proof buildings and alternative fuel sources to reduce deforestation. According to Oxfam, Haitian recovery risks being undermined by the country's debt burden and by a pre-existing food crisis that has left Haiti dependent on imports for 40 percent of its food. With the planting season due to begin in two weeks, urgent steps are needed to boost food production and stave off further hardship for up to three million Haitians affected by the disaster. Full release.

As policy makers, automotive industry officials, and media converge on the 2010 Washington Auto Show this week, they will be presented with an array of sleek electric cars -- both concepts and production models. But amid all the buzz about fuel efficiency and environmental friendliness, decision makers should bear in mind two issues that will curb demand for these innovative vehicles: the cost and technological limitations of their batteries. Although electric vehicle (EV) battery costs are expected to fall sharply over the coming decade, they are unlikely to drop enough to spark widespread adoption of fully electric vehicles without a major breakthrough in battery technology, according to a study by The Boston Consulting Group (BCG). The study, released earlier this month, concludes that the long-term cost target used by many carmakers in planning their future fleets of electric cars—$250 per kilowatt-hour (kWh)—is unlikely to be achieved unless there is a major breakthrough in battery chemistry that substantially increases the energy a battery can store without significantly increasing the cost of either battery materials or the manufacturing process. Full release.

Ahrar Party leader and Iraqi Prime Minister candidate Ayad Jamal Aldin has announced that unless the Justice and Accountability Commission reverses its decision to ban 511 candidates from the upcoming Iraqi national elections, he will take the issue to Iraqi courts, the United Nations and the United States for intervention. "I remain hopeful that this ruling will be overturned however, if it is not, we must fight this in the Iraqi courts and then, if need be, appeal directly to the US and UN to intervene, which they are legally obliged to do under UN Security Council Resolution 687, which Iraq has been signed up to since 1991," Ayad Jamal Aldin told his party members. "When the allies invaded Iraq they set out on an honorable and important mission. I will be eternally grateful that they ended Saddam's regime. However, it is crucial for them to continue to assist us and complete the job we set out do." "The present government is manipulating and dividing the sects for their own political ends simply to eliminate the competition. It is therefore unsurprising that the only people claiming that the ongoing American assistance within the country is counterproductive are the people benefiting from the corruption who have no interest in long term stability for our country." Full release.

As a company dedicated to creating safer learning environments, Wren has seen that one of the greatest challenges School Resource Officers (SROs) experience is sorting out fact from fiction with regards to staff, student and parent perceptions of security issues. To help SROs distinguish real security threats from perceived threats, Wren advises in the company's latest Bird's Eye View advisory that SROs can use anonymous crime surveys with students, parents, teachers and administrators to reconcile perception and reality in their school. According to Wren education security expert Jeff Floreno, the findings of a properly administered crime survey can make a huge difference. "In today's world, perception is reality. People react to and make decisions based on what they believe to be true. If students feel unsafe because of an unfounded but perceived dangerous threat, they are going to behave oddly or in ways that distract from their education. In this and other cases, it is not the security programs that need to be changed, but rather the perception that needs to be corrected to redirect attention, calm fears, and refocus attention on the real problems." Full release.

The Title/Appraisal Vendor Management Association (TAVMA) today announced its opposition to federal and state legislation that would dismantle new federal safeguards designed to protect appraiser independence and provide unbiased appraisals to homebuyers and lenders. Proposed legislation (H.R.1728) on the federal level and numerous initiatives on the state level would once again permit discredited business practices that were key factors behind the real estate bubble and crash. Specifically, they would allow mortgage brokers to select handpicked appraisers and communicate with them regarding property values. In May 2009, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac banned this practice and the Federal Housing Administration (FHA) is expected to enact a similar rule next month. H.R. 1728 would in effect repeal that new Home Value Code of Conduct (HVCC), initiated by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to prevent appraiser pressure and inflated appraisals, even though both agencies are on record as saying that the new code has improved appraisal quality. Full release.

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