December 2010

The following is a statement of Matthew L. Myers, President, Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids: "We believe that a federal judge was wrong on the law in striking down New York City's requirement that all businesses selling tobacco products post tobacco health warning signs. New York City acted lawfully to more effectively inform consumers about the health risks of tobacco use, and we urge the City to appeal. The judge ruled Wednesday that New York City's requirement is preempted by the Federal Cigarette Labeling and Advertising Act, which restricts the authority of states to regulate tobacco advertising and promotion. However, this ruling fails to recognize that New York City established the signage requirement as part of its regulation of the sale - not the advertising or promotion - of tobacco products, which is permitted by federal law." Full release

The National Action Alliance for Suicide Prevention today added three new task forces to address suicide prevention efforts within high-risk populations: American Indians/Alaska Natives (AI/AN); youth who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender (LGBT); and military service members and veterans. This brings to six the number of task forces formed by the Action Alliance, the public-private partnership forged in September to advance the National Strategy for Suicide Prevention (NSSP) (http://www.actionallianceforsuicideprevention.org). Full release

Congressman Chaka Fattah (D-PA.) declared today that President Obama has achieved "unparalleled success" with the historic scope and breadth of his legislative agenda that has no precedent among the 43 American Presidents who preceded him. "While the ranks of the American Presidency include many impressive individuals of significant accomplishment, President Obama ranks at the top for the broad sweep of his historic legislative accomplishments and the unparalleled success he has achieved across a diverse agenda," said Congressman Fattah, re-elected to his ninth term from Philadelphia. As Obama approaches the two-year anniversary of his inauguration, Fattah said no previous American President can claim the scope of accomplishments for shoring up the American dream and reshaping the aspirations of middle class and working families. Full release

Surrounded by her meager possessions, Deliverance "Tite Soeur" Boislo struggles to get through her daily chores in the bare two-roomed concrete shell that has been home to her family for the past 10 months. It is located in Cite l'Eternel, which despite the inspiring name, is one of the poorest neighborhoods of Haiti's capital Port-au-Prince. Even before the earthquake it was one of the city's most populated neighborhoods, a situation that has only been made worse since the disaster as thousands of homeless families like Deliverance's have flooded into the area putting up makeshift shelters. Like much of the capital, Cite l'Eternel has no running water or sanitation facilities. These conditions are of great concern given the cholera epidemic now ravaging Haiti and one reason why neighborhoods like this have been targeted by UNICEF in their cholera prevention campaigns.

See video from UNICEF at:

http://www.thenewsmarket.com/Releases/StoryDetailPage.aspx?GUID=110eda5e-0099-4d92-b273-8b367af6034d#

Full release

According to the publisher of Dialogue Concerning the Two Chief Approaches to a Science of Life: Word Pictures versus Working Models, while psychology is thought of as a "soft" science, now it has as solid a basis as physics and chemistry. The ramifications of the new theory are profound and far-reaching, similar to the revolution in astronomy when the technically correct explanation of the solar system was understood and accepted in the 1600s, or the way the discovery of oxygen eliminated the notion of phlogiston in chemistry. Perceptual Control Theory (PCT) transforms our understanding, turning much of what we think we know on its head, but turns out to make sense and be eminently practical when put to use. The new book introduces PCT, the first-ever comprehensive, technically sound, demonstrable and testable explanation for behavior: what it is, how it works, what it accomplishes. Full release

S&P Equity Research sees big developments for the Internet segment in 2011, including continuing challenges for Google, changes at Yahoo, a cloud offering from Apple, and excitement from China. "The coming year should also be another year of solid growth, with double-digit gains for U.S. Internet advertising and retail spending," observed Scott Kessler, Information Technology analyst at S&P Equity Research. Following are Mr. Kessler's predictions for the Internet industry for 2011: 1. We project that U.S. online advertising revenues and online retail spending will each rise 10% next year. Full release

Scientists at The Samuel Roberts Noble Foundation have uncovered a gene responsible for controlling key growth characteristics in plants, specifically the density of plant material. Denser plants have more biomass without increasing the agricultural footprint, meaning farmers and ranchers can produce more plant material from the same sized field. Plants that have increased density hold great potential to be used to produce biofuels, electricity and even advanced materials, like carbon fiber. "This is a significant breakthrough for those developing improved plants to address pressing societal needs," said Richard Dixon, D. Phil., director of the Noble Foundation's Plant Biology Division. "This discovery opens up new possibilities for harnessing and increasing the potential of crops by expanding their ranges of use. These plants will be part of the next generation of agriculture which not only impacts food, but many other vital industries as well." Full release

The SUBWAY® restaurant chain is proud to announce that it has introduced a new program for military Veterans designed to greatly reduce their costs associated with the purchase of a new SUBWAY® franchise. The franchise fee of $15,000, already one of the most reasonable in the quick service restaurant (QSR) industry, is now waived for any honorably discharged veteran who wishes to open a SUBWAY® restaurant on a government or military installation. In addition, the franchise fee will be reduced by 50-percent for any veteran opening a SUBWAY® restaurant at any non-military or non-government location. "This is our way to honor the brave men and women who have served our country over the years by providing a viable option for their post-military careers," says Don Fertman, Chief Development Officer for the SUBWAY® restaurant chain. "Veterans have put themselves in harm's way while defending our nation. We cannot thank them enough." Full release

The United States is losing its position as the global leader for IPO's, according to a new survey of American transaction attorneys conducted by KCSA Strategic Communications, a leading integrated communications firm, specializing in financial public and investor relations and creative marketing services. KCSA conducted an in-depth survey of approximately 50 securities attorneys whose firms advised on 75 percent of the initial public offerings listed on major U.S. exchanges in 2010. According to the results of the independent survey, 71 percent of securities attorneys think the U.S. is losing its share of global IPOs. "The simple fact is that as the U.S. regulatory environment has become more restrictive, other global exchanges have become more sophisticated and liquid and therefore have gained market share," said Joshua Ford Bonnie, Partner, Simpson Thacher & Bartlett. Full release

The FDA Food Safety Modernization Act, expected to be signed into law shortly by President Barack Obama, will set the bar higher for food manufacturers, processors and importers, as well as retailers of private label products, according to attorney Janice Lai, a partner in LeClairRyan's Hartford office. Among other things, the legislation is aimed at giving the Food and Drug Administration the power to mandate food recalls involving fruit and vegetable products, while setting new food safety standards for manufacturers and food processors, and requiring the industry to better track shipments. "This is positive legislation that balances the interests of both the consumer and food manufacturer," says Lai, an experienced litigator who focuses her practice on product liability, food litigation insurance defense, and complex civil litigation. "The bill ensures that contaminated foods, as well as those containing unwholesome or adulterated ingredients, do not reach consumers and grocery shelves." Full release

If it seems like it's harder to roll out of bed every morning when the temperature drops and sunrise comes later, you're not imagining things - and you're not alone. Whether chronic fatigue, Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) or an old-fashioned case of the seasonal blues, many people experience fatigue when seasons change and the weather cools. The six out of 100 Americans who suffer from SAD and the 50 percent of adults that report feeling chronically tired during the winter can get relief simply by supporting and boosting the immune system naturally. Full release

Sometimes places—and not just the people who live in them—need government help in recovering from severe economic distress, according to an article in the Winter 2011 Issues in Science and Technology. Author Michael Greenstone, formerly the chief economist of President Obama's Council of Economic Advisors, and coauthor Adam Looney found in their research that some U.S. communities that had devastating job losses in previous recessions, such as those of the early 1980s, often suffer economically for decades. They believe that a similar fate may await communities affected by the recent Great Recession. Greenstone and Looney draw on economic research to argue that a national economic strategy is justified to help future distressed communities avoid or shorten the long period of adjustment that previously distressed communities have endured. They propose a basket of policy options that could begin the process of restoring good jobs to local workers. Full release

Ukrainian corvette Ternopil has participated in NATO's Operation Active Endeavour for the fifth time. The Operation was launched for the first time by the Alliance after the 9/11 terrorist attack and aims to detect and deter terrorist activity in the Mediterranean Sea region. Ukraine was the first amongst non-member states to join the operation. "The trip was of great importance for our country. Ukraine has once again demonstrated its due execution of its international obligations; that it is a country which sees to stability in the region of Mediterranean and Black Seas, and proves its eagerness to combat terrorism," stated rear-admiral Yuriy Illyin. Full release

If finding a new job is on your list of New Year's resolutions, your prospects are likely to improve to some degree, according to CareerBuilder's annual job forecast. More employers plan to add full-time, permanent headcount in 2011 compared to 2010 with a continued emphasis on hiring in technology and revenue-producing fields. The survey, which was conducted by Harris Interactive© from November 15 to December 2, 2010, included more than 2,400 hiring managers and human resource professionals across industries and company sizes. "More than half of employers reported they are in a better financial position today than they were one year ago," said Matt Ferguson, CEO of CareerBuilder. "2011 will usher in a healthier employment picture as business leaders grow more confident in the economy. Our survey indicates more jobs will be added in 2011 than 2010, but job creation will remain gradual. The year will be characterized by steady, measured gains across various industries." Full release

The unauthorized publication of thousands of pages of classified U.S. diplomatic cables by the WikiLeaks organization has had a serious unintended consequence: the proliferation of anti-Israel conspiracy theories claiming that Israel and the "Israel lobby" played a secret role in the documents' release. The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) said the WikiLeaks affair was "being exploited to spread false and malicious conspiracy theories against Israel," as a part of a disinformation campaign that has gained traction with those catering to the far right and the left, some Arab and Islamic Web sites and others dedicated to spreading "anti-Zionist" messages like Islam Times and Hezbollah's Al Manar. Full release

Calling it a "great initiative, with the potential of empowering non-governmental agencies and opening the door for greater global partnerships," Islamic Relief USA's CEO Abed Ayoub praised the Quadrennial Diplomacy and Development Review (QDDR). As a leader in humanitarian relief and development efforts, IR USA was invited to the launching of QDDR at the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). At the event, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton formally launched QDDR, declaring it was a "change in attitude." The review is a sweeping assessment aimed at bringing together valuable contributions of civilians across the federal government to advance American interests. It is premised on the idea that the Department of State and USAID can be more effective in preventing and resolving conflicts; alleviating poverty; and bringing about prosperity, stability and democracy in many parts of the world. Full release

The Department of Justice's Office of Justice Programs today announced the release of Substance Use and Delinquent Behavior Among Serious Offenders, a bulletin based on findings from a longitudinal study, Pathways to Desistance: A Prospective Study of Delinquent Offenders, which was sponsored by the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention. Over a seven year period, the Pathways to Desistance research team followed a group of 1,354 young offenders in Philadelphia, PA, and Maricopa County, AZ, after their conviction, collecting comprehensive data on their offending and their lives. Full release

Data through October 2010, released today by Standard & Poor's for its S&P/Case-Shiller(1) Home Price Indices, the leading measure of U.S. home prices, show a deceleration in the annual growth rates in 18 of the 20 MSAs and the 10- and 20-City Composites in October compared to what was reported for September 2010. The 10-City Composite was up only 0.2% and the 20-City Composite fell 0.8% from their levels in October 2009. Home prices decreased in all 20 MSAs and both Composites in October from their September levels. In October, only the 10-City Composite and four MSAs - Los Angeles, San Diego, San Francisco and Washington DC - showed year-over-year gains. Full release

Robert Weiner, former House Aging Committee Chief of Staff and later White House staff, issued the following statement after today's Washington Post Michael Gerson column, "Face Social Security": Michael Gerson's column was loaded with inaccuracies: "The Social Security Trust Fund is NOT "filled with debt issued by the government itself." It is 100% filled with the "match" payroll tax payments by employers and employees as a fully funded insurance program—as designed by Franklin Roosevelt 76 years ago, and strengthened by Claude Pepper, Tip O'Neill, and Ronald Reagan in 1983. What has happened is that the government has borrowed from the solvent Social Security fund for many other purposes from Iraq and Afghanistan to tax breaks." Full release

The American Council on Exercise (ACE), America's leading authority on fitness and the largest nonprofit fitness certification, education and training organization in the world, today announced the launch of its My Body, My Life Essay Contest on January 4, 2011, designed to uncover and share motivating stories of perseverance, hope and compassion behind people's desire to live at a healthier weight. This contest is a consumer initiative in conjunction with ACE's national campaign against the obesity epidemic. "Through My Body, My Life, we want to remind the public that weight loss is more than just a number on a scale or fitting into a pair of pants—it's about health, well-being and quality of life," said Scott Goudeseune, American Council on Exercise President and CEO. Full release

Right now, thousands of American troops are deployed overseas and separated from their loved ones, as the U.S. is experiencing the longest deployment of troops in history. For some families, this means that they haven't seen their soldiers in over a year. Procter & Gamble (NYSE: PG) and Walmart (NYSE: WMT) have teamed up with the USO to help connect deployed members of the U.S. military with their families during the holiday season and tell their personal reunion stories. As part of "Operation Family Connect" (www.operationfamilyconnect.com) P&G, Walmart and the USO recently launched "Operation Family Connect: Road to Reunion," an original web series, created in collaboration with The ZiZo Group. The series chronicles three military families as they anticipate the return of their family members from Iraq through home videos and personal blogs. Full release

Since the devastating earthquake struck Haiti on Jan. 12, 2010, Habitat for Humanity has made steady progress toward its goal to serve 50,000 Haitian families over the next five years. As part of its strategy to provide families with pathways to permanent housing, the organization has constructed more than 1,000 recyclable transitional shelters or upgradeable shelters and expects to have constructed 2,000 by the end of January. Transitional shelters are constructed so they can be dismantled easily and relocated. Upgradable shelters can be turned into permanent homes. For the long term, Habitat remains committed to building hurricane and earthquake-resistant cement-block houses. Full release

The King's Speech is a movie many consider to be a frontrunner to sweep the Oscars this year. Many will see the story of King George VI and his struggle with stammering (or stuttering as we call it here in the US). Among those viewers will be the one percent of the population that has a stuttering problem themselves. They need to know the most current, accurate information about stuttering if they have any hope of getting help. In the 1930's when this movie takes place, the cause of stuttering was thought to be psychological. Speech therapists did use psychotherapy to remove the "emotional trauma" that they believed produced the stuttering. Scientific research from the 1980's to the present clearly shows that stutterers and normal speakers have definite physical differences in their brains. Full release

New York Blood Center (NYBC) serving more than 20 million people in New York City, Long Island, the Hudson Valley, and New Jersey calls upon our communities to please donate blood and platelets, after more than 1,000 donations were lost due to weather-related cancellations. O-negative and O-positive blood types are particularly needed, but healthy people of all blood types and ethnicities are encouraged to donate. Blood donors are being asked to give blood today and in the days ahead if they can, but please visit www.nybloodcenter.org before leaving home for the latest information regarding cancellations. Full release

Researchers from George Washington University and the Smithsonian Institution have discovered evidence to debunk the theory that Neandertals' disappearance was caused in part by a deficient diet — one that lacked variety and was overly reliant on meat. After discovering starch granules from plant food trapped in the dental calculus on 40-thousand-year-old Neandertal teeth, the scientists believe that Neandertals ate a wide variety of plants and included cooked grains as part of a more sophisticated, diverse diet similar to early modern humans. "Neandertals are often portrayed as very backwards or primitive," said Amanda Henry, lead researcher from GW. "Now we are beginning to understand that they had some quite advanced technologies and behaviors." Full release

The November Mortgage Monitor report released by Lender Processing Services, Inc. (NYSE: LPS) shows that the volume of loans moving to REO continued to drop as moratoria further delayed foreclosure sales. While the 90+ delinquency category has steadily declined, the number of loans moving to seriously delinquent status beyond 90 days far outpaced the number of foreclosure starts. Nearly 2.2 million loans are 90 days or more delinquent but not yet in foreclosure. Foreclosure inventories also continued to rise for the fifth straight month as delinquent accounts are referred for foreclosure, but the sale of foreclosure properties continued to decline. Full release

"Where u at." Those three words made up the last text message Mariah West read before her car crashed into a bridge, ending her life. Approaching one of the most dangerous days on the road - New Year's Eve - AT&T* today announced the release of a powerful new documentary featuring stories from individuals, including Mariah's parents, whose lives have been altered by texting while driving. The 10-minute piece will be distributed nationwide to schools, safety organizations, government agencies and more as part of AT&T's "It Can Wait" campaign. Each of the eight individuals included in the full-length reel volunteered their stories to help AT&T educate wireless customers - particularly youth - on the risks of tapping away on their cell phones in the car. The documentary can be viewed online at no charge on AT&T's "It Can Wait" website and on AT&T's YouTube page. Full release

A study fielded by Horowitz earlier this year suggested that although Black and Hispanic homes under-index for broadband, they are driving new broadband growth. In Horowitz's new study, multicultural consumers with broadband also lead the way in ownership of video-enabled handheld devices: 84% of Asian and 83% of Hispanic and Black broadband users can access video on a handheld, compared to 74% of Whites. With growing access to alternative platforms and more robust content on them, the study finds multicultural consumers are generally more involved in multiplatform TV than Whites. Almost half (48%) of Asian, 46% of Hispanic, and 35% of both Black and White broadband users watch TV content online; 16% of Asian, 22% of Hispanic, 19% of Black, and 15% of White broadband users watch TV content on a handheld (weekly data). Despite heavy usage of multiplatform TV, the traditional set still dominates. Full release

AJC is outraged by Chilean Senator Eugenio Tuma's accusations that prominent Jews, including the country's Interior Minister, are, in effect, agents of the Israeli government. Tuma charged that Chilean Jews are responsible for holding back the country's recognition of a Palestinian state. "Senator Tuma's bigoted remarks are an affront to all Chileans, and should be wholeheartedly condemned by the highest levels of government and civic society," said AJC Executive Director David Harris. "Inserting the Israeli-Palestinian conflict into Chilean politics in such an odious way, and calling into question the loyalty to Chile of some of its most devoted citizens, is contrary to the nation's democratic and pluralistic tradition." Full release

In a letter earlier today to Assistant Secretary of State, Jeffrey Feltman, the U.S. Committee for Camp Ashraf Residents (USCCAR) expressed dismay over the State Department's lack of action to halt the continuing atrocities perpetrated against the residents of Ashraf by Iraqi security forces. The letter came on the heels of a brutal, unprovoked attack Sunday afternoon by Iraqi forces against members of Iran's main opposition, the People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK), in Camp Ashraf, Iraq. Dozens of residents were severely wounded, including Mr. Behrouz Mohajer, who sustained chest injuries and is in critical condition. Full release

Holiday shopping is over and the New Year's Eve plans are made. It's also the time of year when people look back and look forward and, this year many are probably thinking more of the economic year that was and the one that will be. President Obama is also probably thinking ahead to the economic future and his handling of the economy. At the end of his second year in office, just three in ten Americans (30%) give him positive ratings on the job he is doing on the economy while seven in ten (70%) give him negative ratings. These are some of the results of The Harris Poll of 2,331 adults surveyed online between December 6 and 13, 2010 by Harris Interactive. Full release

The Seoul Metropolitan Government announced that it has started commercial operation of eco-friendly full-size electric buses on the Mt. Namsan circular routes as of December 21. It is the first time in the world that electronic buses have been put into commercial operations. SMG has worked on the project to develop full-sized electric buses with local technology over the last one and a half years, since it signed an agreement with Hyundai Heavy Industries and Hankuk Fiber for the development of electric buses in September 2009. Electric bus services will not only improve air conditions in the city but also lead the technology of large-sized electric vehicles in the global electric car market, the City said. Full release

Safe and Secure TV Channel, LLC (Pinksheets: SSTC), the premier internet broadband television network devoted exclusively to homeland security and emergency preparedness, is continuing to expand its content offerings for 2011 with a schedule that includes the full range of the military's official Pentagon Channel, which provides news and original programming for the 2.6 million members of the US Armed Services, as well as the hundreds of thousands of employees of the Department of Defense. The Pentagon Channel operates round-the-clock, delivering thousands of hours of military and defense-related content annually, including front line coverage of US military theaters around the world, coverage of senior defense and government leaders, and other features. Full release

The 2010 Census enumeration began last January in a remote corner of Alaska and in the months that followed, America stepped up and achieved a successful census. As mandated by the Constitution, the census counts every resident in the United States every 10 years to determine the number of seats each state receives in the U.S. House of Representatives. Beginning this month, the nation will see the first results from the 2010 Census as a new portrait of America begins to take shape. Full release

cademy Award®-winning director Davis Guggenheim (An Inconvenient Truth) delivers another provocative film experience with his compelling and inspirational examination of American public education in WAITING FOR "SUPERMAN", arriving on Blu-ray and DVD February 15, 2011 from Paramount Home Entertainment. Named the Best Documentary of the year by the National Board of Review, and cited by the American Film Institute as one of the year's best movies, WAITING FOR "SUPERMAN" was called "an electrifying call to action" (Peter Travers, Rolling Stone), and has launched a movement to achieve real and lasting change in the nation's schools. The film depicts the moving and poignant struggles of real-life students and their families and the efforts of educators and reformers who are working to find viable solutions within a dysfunctional system. Full release

Former Chief of Staff of the House Select Committee on Aging Robert Weiner and policy analyst Jonathan Battaglia say the tax deal passed by Congress last week is a major threat to the solvency of Social Security. In an op-ed in today's Palm Beach Post, they assert, "Under the radar screen, the new tax deal is threatening the livelihood of America's present and future seniors — to line the pockets of millionaires. "If made permanent, a new Social Security 'payroll tax holiday,' reducing the 'match' employers pay from 6 percent to 4 percent of salary, will drop the solvency of the program 14 years, from 2037 to 2023. At the same time, Congress agreed to increase high-end loopholes in the estate tax, exempting 39,000 estates worth as much as $5 million." Full release

Teamsters General President Jim Hoffa commended Congress today for passing the James Zadroga 9/11 bill to monitor and treat workers who got sick because of their work at Ground Zero. Many firefighters, police officers and construction workers developed respiratory and other illnesses from exposure to World Trade Center dust. The bill is named after James Zadroga, a New York Police Department officer who died of respiratory illness similar to those of many Ground Zero workers. "This is the very least that the American people can do to honor the sacrifice and courage that these heroes made after the 9/11 attacks," Hoffa said. "Teamsters are among those suffering heart and lung problems because of their tireless work at Ground Zero. Some have lost wages, and some have lost their health benefits. I am so pleased that Congress is doing the right thing for these brave patriots." Full release

Next year, Governor-elect Tom Corbett and Pennsylvania's incoming legislature should do what seven other states will be doing on January 1 — increasing the minimum wage to keep pace with inflation. The planned increases — automatic inflation-based adjustments ranging from 9 to 12 cents — will modestly boost the incomes of approximately 647,000 minimum-wage workers in Arizona, Colorado, Montana, Ohio, Oregon, Vermont and Washington. The indexed increases came about through ballot initiatives in six states and 2005 legislation in the state of Vermont. Today, the Keystone Research Center (KRC) and the National Employment Law Center (NELP) hailed the upcoming minimum-wage increases as essential to helping working families keep up with rising costs of living. The increases will also help drive the economic recovery by boosting consumer spending at local businesses. Full release

The Clarion Fund, producers of documentary films on the threats posed to America by radical Islam, announced the formation of an Advisory Board to help steer the editorial composition of the company's productions, and assist in ongoing marketing and distribution efforts. Publication of the Advisory Board comes less than 60 days prior to the release of Clarion Fund's newest documentary film, Iranium, dealing with the dangers posed to the United States and the international community by a nuclear Iran. "Our advisory board members are highly respected experts in issues of national security, terrorism, Islamic culture and foreign affairs," said Raphael Shore, founder of Clarion Fund. "And they have all been sounding the alarms for years on the very real dangers posed to America by radical Islam." Full release

In a year-end nationwide poll conducted by the nonpartisan Clarus Research Group assessing the mood of the country and the next presidential election, a whopping 85 percent of voters say they agree with the statement, "In many ways America is in decline and we need strong, competent leadership to get us back on track." Nearly half of all voters -- 48 percent -- also say it would be a good idea to elect a "nonpartisan" President who is neither a Democrat nor a Republican. "You'd expect independent voters to want an independent President. But more than two out of every five Democrats and Republicans also say electing a nonpartisan President is a good idea," said Ron Faucheux, president of Clarus Research Group. "There is clearly potential for an independent candidate to do quite well in 2012." Full release

For the third year in a row, domestic violence programs across Texas have seen an increase in families needing emergency services, according to an annual survey by The Allstate Foundation. This year's survey not only found that programs are receiving more calls for help, but families are having to stay in shelters longer, pushing programs to capacity. Of the 39 domestic violence programs The Allstate Foundation surveyed statewide this year, 84% say the need for services (hotline calls, counseling and/or shelter stays) continued to climb this year, after many also experienced spikes in 2008 and 2009. The most significant change in this year's survey was in the amount of time families needed to stay in a shelter, with some programs seeing as much as a 100% increase in length of stays this year. Full release

AJC is calling on the head of the Greek Orthodox Church in Greece, Archbishop Ieronymos II, as well as Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, to condemn unequivocally the blatant anti-Semitic libels expressed by Metropolitan Seraphim of Piraeus, one of the church's highest officials. "Metropolitan Seraphim's horrendous lies on Greek TV demonstrate that anti-Semitism is alive and well within the Greek Orthodox Church," said Rabbi David Rosen, AJC's International Director of Interreligious Affairs. "It is the responsibility of the church leadership to condemn and uproot anti-Semitism." Metropolitan Seraphim's comments came during an interview on the morning show of the largest Greek TV station. "Adolf Hitler was an instrument of world Zionism and was financed from the renowned Rothschild family with the sole purpose of convincing the Jews to leave the shores of Europe and go to Israel to establish the new Empire," said Seraphim. Full release

Shawn Rae's unique Christmas Album, A World Christmas, Love Knows No Borders, was considered for a Grammy nomination earlier this year. The Album was inspired by the "Dialogue" in 2007 between King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia and Pope Benedict XVI, one, which was endorsed by more than 460 organizations from around the world, including the Chief Rabbis of Israel, and the United Nations. This "Dialogue" promoted a wide discussion on the urgency for religious and cultural discourse among not only Christians, Muslims, Jews but all religions. Full release

The National Coalition on Black Civic Participation (NCBCP) and the National Council of Negro Women (NCNW) today released the following statement on the Federal Communications Commission's (FCC) vote to implement a new regulatory framework to preserve open internet principles: "The National Coalition on Black Civic Participation (NCBCP) and the National Council of Negro Women (NCNW) note the significant achievement in the FCC's passing of a new Open Internet Order. Upon initial review, the FCC's regulatory plan to preserve the open Internet will allow for decision makers and key internet players to refocus efforts to ensure better broadband access, adoption, and affordability in our communities. As two national organizations representing the interests of African American women, we understand the life-changing tools offered by broadband Internet." Full release

In its fourth and final award announcement of 2010, the Carnegie Hero Fund Commission today named 21 individuals from throughout the United States and Canada as recipients of the CARNEGIE MEDAL. The medal is given to those who risk their lives to an extraordinary degree while saving or attempting to save the lives of others. The heroes announced today bring to 85 the number of awards made in 2010 and to 9,412 the total number of awards since the Pittsburgh-based Fund's inception in 1904. Commission President Mark Laskow stated that each of the awardees or their next of kin will also receive a financial grant. Throughout the 106 years since the Fund was established by industrialist-philanthropist Andrew Carnegie, $32.9 million has been given in one-time grants, scholarship aid, death benefits, and continuing assistance. Resumes of the acts can be found at http://www.carnegiehero.org/awardees_recent.php. Full release

The Procter & Gamble Company (NYSE:PG) today announced that the more than 350 bloggers participating in its social purpose Internet campaign, the GIVE HEALTH Clean Water Blogivation, have reached the company’s goal of providing 100,000 days of clean drinking water to people in developing countries. The innovative program invited bloggers from around the world to give space on their blogs for a special widget through which readers clicked to donate water. For every user’s click and subsequent share on Facebook or Twitter, P&G provided a day of clean drinking water (2 liters) to a person in a developing country through the company’s not-for-profit Children's Safe Drinking Water Program (CSDW). Full release

Jon O'Brien, president of Catholics for Choice, issued the following statement after the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith sought to clarify the pope's comments on condom use. "The statement from the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith today on condoms and what the pope did or did not say changes nothing about the significance of Pope Benedict's initial game-changing remarks. "In Light of the World Pope Benedict XVI acknowledged for the first time that condoms can play a role in the fight to prevent the spread of HIV. That was groundbreaking and will make a major difference to those involved in the fight against HIV. The Congregation's statement today does not change that. "Catholics for Choice is clear that the pope's continued worldview regarding sex and sexuality remains seriously out of touch with the practices and beliefs of the majority of Catholics around the world. Whether Pope Benedict likes it or not, Catholics already believe that condoms help prevent the spread of HIV." Full release

Consumer Watchdog called on the Obama administration to subject all health insurance rate increases imposed since the approval of the health reform law to new regulations issued by HHS today. The new rule requires public justification and review of any health insurance rate increase of 10% or greater. The group also said the regulation must be strengthened to require public disclosure of all the predictions and actuarial assumptions made by insurance companies to justify rate increases of 10% or higher. The regulation as drafted would allow insurers to keep secret many details of rate calculations. Full release

Speaker Nancy Pelosi delivered remarks this afternoon in the Capitol Visitor Center (CVC) Auditorium at an enrollment ceremony with Democratic Members of the House and Senate and service members to sign legislation repealing the discriminatory 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' policy. The House passed the bill last week; the Senate passed it Saturday. The bill now goes to President Obama, who will sign it into law tomorrow. Below are the Speaker's opening remarks and closing statement. Speaker Pelosi on Repeal of Don't Ask, Don't Tell: "We are here to affirm a core American principle: that anyone who wishes to serve, secure, and defend this country should be welcomed, judged by their abilities, and honored for their sacrifice. We will strengthen our national security and recognize the contributions of all Americans, the contributions that they have made to our nation's defense. And we will fulfill our pledge to make 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' a memory by the end of this year." Full release

Real-life application of revolutionary virtual technology to train and teach in the classroom will be the focus of the University of Southern California's display and presentations at the Consumers Electronics Show (CES) Jan. 6-10 at the Las Vegas Convention Center. The USC Institute for Creative Technologies (ICT), in partnership with the USC School of Social Work, will be demonstrating its Virtual Patient Avatar and its video-game inspired Virtual Iraq technologies, created by ICT and currently being used by the USC School of Social Work to train and prepare social workers to help address the mental health needs of soldiers returning from war. Full release

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