Unfiltered

A prominent national Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization today announced a major educational initiative in response to an extremist Gainesville, Fla., church's plan to burn copies of the Quran, Islam's holy text, on September 11. The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) said its "Learn, Don't Burn" initiative will seek to distribute 200,000 copies of the Qurans to replace the 200 books that the Florida church plans to burn. The Qurans will be sponsored and distributed through CAIR's ongoing "Explore the Quran" campaign. At a Capitol Hill news conference, CAIR said its executive director will offer the sermon for the end of Ramadan (Eid ul-Fitr) prayers in Gainesville on Friday and will hold a news conference in that city on Saturday following any Quran burnings. Full release.

Less than two years after throwing the "bums" out of Washington, America seems poised to bring the Republicans back and Denver author Michael Cuddehe asserts that they'll bring their corruption and the failed policies that got us into this financial mess. "Republican policies led directly to the economic calamity that we live with today," says Cuddehe, author of the new book "Chronicle of Catastrophe: A Contemporaneous History of the Bush Years." "Republicans are now posturing as fiscal conservatives. Amazingly, the American people are buying it." Full release.

In observance of World Habitat Day, Habitat for Humanity International will honor former U.S. President Jimmy Carter and former first lady Rosalynn Carter at Habitat for Humanity's "Thanks a Million! A salute to the life and service of our most famous volunteers-Jimmy & Rosalynn Carter" Gala in Washington, D.C., at the Andrew W. Mellon Auditorium-Monday, Oct. 4, 2010. The evening will include a memorable celebration of the Carters' 27 years of service to Habitat and of their lifetime commitment to strengthening democracy and alleviating poverty. Garth Brooks, Trisha Yearwood, Frank Blake of The Home Depot, Andrew N. Liveris of Dow, and Larry Stone of Lowe's Corporation are gala co-chairs. U.S. Housing and Urban Development Secretary Shaun Donovan will serve as the guest speaker. Full release.

If you are a Democratic candidate running for office, would you want President Obama to endorse your candidacy? How about if you are a Republican-would you want Sarah Palin or the Tea Party's endorsement? Right now, the answer would be probably not. If a candidate running for office was endorsed by President Obama, 45% of Americans would be less likely to vote for that candidate and 42% say they would be more likely. Over half of U.S. adults (56%) say they would be less likely to vote for a candidate endorsed by Sarah Palin, while three in ten (30%) would be more likely to do so. When it comes to the Tea Party's support, two in five Americans (41%) say they would be less likely to vote for their endorsed candidate, one-third (34%) would be more likely and one-quarter (26%) are not at all sure. Full release.

Almost two in three Americans (65%) say a double-dip recession-defined as a recession followed by a short-lived recovery, followed by another recession-is now likely to happen. Among those who expect a double-dip recession, nearly half (44%) fear it will be worse than the first one, with 21% worried it will be "much more severe." Just 24% think the second recession will be less severe. These findings come from a recently conducted survey of 1,043 Americans by the polling firm StrategyOne, a Daniel J. Edelman company. As they are bracing for a second downturn, Americans are certainly not holding their breath for a full recovery coming anytime soon. Just 5% think there will be a full economic recovery by the end of this year, and only another 21% see recovery taking place by the end of 2011. Half of all Americans polled (50%) see a recovery not coming until sometime after the end of 2011, and about a quarter (23%) doubt our economy will ever fully recover. Full release.

Michelle Obama, who along with Dr. Jill Biden last year helped to launch Mission Serve, the civilian-military initiative of the ServiceNation coalition, will be volunteering with Mission Serve and The George Washington (GW) University community this September 11, the National Day of Service and Remembrance. Mission Serve, in the words of its Director, Afghanistan veteran Ross Cohen, is a network of non-profit organizations dedicated to "bringing together civilian and military communities through service and volunteerism." The First Lady will be serving with nearly two hundred GW Freshmen, veterans, active duty servicemembers, students, military retirees, spouses and Chesterbrook Elementary School students to renovate the Vinson Hall Retirement Community. Full release.

The Arizona chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-AZ) today called on the FBI to investigate a possible bias motive for recent vandalism at a Phoenix mosque site. Representatives of the mosque, which is under construction, suspect the broken glass and graffiti is related to the current anti-Muslim sentiment nationwide resulting from the controversy over a planned Islamic community center in Manhattan. "Given the level of anti-Muslim rhetoric in our society, the planned Quran burning in Florida and the upcoming anniversary of the 9/11 terror attacks, it is only reasonable to investigate a possible bias motive for this vandalism," said CAIR National Communications Director Ibrahim Hooper. Full release.

Three in ten Americans recently surveyed by PricewaterhouseCoopers' Health Research Institute said they would use their cell or smart phone to track and monitor their personal health, and 40 percent would be willing to pay for a remote monitoring device that sends health information directly to their doctor. Their interest reflects the nascent but fast-growing market for remote and mobile health and significant business opportunities for organizations using consumer technologies to support preventative, acute and chronic care. The findings of the survey and new report entitled Healthcare Unwired were presented today by PricewaterhouseCoopers at the mHealth Initiative 2nd International mHealth Conference in San Diego. According to the report, wireless technology, remote monitoring and mobile devices are changing the nature of healthcare, making it possible to deliver care anywhere in ways that are proving to reduce healthcare costs and keep people healthier. Full release.

Millions of children are online everyday. Do you think they are aware of the dangers that exist? Do you even know the evil residing online looking to connect with children? The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and administrators for the FBI-SOS initiative do. Online child pornography/child sexual exploitation investigations accounted for 39 percent of all investigations worked under the FBI's Cyber Division. Designed to meet state and federal Internet safety mandates, the FBI-SOS (Safe Online Surfing) Internet Challenge, is a free educational program that delivers critical Internet safety information in a fun, competitive format to students in 3rd through 8th grades with a separate monthly challenge for each grade level. At the end of each month, the schools with the highest-scoring students in each grade are rewarded with a visit from a FBI Special Agent, who presents the national trophy. Full release.

The United States ties for fifth place with Switzerland in a new "World Giving Index 2010" (WGI 2010) report issued today by the Charities Aid Foundation America (CAFAmerica), a member organization of the United Kingdom-based Charities Aid Foundation international network of offices. The review of the state of giving in 153 countries representing 95 percent of the globe's population is the most ambitious study of its kind to have ever been attempted. The U.S. posted impressive numbers in all three WGI 2010 categories-with 60 percent in the U.S. giving to an organization, 39 percent volunteering time and 65 percent willing to help a complete stranger. The Index ranked Australia and New Zealand as the most charitable nations in the world, followed by Ireland and Canada in third and fourth place respectively. Full release.

A report released today by BP spreads blame for the Gulf Coast disaster across many entities, including Transocean and Halliburton. Meanwhile, news accounts have indicated that final payment protocols for the BP fund / Gulf Coast Claims Facility will require claimants to waive future legal rights against all corporations involved in the disaster. The following is a statement from American Association for Justice President Gibson Vance: "From the very beginning, BP has distorted the impact of this disaster and attempted to skirt accountability, so the accuracy and candor of their report is unknown. But in light of BP spreading blame among multiple corporations, claimants must not be forced to sign away all their legal rights if accepting settlements from the Gulf Coast Claims Facility. To force Gulf Coast residents and businesses to grant all these corporations blanket immunity before the disaster and its scope is fully understood is unconscionable." Full release.

Although the U.S. economy is still vulnerable, a "double-dip" recession is unlikely with slow-to-moderate growth continuing this year and gradually accelerating in 2011, according to a U.S. economic forecast released by George Mokrzan, senior economist for Huntington Bank (Nasdaq: HBAN; www.huntington.com). "The economy is especially vulnerable when it comes to additional negative economic shocks, whether they come from credit markets, the geo-political environment, the policy environment or other unforeseeable areas," Mokrzan said. Mokrzan sees the probability of a double-dip recession at 26 percent this year. Full release.

AARP today announced a new relationship with former U.S. Treasurer Anna Escobedo Cabral. As the new Family Finance Ambassador for AARP, Cabral will provide practical advice to AARP's members and all Americans 50+ on everyday saving tips, budgeting and tools for achieving financial security. Baby Boomers have acquired more debt than any other age group in today's economy, raising the prospect that many will carry that debt into retirement. Cabral will share practical financial advice and her personal experiences about ways people can improve their family's financial future. This information will be communicated via video content, webisodes, in-person appearances at AARP events, and live Web chats on www.aarp.org. She will also reach out to Latinos age 50+ and their families with in-culture and bilingual financial guidance. Full release.

An international partnership is racing against the clock to ensure the survival of the last 48 Javan rhinos on earth by carving out a safe haven in the dense jungles of Indonesia's Ujung Kulon National Park. The species' entire viable population, living on the island of Java, is quite literally stuck between a rock and a hard place. In 1883, Ujung Kulon and the surrounding areas were decimated by the eruption of Krakatau, one of the most violent volcanic events in modern times. Anak Krakatau ("son of Krakatau") remains active in the area causing great concern for conservationists. Full release.

Americans are uncertain about some basic food safety practices in the home, according to a recent survey from NSF International, a not-for-profit public health and safety organization. A phone survey of 1,000 American consumers found that people are in fact doing either too much or too little when it comes to the safe handling and preparation of meals. For example, consumers are taking great caution in the initial food preparation stages, as 78% of respondents knew the right way to defrost meat and poultry safely (such as defrosting in a refrigerator), but only 20% of them bother to use a meat thermometer to ensure food is properly cooked. Similarly, consumers are overly cautious when it comes to discarding leftover food too soon and relying perhaps too heavily on expiration dates on food packages. Full release.

HCD Research and Muhlenberg College announced today that they will conduct on-going social media research to track and measure voter sentiment for some of the most highly contested political races in the upcoming fall elections. The two organizations will focus on several key races including the Pennsylvania senatorial and gubernatorial races featuring Toomey vs. Sestak and Corbett vs. Onorato respectively; the Nevada senatorial race with Reid vs. Angle; the Florida senatorial race with Rubio, Crist, Greene and Meek; the Missouri senatorial race with Blunt vs. Carnahan; and the California senatorial race with Boxer vs. Fiorina. Full release.

The following is a statement of Matthew L. Myers, President, Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids: Two new reports released today by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention show that while the United States has made dramatic progress in the fight against tobacco, too many Americans still smoke and too many non-smokers-including more than half of all young children-are still exposed to secondhand smoke. Along with recent surveys showing that youth smoking declines have slowed, these reports sound loud and clear warnings that the battle against tobacco use-the nation's number one cause of preventable death-is far from over. Rather than declaring premature victory, elected officials at all levels must resist complacency and step up efforts to implement proven measures to reduce tobacco use and exposure to secondhand smoke. Full release.

Scholastic, the global children's publishing, education and media company, today announced that continued progress has been made toward the company-wide goal of strengthening its sustainable paper procurement practices and increasing the percentage of Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certified and post-consumer waste (PCW) recycled paper purchased. In January of 2008, Scholastic announced goals for 2012 to increase its purchase of FSC-certified paper for its publications to 30% and its use of recycled paper to 25%, of which 75% would be post-consumer waste. Due to a reduction in the amount of paper purchased in 2009, combined with the loss of an FSC supplier, the amount of FSC-certified paper was slightly reduced from 2008. Scholastic found tonnage to replace the lost source in 2010, and anticipates a steady improvement in the coming year. Full release.

Preventive health services such as daily aspirin use, tobacco cessation screening and alcohol abuse screening can potentially save 2 million lives and nearly $4 billion annually, according to a new paper produced by the National Commission on Prevention Priorities (NCPP). The NCPP is convened by the Partnership for Prevention. Four of the five lead authors perform research with HealthPartners Research Foundation. The paper, "Greater Use Of Preventive Services In U.S. Health Care Could Save Lives At Little Or No Cost," is published in the September issue of Health Affairs. Its authors analyzed the estimated cost of adopting a package of 20 proven preventive services against the savings that could be generated. They also estimated how much in health care costs would have been saved in a given year if 90 percent of the population had used those services. For 2006, the year selected, the savings were estimated at $3.7 billion. Full release.

Gingrich Productions, in partnership with Citizens United Productions and Peace River Company, will premiere their new documentary, America At Risk: The War With No Name, on Saturday, September 11 at the Newseum in Washington, D.C. America At Risk, hosted by Newt and Callista Gingrich, vividly demonstrates the dangers facing America one decade after the attacks on 9/11. According to experts, we are at war with radical Islamists-and it is a war we are losing. Today, Washington refuses to tell the truth about the war we are fighting. The Global War on Terror has been renamed the "Overseas Contingency Operation" by the Obama Administration. They have removed "Islamic extremism" and "jihad" from national security strategy documents, and Department of Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano has suggested we replace the word "terrorism" with "man-caused disasters." Full release.

Transportation agencies reacted positively to news that President Barack Obama plans to include immediate transportation investment in his recipe for economic recovery. "We are highly supportive of President Obama's proposal to immediately invest $50 billion to rebuild roads, expand high speed rail, and rehabilitate airport runways," said John Horsley, executive director of the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials. "We have demonstrated that investing in transportation infrastructure is one of the fastest ways to create and sustain jobs. An AASHTO January 2010 survey of states showed 9,800 ready-to-go projects valued at nearly $80 billion. If Congress wants to pass legislation investing in our transportation infrastructure, the states stand ready to put those dollars to work." Full release.

The U.S. Department of Labor's Employment and Training Administration has launched a Web portal to help job seekers match their current skills to new careers and find out what training is needed to transition from one job to another. This new online tool is called "mySkills myFuture" and can be accessed at http://www.myskillsmyfuture.org. Users will be able to view local job postings and locate training and education providers. They also will be able to find descriptions, salary information and common job tasks associated with a new occupation. Full release.

A $2 million initiative of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) is bringing together five civil rights organizations with the prominence and strength to help reverse childhood obesity, especially in African-American and Latino communities where the epidemic continues to hit hardest. Over the next 16 months, the groups will aim individually and collaboratively to advance the public advocacy and policy changes critical to creating healthier communities. The initiative recognizes the power of their work to solve systemic issues of racial and social injustice, which underlie many neighborhoods' limited access to affordable, nutritious food or safe places for children to be physically active. Full release.

The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) has provided 13 mobile water treatment units to support the Government of Pakistan's flood relief effort. These water treatment units are stationed on some of the most flood-affected districts and have produced over 7.5 million liters of clean water. In addition, USAID has provided ten 10,000-liter water bladder kits to help facilitate the efficient distribution of clean water by minimizing waiting time at and distance traveled for water collection points. Water bladders allow for improved security for vulnerable individuals by providing accessible water distribution centers. USAID has also provided nearly 113,000 5-liter water containers for families to collect, transport and maintain household water. Full release.

Ambassador at large CdeBaca, Senior Advisor to the Secretary of State and Director, Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking In Persons, U.S. Department of State, will join Congresswoman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen Monday, September 13, 2010 at Miami's St. Thomas University School of Law for a unique dialogue on the important role of the public/private partnership in combating human trafficking. Reverend Monsignor Franklyn M. Casale, President of St. Thomas University, as well as Dr. Roza Pati, Professor and Executive Director of STU School of Law's Graduate Program in Intercultural Human Rights, have been actively involved for the past few years with efforts combating human trafficking. Monsignor Casale testified before the Congressional Foreign Relations Committee during the process of the enactment of the Wilberforce Act. Professor Pati has been working on human trafficking issues in various capacities since the mid 1990s. Full release.

The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) is calling on media professionals and commentators to be responsible in reporting on a planned Quran burning by a tiny extremist Christian congregation in Florida. On September 11, the Dove World Outreach Center in Gainesville, Fla., a church with fewer than 100 members, plans to hold an "International Burn a Koran Day." Church leaders are encouraging others to follow their example in burning the holy text. This is the same controversial church that has been in the news for claiming that "Islam is of the devil." "Just as all Muslims should not be blamed for the actions of a few extremists, neither should all Christians or all Americans be blamed for the intentionally offensive actions of the Dove World Outreach Center," said CAIR Executive Director Nihad Awad. "Pastor Terry Jones represents nothing but an extremist fringe." Full release.

Speaker Nancy Pelosi issued the following statement in recognition of Labor Day, which falls on Monday: "On Labor Day, we renew our commitment to strengthening America's workforce, expanding job opportunities, and fulfilling the goals at the heart of our economic success: a full day's pay for an honest day's work, fair treatment in the workplace, and equal opportunity for all. In the last year, we have worked to move America forward, rebuild and revitalize our economy, and keep American jobs here at home. We've made progress and will continue to promote our 'Make it in America' agenda; our businesses and private sector are moving in the right direction. But there are still too many families struggling to get by and too many workers without a regular paycheck." Full release.

The American Red Cross is responding with help to people affected by the winds, rains and flooding of Hurricane Earl in North Carolina and is ready as the storm moves up the Atlantic Coast. A dozen Red Cross shelters were opened in North Carolina, giving more than 260 a safe place to ride out the storm last night as heavy rain and strong winds passed through the area. Today, after Earl moves out of the area, the Red Cross will be assessing damage left by the storm and helping people as they begin to cleanup. More than 183 Red Cross disaster workers have been deployed to North Carolina to support efforts there, along with 37 emergency response vehicles and two trailers of additional disaster relief supplies. Full release.

Speaker Nancy Pelosi released the following statement today on the report that while there were job losses due to the temporary Census jobs, the private sector added 67,000 jobs in August, marking the eighth consecutive month of gains for America's workers: "Today's jobs report shows America's private sector leading the way with the eighth consecutive month of private sector job creation. Yet, as Labor Day approaches, too many families are still struggling to make ends meet and we will continue to work to expand job opportunities and extend support for small businesses. To change course from the Bush Recession-the worst since the Great Depression-Democrats enacted tax cuts for 95 percent of working Americans, eight small business tax cuts, and job-creating investments nationwide. And our efforts are moving us in the right direction, despite solid opposition from Republicans." Full release.

Anticipating the nation's observance of Labor Day, Alfonso Aguilar, Executive Director of the Latino Partnership for Conservative Principles, reminded Latino Voters in California that Senator Barbara Boxer opposes a Temporary Worker Program that would allow employers to bring more workers from places like Mexico and Central and South America. "Senator Boxer doesn't get that our economy needs foreign workers to do the jobs Americans don't want," said Aguilar. "Boxer is totally controlled by the labor unions and, just like them, doesn't want to see more immigrants come in the country to work. Senator Boxer even referred to immigrants as a 'pool of cheap labor' which is insulting to all Latinos and shows a total disregard for the hard work of migrant workers and their great contributions to our country." Full release.

PJTV's Tea Party TV today unveiled the results of its weekly Tea Party tracking poll, which revealed that 71 percent of likely voters and 76 percent of Independents believe there will be a tax increase of 10 percent or more if current federal spending habits continue. "Voters overwhelmingly believe the government's spending habits will force lawmakers to increase taxes by double-digit amounts," said Roger L. Simon, CEO of Pajamas Media. "In the last two years, Washington has lifted the debt ceiling twice, extending the limit by $2.2 trillion. Now, Americans-especially Republicans and Independents-are translating that national public debt into a personal financial burden." Full release.

The American Freedom Defense Initiative (FDI) applauds the fact that a wide spectrum of 9/11 families have declared their unequivocal support for FDI's September 11 Rally of Remembrance honoring the victims of 9/11-and ensuring that their memories will not be desecrated by the construction of an Islamic supremacist mega-mosque at Ground Zero. The rally will be held on September 11 at 3pm at Park Place and West Broadway. FDI Executive Director Pamela Geller said in a statement: "We are aware that some 9/11 families, while declaring their opposition to the mega-mosque, have asked us to move the date from September 11 because they feel that our rally will be 'disrespectful.' Full release.

Today, a new report "A Strange Case: Violations of Workers' Freedom of Association in the United States by European Multinational Corporations," issued by Human Rights Watch highlighted European corporations including global food services giant Sodexo as carrying out an aggressive campaign to keep American workers from organizing and collective bargaining rights as well as violating international standards and U.S. labor law. Specifically Sodexo was found to have threatened, interrogated, and fired workers who tried to form a union. Even though Sodexo is a self-proclaimed "progressive" company, the report asserts that Sodexo takes advantage of weaker US labor laws than exist in their home country of France. Full release.

Opposing any changes to the tax code that would encourage trial attorneys to file more lawsuits and add to the overall cost of health care, the American Medical Association (AMA) and 90 medical organizations sent a letter to the U.S. Treasury Department. The organizations oppose a policy under consideration that would allow trial attorneys nationwide to deduct litigation expenses from their taxes in certain cases. "Changing the tax policy to allow trial attorneys to deduct court costs and other expenses would cost taxpayers $1.5 billion and increase the cost of health care in our nation," said J. James Rohack, M.D., AMA Immediate Past-President. "This change would encourage trial attorneys to file more lawsuits." The federal government should not create new incentives for attorneys to bring lawsuits. A recent report by the AMA found 95 medical liability claims filed for every 100 physicians. Currently, 65 percent of medical liability claims are dropped or dismissed. Average defense costs range up to more than $100,000 and take physicians away from patient care. Full release.

Nearly one out of every three American children is clinically overweight or obese. The health and well-being of future generations is undeniably at risk. And yet the fastest-growing fitness club chain in the world is about to launch a nationwide campaign featuring TV commercials and full-page ads in USA Today and People magazine which declare "There is no childhood obesity epidemic." "Too much blame is being placed on the kids," says Chuck Runyon, Anytime Fitness CEO. "Adults need to step up and be better role models if we want our kids to be healthy. That is what this is all about." Full release.

The American Red Cross is on the ground in fourteen states along the East Coast as Hurricane Earl heads toward North Carolina with sustained winds of 140 mph. Red Cross shelters are expected to open this afternoon in North Carolina, and additional shelters are poised to open in New York, Massachusetts and Rhode Island, with emergency planning continuing in ten other states along the coast. Up-to-date shelter location information is readily available on www.redcross.org by clicking "Find a Shelter." Hurricane and tropical storm watches and warnings have been issued by the National Hurricane Center from North Carolina to Maine. More than 350 trained Red Cross disaster workers have been deployed to North Carolina, Massachusetts and Rhode Island, along with more than 60 emergency vehicles. Full release.

Microblogging, famous for its 140 character limit, just got better. At an event hosted by the University of Portland on August 31, PingGadget is set to launch the beta version of its next-generation microblogging and social media service. PingGadget allows users to communicate with one another, stay connected to what is going on around them, and build custom groups specific to their location and interests-all through the microblogging protocol of 140 characters, photos up to 1MB, and video up to 8 MB. PingGadget is a free service and users can sign-up at PingGadget.com. "We saw an opportunity to make some significant improvements for existing users as well as those new to microblogging," said Dennis Moulton, co-founder of PingGadget. "In addition to staying connected to the people you care about and are interested in, we designed the PingGadget system to help users stay connected to what is going on around them within their location." Full release.

Patricia Russo, chairman of the Partnership for a Drug-Free America today provided keynote remarks and joined Steve Pasierb, Partnership CEO and Ken Winters, PhD., chairman of the organization's science advisory board and professor at the University of Minnesota, to review a number of new research-based programs from the Partnership at the National Prevention Network Prevention Research Conference. According to the latest National Survey on Drug Use and Health, nine million people in America under the age of 26 need help for substance abuse and addiction. In response to the broad needs of families, the Partnership has developed science-based tools and interactive resources that guide parents from preventing drug and alcohol abuse in their families to intervening when they think their child is having a problem. Full release.

NASA has unveiled NASA App HD, a new mobile application designed for the iPad. The application is available free of charge at the App Store from Apple. NASA App HD features live streaming video from NASA Television, an interactive map with links to all the agency's field centers, quick links to feature stories and launch schedules, a scrolling alerts banner, and a NASA Featured link. The first featured link focuses on women in space. The app's landing page features the solar system, where users can learn more about our neighborhood, the universe and NASA missions. The app also enables users to experience and search updated, higher resolution NASA Image of the Day and Astronomy Picture of the Day collections and agency videos on demand. Full release.

ProCon.org, the premier, free, nonpartisan, public service website whose aim is to provide readers with unbiased research on the country's most debated issues has completed its authoritative pros and cons on whether the March 2010 health care reform laws are good for America, and how this legislation impacts the lives of all Americans. The result is Health Care Reform ProCon.org (http://healthcarereform.procon.org) which presents 34 commonly asked questions regarding the March 2010 health care reform laws along with responses from over 150 experts including President Barack Obama (pro), former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin (con), Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (pro), House Majority Leader John Boehner (con), AARP (pro), US Chamber of Commerce (con), New York Times (pro), Wall Street Journal (con), along with many physicians, economists, government officials, medical organizations, and dozens more. Full release.

Why is it so hard to isolate and purify human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)? Why has no one been able to see, by electron microscopy, a single HIV particle in the blood of AIDS patients, even those who have a "high viral load"? Why does HIV seem to mutate with startling rapidity? AIDS researchers have not been able to come up with answers to these questions. HERVs-human endogenous retroviruses-might provide explanations that have been overlooked for 20 years, writes Professor Etienne de Harven, M.D., in the fall 2010 issue of the Journal of American Physicians and Surgeons. HERVs are present in all of us, and fragments of their DNA may be confused with HIV in the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests used to estimate viral load. Full release.

Equatorial Guinea's (Republica de Guinea Ecuatorial) Minister of Information, Culture and Tourism, Jeronimo Osa Osa Ecoro, met with the United Nations Regional Committee delegation to further discuss ways to facilitate technical assistance to the local United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) to improve the effectiveness of its 2009-2012 Assistance Program activities in Equatorial Guinea. The main focus of the meeting was to enhance a cooperation program between Equatorial Guinea's government and the UNFPA in the reproductive health sector. During the meeting, the parties discussed several issues, including the support of the awareness program through the national media, which also includes the Information Education Communication (IEC)/Advocacy Project, led by the Ministry of Information, Culture and Tourism. The IEC Advocacy project is designed to educate communities, through the media, to improve social behavior. The Ministries of Health and Social Welfare and Education will also participate in the program. Full release.

The Census Bureau today released demographic information on the North Carolina and Virginia coastal communities potentially impacted by Hurricane Earl. Based on the current projected path of Hurricane Earl, currently a Category 3 storm, the U.S. Census Bureau calculates that 1.8 million people in 22 counties in North Carolina and Virginia could face hurricane and tropical storm conditions within the next 48 hours. This figure comes from the Census Bureau's 2009 population estimates. Full release.

PING and its parent company, Karsten Manufacturing Corporation, announced today that they have entered into an agreement with Apple under which Apple will use the PING trademark in connection with Apple's innovative new social music discovery feature in iTunes. Apple introduced the iTunes PING feature today. Founded in 1959, PING is a famous premium brand that holds more than 1000 trademark registrations around the world, many related to golf equipment. The company also owns trademark rights in PING for social networking and other online services. Full release.

TriMark Publications, LLC (http://www.trimarkpublications.com), a global leader in the biotechnology, healthcare and life sciences publishing, cites in its newly published Regenerative Medicine Markets report that the global market for regenerative medicine products will exceed $3 billion in 2010 and is expected to reach $4.5 billion by 2014. Regenerative medicine is a technique to treat injuries and diseases with specially-grown tissues by way of several different methods, including stem cell therapy and tissue engineering. Before scientific advances such as stem cells, remedies for damaged tissue or organ functions due to congenital deformities, injuries, diseases or simple wear-and-tear relied upon either the body's ability to repair itself (or not) or a surgeon's skilled hands. Now, the area of regenerative medicine promises to revolutionize humanity's ability to remedy countless physical maladies that have afflicted humans and other animals through techniques like stem cells and tissue engineering. Full release.

The National Park Foundation, the official charity of American national parks, today unveiled a new public service campaign reminding all Americans of the heroes of United Flight 93, and encouraging their support in building a national memorial in their honor. On September 11, 2001, the 40 passengers and crew of United Flight 93 heroically fought back against terrorists, and in doing so, saved countless lives and our national capital. In their struggle, they lost their own lives as the plane plummeted into a field outside of Shanksville, PA. Full release.

Energy and utility experts from the U.S., Europe and Asia will meet in Charlotte, North Carolina, on September 8 for a three-day summit to exchange industry information, discuss geographic trends and new developments, and share successful business strategies. The Annual Energy & Utilities Summit brings together representatives from Highland Worldwide member companies located in the U.S., Australia, France, Germany, The Netherlands and Spain, including North Highland (www.northhighland.com), a global management and technology consulting firm. North Highland energy and utility consultants from California, Georgia, Pennsylvania, Texas and Washington, D.C., will participate in the summit this year. Full release.

The National Hispanic Caucus of State Legislators (NHCSL), today launched its web-based center on Higher Education. NHCSL's creation of this initiative was fueled by its desire to closely follow for the Department of Education's proposed gainful employment rule, a rule that NHCSL believes should be re-examined for unintended consequences before implementation. The website, meant to provide a central platform for updates on current issues surrounding access to higher education, will act as a portal for information, news and other resources. Full release.

As the U.S. launches its first-ever National Childhood Obesity Awareness Month today, scientists say the problem may be even more widespread than was thought. Researchers have found that parents tend to underreport their children's weight. Estimates of obesity and body mass index (BMI) based on parent-supplied data may miss one in five obese children. This sobering news underscores the need for National Childhood Obesity Awareness Month. Congress established the observance in a resolution passed unanimously earlier this year, seeking to "raise public awareness and mobilize the country to address childhood obesity." Full release.

Stratos Global, the leading global provider of advanced mobile and fixed-site remote communications solutions, today announced it has begun deployment of its new StratosMAX II broadband service across the Gulf of Mexico (GoM) region. The new StratosMAX II service provides last-mile radio connectivity accessing Stratos' industry-leading digital microwave network. It connects customers back to shore through diverse shore crossings and onshore Stratos interconnection facilities. StratosMAX II now is providing reliable voice service, high-speed Internet connectivity, Stratos Hot Spot WiFi service and a wide range of mobile communications applications to oil rigs, platforms, offshore vessels and professionals managing the Gulf Oil Disaster containment and cleanup efforts. Full release.

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