Groundbreaking Best Practices Manual from Major Professional Association Replaces 'Mental Retardation' with New Term 'Intellectual Disability'

/PRNewswire/ -- Society's labels have consequences. But no label damages more than being called "mentally retarded". Two pivotal developments in the disability world seek the common goal of replacing the pejorative label of "mental retardation" with the more respectful terminology of "intellectual disability": The American Association on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (AAIDD) publishes the 11th edition of its "Definition Manual", renaming it Intellectual Disability: Definition, Classification, and Systems of Supports. In it, the association presents a progressive system of defining and diagnosing intellectual disability as a condition that can be enhanced by providing appropriate supports, rather than a static life-long trait. Close on its heels comes Rosa's Law, a bill recently introduced by Senator Barbara Mikulski (D-MD) and Michael B. Enzi (R-WY) to eliminate the terms "mental retardation" and "mentally retarded" from the U.S. federal law books.

"We understand that people with intellectual disabilities face enough challenges every day that they don't need to deal with a pejorative label. And as medical, educational, and legal professionals, we know that intellectual disability is far more complex than a low score on an IQ test," said AAIDD president Joanna Pierson, Executive Director of The Arc of Frederick County, Maryland.

Intellectual Disability presents an advanced model of defining and diagnosing intellectual disability that includes a combination of IQ, age of onset, and adaptive skills of a person. Rather than look at deficits, the AAIDD system is based on evaluating the supports someone needs in life to reduce the mismatch between the person's capabilities and skills. That way, every person is able to participate in all aspects of life in society, whether it's riding the bus or playing with children.

Rosa's Law and Intellectual Disability share the same spirit of "passion for social justice and compassion for the human condition" as Senator Mikulski puts it. "Rosa's Law represents a critical step forward in ending societal discrimination and it will help create a path toward full inclusion of people with intellectual disabilities in our country," said Doreen Croser, Executive Director of AAIDD. "Furthermore, the bill is particularly timely as the new AAIDD Definition Manual provides essential information on intellectual disability for policy makers and for professionals."

The 11th edition of Intellectual Disability is an invaluable resource for many professionals, including:

-- Physicians to diagnose a child or an adult
-- Teachers and school psychologists to determine special education
services and eligibility
-- University professors and students as a key reference in health and
medicine
-- Lawyers and public defenders in the criminal justice system while
handling cases involving people with intellectual disabilities


The 11th edition of Intellectual Disability is written over by a committee of 18 experts based on seven years of work synthesizing current scientific information and best practices as well as critiques of the previous edition. To listen to interviews with authors, read FAQs, and purchase Intellectual Disability, www.aaidd.org/intellectualdisabilitybook.

Founded in 1876, AAIDD promotes progressive policies, sound research, effective practices and universal human rights for people with intellectual disabilities. Learn more at www.aaidd.org.

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'Doomsday Clock' Moves One Minute Away From Midnight

/PRNewswire/ -- Citing a more "hopeful state of world affairs" in relation to the twin threats posed by nuclear weapons and climate change, the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists (BAS) is moving the minute hand of its famous Doomsday Clock one minute away from midnight. It is now 6 minutes to midnight. The decision by the BAS Science and Security Board was made in consultation with the Bulletin's Board of Sponsors, which includes 19 Nobel Laureates.

BAS announced the Clock change today at a news conference in New York City broadcast live at http://www.turnbacktheclock.org/ for viewing around the globe. The new BAS Web platform allows people in all nations to monitor and get involved in efforts to move the Doomsday Clock farther away from midnight.

In a statement supporting the decision to move the minute hand of the Doomsday Clock, the BAS Board said: "It is 6 minutes to midnight. We are poised to bend the arc of history toward a world free of nuclear weapons. For the first time since atomic bombs were dropped in 1945, leaders of nuclear weapons states are cooperating to vastly reduce their arsenals and secure all nuclear bomb-making material. And for the first time ever, industrialized and developing countries alike are pledging to limit climate-changing gas emissions that could render our planet nearly uninhabitable. These unprecedented steps are signs of a growing political will to tackle the two gravest threats to civilization -- the terror of nuclear weapons and runaway climate change."

Created in 1947 by the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, the Doomsday Clock has been adjusted only 18 times prior to today, most recently in January 2007 and February 2002 after the events of 9/11. By moving the hand of the Clock away from midnight -- the figurative end of civilization -- the BAS Board of Directors is drawing attention to encouraging signs of progress. At the same time, the small increment of the change reflects both the threats that remain around the globe and the danger that governments may fail to deliver on pledged actions on reducing nuclear weapons and mitigating climate change.

The BAS statement explains: "This hopeful state of world affairs leads the boards of the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists -- which include 19 Nobel laureates -- to move the minute hand of the Doomsday Clock back from five to six minutes to midnight. By shifting the hand back from midnight by only one additional minute, we emphasize how much needs to be accomplished, while at the same time recognizing signs of collaboration among the United States, Russia, the European Union, India, China, Brazil, and others on nuclear security and on climate stabilization."

The statement continues: "A key to the new era of cooperation is a change in the U.S. government's orientation toward international affairs brought about in part by the election of Obama. With a more pragmatic, problem-solving approach, not only has Obama initiated new arms reduction talks with Russia, he has started negotiations with Iran to close its nuclear enrichment program, and directed the U.S. government to lead a global effort to secure loose fissile material in four years. He also presided over the U.N. Security Council last September where he supported a fissile material cutoff treaty and encouraged all countries to live up to their disarmament and nonproliferation obligations under the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty ..."

Lawrence Krauss, co-chair, BAS Board of Sponsors, foundation professor, School of Earth and Space Exploration and Physics departments, associate director, Beyond Center, co-director, Cosmology Initiative, and director, New Origins Initiative, Arizona State University, said: "The time to begin to free ourselves from the terror of nuclear weapons and to slow drastic changes to our shared global environment is now. We encourage scientists to fulfill their dual responsibilities of increasing their own, as well as the public's understanding of these issues and to help lead the call to action. We urge leaders to fulfill the promise of a nuclear weapon-free world and to act now to slow the pace of climate change. Finally, we call on citizens everywhere to raise their voices and compel public action for a safer world now and for future generations. Even though we are encouraged by recent developments, we are mindful of the fact that the Clock is ticking. "

Stephen Schneider, member, BAS Science and Security Board, professor of environmental biology and global change, Stanford University, co-director, Center for Environment Science and Policy of the Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies, and senior fellow, Stanford Woods Institute for the Environment, said: "We can no longer prevent global warming -- it is upon us. Rapidly melting polar icecaps, acidification of the oceans, loss of coral reefs, longer droughts, more devastating wildfires, and sea level rise that threatens island nations and seacoasts everywhere are clear signs of change in Earth's climate. Disruptions of the monsoon seasons in India and China already threaten crop yields resulting in more frequent and severe food shortages than in the recent past ... If we continue 'business as usual' our habitat could be disrupted beyond recognition, with consequences for our way of life that we cannot now foresee. Without vigorous and immediate follow-up to the Copenhagen conference and well-conceived action we are all threatened by accelerating and irreversible changes to our planet ..."

Jayantha Dhanapala, member, BAS Board of Sponsors, president, Pugwash Conferences on Science and World Affairs, and chair, 1995 UN Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty Conference, said: "In the saga of human history civilizations have been threatened both by natural causes and by man-made folly. Some have survived by making the necessary rational responses to the challenges. Others have gone under leaving only their ruins. Today it is the entire planet that stands imperiled by the danger of nuclear weapons and the real risk of climate change inexorably threatening our ecosystem. Both impending disasters are within our capabilities to remedy. The opportunity must be seized now out of a recognition that these are global dangers that transcend national boundaries."

Pervez Hoodbhoy, member, BAS Board of Sponsors, professor of high energy physics, and head, Physics Department, Quaid-e-Azam University, Islamabad, Pakistan, said: "We may be at a turning point, where major powers realize that nuclear weapons are useless for war-fighting or even for deterrence. Threats to security are more likely to come from economic collapse, groups bent on terrorizing civilians, or from resource scarcity exacerbated by climate change and exploding populations, rather than from conflict between nuclear-armed superpowers. Against these new threats, nuclear weapons are a liability because their possession by a few countries stimulates desire in other countries and complicates things immensely."

Kennette Benedict, executive director, Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, said: "The emerging trends in international cooperation will provide a basis for collaborative problem-solving for a safer world. But a handful of government officials, no matter how bold their vision, will not be able, on their own, to deal with the threats to civilization that we now face. Leaders and citizens around the world will need to summon the courage to overcome obstacles to nuclear security and climate protection. That is why we have created TurnBackTheClock.org to allow citizens around the world a means by which to get involved and to inspire leaders to take action."

RECOMMENDED ACTION STEPS

The BAS statement outlines the need for action on the following:

-- Developing new nuclear doctrines that disavow the use of existing
nuclear weapons, reduce the launch readiness of U.S. and Russian
nuclear forces, and remove them from the day-to-day operations of
their militaries;
-- Finishing the job of consolidating and securing military and civilian
nuclear material in Russia, the United States, and elsewhere and
continuing to eliminate the excess;
-- Completing negotiations, signing and ratifying as soon as possible the
new U.S.-Russia treaty providing for reductions in deployed nuclear
warheads and delivery systems;
-- Upon signing of the treaty, immediately embarking upon new talks to
further reduce the nuclear arsenals of Russia and the United States;
-- Completing the next review of the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty in
May 2010 with commitments to weapons reduction and nuclear
nonproliferation by both the nuclear haves and have-nots;
-- Implementing multinational management of the civilian nuclear energy
fuel cycle with strict standards for safety, security, and
nonproliferation of nuclear weapons, including eliminating
reprocessing for plutonium separation;
-- Strengthening the International Atomic Energy Agency's capacity to
oversee nuclear materials and technology development and transfer;
-- Adopting and fulfilling climate change agreements to reduce carbon
dioxide emissions through tax incentives, harmonized domestic
regulation and practice;
-- Transforming the coal power sector of the world economy to retire
older plants; and
-- Vastly increasing public and private investments in alternatives to
carbon-emitting energy sources, such as solar and wind, and in
technologies for energy storage, and sharing the results worldwide.

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On Call International Opens Haiti Earthquake Emergency Hotline

/PRNewswire/ -- Medical and travel assistance company, On Call International, has set up a national, emergency hotline for the family and friends of travelers visiting Haiti, who might have been affected by the 7.0-magnitude earthquake striking the area 15 kilometers (10 miles) west of the capital of Port-au-Prince.

Anyone attempting to connect with family members or friends traveling or living in the region should call the On Call International hotline: 800-576-5172. Or, they can call On Call International collect at 603-328-1924. Callers should have as much information as possible readily available at the time of call, including tour operator name, itineraries, hotel information or cell phone numbers.

On Call International is a leading provider of customized medical, security and travel assistance for international business and leisure travelers, as well as expatriates, students and others away from home. Operating 24/7/365, On Call International specializes in emergency evacuations from any point on the globe, assisting more than seven million travelers. The U.S.-owned and trained assistance company serves the travel, insurance and maritime industries. On Call is a member and the U.S. representative of the 26-partner International Assistance Group, a global network of independent assistance companies. For more information, visit www.oncallinternational.com.

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Medical Specialists Petition Congress to Preserve Access to Care for Millions of Medicare Patients

/PRNewswire/ -- The American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists (AACE) sent a petition to Congress today signed by 1,325 AACE members, non-AACE member physicians, allied health professionals and patients opposing a new Medicare policy which would eliminate consultation codes for specialists. Overturning this policy would preserve access to care for millions of Medicare patients seen by a medical specialist.

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services' (CMS) new policy, which went into effect on January 1, 2010, no longer allows endocrinologists and other cognitive specialists to bill for consultations provided for patients referred to them by primary care physicians.

In December, AACE surveyed its members. The results of that survey indicated that if consultation codes are eliminated, four out of five endocrinologists would be forced to drastically reduce or eliminate the number of Medicare patients seen in their practices.

AACE is also extremely concerned about the hasty implementation of this new policy. Guidance on how to comply with the new policy was only made available to health care professionals and Medicare contractors less than two weeks before the January 1st implementation date. The new policy will severely restrict patient access to specialty care, and the expedited implementation of this policy will cause major disruptions in the health care system in the weeks ahead as new Medicare claims are processed.

As a result, AACE is urging Members of Congress to adopt Senate amendment 3163, introduced by Senator Arlen Specter (D-PA), as part of the final health care reform agreement or as part of any legislative vehicle that is expected to imminently pass Congress. The Specter amendment would delay the new CMS policy for one year to allow more time to adequately prepare for this policy change and fully consider its impact.

"The result of CMS' decision will be a significant reduction in the quality of care received by older Americans," AACE President and Chief of Endocrinology at Harvard Vanguard Medical Associates, Dr. Jeffrey R. Garber said. "AACE applauds the continued efforts of Senator Specter to delay this flawed (CMS) policy."

In addition to AACE, the Specter amendment has been endorsed by numerous societies representing medical specialists. AACE is encouraging all medical specialists and their patients to write their Members of Congress asking them to support the Specter Amendment.

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January 14 is the Date the Doomsday Clock is Reset

RJ Note: Here I was thinking the doomsday clock was about the end of the world as we know it to be. The clock was brought into existence in 1947. And now, climate change is included? Just what did those scientists of the Manhatten Project know?

Hands of 'Doomsday Clock' To Be Moved in New York City and Seen Live on Web For First Time Ever

Factors In Change to Include Nuclear Proliferation, Weapon Stockpile Shifts, and Climate Change; Bulletin of Atomic Scientists Will Open Event to World With Real-Time Streaming Web Broadcast.

The Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists (BAS) will move the minute hand of its famous "Doomsday Clock" at 10 a.m. EST/1500 GMT on January 14, 2010 in New York City. For the first time ever, the event will be opened up to the general public via a live Web feed at http://www.turnbacktheclock.org/.

The last time the Doomsday Clock minute hand moved was in January 2007, when the Clock's minute hand was pushed forward by two minutes from seven to five minutes before midnight.

The precise time to be shown on the updated Doomsday Clock will not be announced until the live news conference in New York City takes place on January 14, 2010. Factors influencing the latest Doomsday Clock change include international negotiations on nuclear disarmament and nonproliferation, expansion of civilian nuclear power, the possibilities of nuclear terrorism, and climate change.

Founded in 1945 by University of Chicago scientists who had helped develop the first atomic weapons in the Manhattan Project, The Bulletin of Atomic Scientists subsequently created the Doomsday Clock in 1947 as way to convey both the imagery of apocalypse (midnight) and the contemporary idiom of nuclear explosion (countdown to zero). The decision to move the minute hand of the Doomsday Clock is made by the Bulletin's Board of Directors in consultation with its Board of Sponsors, which includes 19 Nobel Laureates. The Clock has become a universally recognized indicator of the world's vulnerability to catastrophe from nuclear weapons, climate change, and emerging technologies in the life sciences.

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U.S. Report: Rape, Sexual Abuse Rampant in Juvenile Corrections Facilities

/PRNewswire/ -- A long-awaited report from the Department of Justice's Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS) finds that youth in juvenile corrections facilities are sexually abused at alarming rates and are victimized significantly more often than adult inmates.

A shocking 12.1 percent - or almost one in eight - of the detained youth who participated in the survey reported sexual abuse at their current facility during the previous year. On any given day, there are approximately 93,000 youth confined in juvenile facilities, more than half of whom are 16 or younger.

"These figures are unconscionable, and even more so when you consider that the survey did not include youth locked up in adult facilities, where many are at even greater risk for abuse," said Lovisa Stannow, Executive Director of Just Detention International.

The study - "Sexual Victimization in Juvenile Facilities Reported by Youth, 2008-09" - is based on a survey given to 9,198 youth detainees in 195 facilities from all fifty states and the District of Columbia. The BJS report also included these findings:

-- 80 percent of the reported abuse was perpetrated by a member of the
facility's staff.
-- 95 percent of youth who alleged abuse by staff reported at least one
female perpetrator.
-- Victimized youth usually endured repeated sexual abuse, often more
than ten times, and frequently by multiple perpetrators.
-- 65 percent of youth who had previously been sexually assaulted at
another facility also reported having been sexually abused in their
current facility.
-- Youth with a sexual orientation other than heterosexual reported being
sexually abused by another inmate at a rate more than ten times higher
than that of youth who identified as heterosexual.


In June 2009, as mandated by Congress, the National Prison Rape Elimination Commission issued a comprehensive report on sexual violence in U.S. detention facilities. The bipartisan Commission, led by U.S. District Court Judge Reggie B. Walton, found that many corrections facilities do a poor job preventing, identifying, and responding to the sexual abuse of those in their custody.

The Commission's report emphasized that sexual abuse is an especially complex problem for younger inmates, explaining that "juveniles are not yet fully developed physically, cognitively, socially, and emotionally and are ill-equipped to respond to sexual advances and protect themselves."

"The BJS study confirms the Commission's findings, underscoring the fact that young people are a particularly vulnerable population needing special protections," said David Kaiser, chair of the board of Just Detention International. "Abused youth emerge from what ought to be a rehabilitative experience deeply traumatized, hindering their reintegration into society and limiting their development and future prospects."

The Commission's report includes proposed standards - which Just Detention International helped develop - for addressing and preventing the sexual abuse of inmates, including detained youth. By law, the Department of Justice has until June 2010 to codify final standards based on those recommendations.

"The Attorney General needs to issue comprehensive, zero-tolerance standards, and he can't do so a moment too soon," Stannow said. "Every day without them is another day in which incarcerated children are getting raped. No matter what crime a person may have committed, rape should never be part of the punishment."

The BJS report, "Sexual Victimization in Juvenile Facilities Reported by Youth, 2008-09," is available online at: http://bjs.ojp.usdoj.gov/index.cfm?ty=pbdetail&iid=2113.

Just Detention International works to ensure government accountability for prisoner rape; to change ill-informed public attitudes about sexual violence in detention; and to promote access to resources for those who have survived such abuse.

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Writers Ask Congressional Authors: Do You Know What Google and the Authors Guild Want to Do with Your Copyright?

/PRNewswire/ -- The National Writers Union, the American Society of Journalists and Authors, and Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America have written to their author peers in Congress, seeking their support in encouraging the Department of Justice to continue its opposition to the Google Books Settlement.

The Google Books Settlement is being negotiated between Google and several parties that sued it in 2007 for copyright infringement. Among those groups is the Authors Guild, which purports to represent the interests of all authors in the Settlement. In its letter to Congressional authors, the groups assert that their interests are not being fairly represented by the Authors Guild.

Award-winning author Ursula K. Le Guin's recent resignation from the Authors Guild highlights the growing tensions between the organization and its constituency. In her letter of resignation, Le Guin commented, "You decided to deal with the devil, as it were, and have presented your arguments for doing so. I wish I could accept them, but I can't. There are principles involved, above all the whole concept of copyright; and these you have seen fit to abandon to a corporation, on their terms, without a struggle."

In their letter, the author groups criticize the Settlement for the lack of notice to authors, the complexity in opting out, a new regulatory board that overrides individual contracts, the exception for publisher plaintiffs to have private side deals, the mockery of existing copyright law, and its attempt to supplant efforts to pass orphan works legislation.

"Opposition to this sweetheart commercial deal from the Department of Justice and nearly 400 other interested parties radically changed the course of this debate. However, the amended version of the settlement still creates a de facto monopoly for Google at the expense of all Americans," reads the letter. "The Constitution says copyright is essential and gives Congress responsibility for it, not Google and a gaggle of lawyers."

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Archivist of the United States Announces Establishment of the National Declassification Center

/PRNewswire/ -- 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."

Initially, the NDC will be located at the National Archives College Park, MD facility and focus on clearing the backlog of referrals in reviewed documents both in Federal records and in Presidential materials. Dr. Michael Kurtz, Assistant Archivist for the Office of Records Services, Washington will serve as Acting Director of the NDC pending the selection of a permanent director. The NDC will be advised by an inter-agency Policy Planning Group made up of senior managers from the Departments of State, Defense, and Energy as well as the Central Intelligence Agency, Director of National Intelligence, the Information Security Oversight Office, and the National Archives.

"The establishment of the NDC provides a unique opportunity for the National Archives and its agency colleagues to create new strategies to protect essential national security and release hundreds of millions of pages to researchers and the public," said Dr. Kurtz

In anticipation of the establishment of the NDC, an inter-agency Program Management Team that has begun examining current declassification review processes throughout the government. The National Archives is working with the Defense Change Management Organization to conduct a study to determine how processes can be improved by reducing process cycle time, defects and costs. The recommendations from this effort will be incorporated into the new NDC processes.

Public input, questions and comments may be sent to NDC@nara.gov . Information about upcoming forums and NDC initiatives may be found at the NDC website: http://www.archives.gov/declassification.

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Supplemental Notification of Authors and Publishers About Google Book Search Settlement Begins Today

/PRNewswire/ -- Distribution of the Supplemental Notice in the Google Book Search Settlement is now taking place. The Supplemental Notice summarizes the principal changes from the Original Settlement to the Amended Settlement. The Court overseeing the case preliminarily approved the Amended Settlement, and approved the Supplemental Notice, on November 19, 2009.

Please visit http://www.googlebooksettlement.com/ for detailed information, including the Supplemental Notice and revised key dates. The website is available in 36 languages.

The Court will hold a hearing on whether to grant final approval of the Amended Settlement on February 18, 2010.

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In Fayette County? Rumors of Strange Sightings?

Gotta tell ya that this caught my eye. I know the area of Lee's Mill Rd and I even know some fine people who live on that road. Lee's Mill Rd has a bunch of homes along its route, and there are even more trees and woods along it than homes. Bigfoot sighting? In Fayette County? Gee, I guess I must have missed that one. Interesting, but then I've always loved a good mystery......

On the Trail of the Georgia Bigfoot...Latest Sighting-Fayette County

The Georgia Bigfoot, other than being the title of my next book, is also an ongoing mystery in the Peach State. With sightings dating back to the early 1800s in Georgia, and ranging from the mountains to the coast, there is much to be said for the possible existence of the elusive creature in Georgia....http://georgiamysteries.blogspot.com/2009/12/on-trail-of-georgia-bigfootlatest.html


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Legion to Support WWII Veteran's Fight for Flagpole

/PRNewswire/ -- The American Legion has joined the fight being waged by a Medal of Honor recipient against a Virginia homeowner association's demands to remove a flagpole.

Col. Van Barfoot, 90, a World War II and Vietnam veteran, was ordered by the Sussex Square Homeowner's Association to remove the flag pole from his front lawn after he flew the U.S. Flag on Labor Day and Veterans Day. The association is claiming that the flag pole is not "aesthetically appropriate."

"The association underestimated the fight left in this elderly veteran and now they have to contend with the determination and persistence of Col. Barfoot's 2.5 million friends in The American Legion," said National Commander Clarence E. Hill. "Col. Barfoot has hired legal counsel. The American Legion is prepared to help with the expenses and fight these disgraceful actions by the association. Where is the common sense here? Is this anyway to treat any American, much less a true hero like Col. Barfoot?"

Fighting for the flag is not new to The American Legion, the nation's leading authority on flag etiquette. Since 1989, The Legion has been fighting for a constitutional amendment that would grant Congress the authority to protect Old Glory from desecration.

"The flag is a symbol of our country," Hill said. "People should fly it proudly. That's all Col. Barfoot wants to do. If he were desecrating the flag, instead, the association couldn't do a thing to stop him. We proudly stand with Col. Barfoot and say 'enough already!' Let him keep the flagpole and fly the flag as often as he wants. He certainly earned that right."

"What the association is doing is especially disgraceful given the fact that our president has ordered another 30,000 troops to Afghanistan in defense of our freedom," added Joseph Caouette, The American Legion's Chairman of Americanism. "I wonder what they think of all of this."

With a current membership of 2.5-million wartime veterans, The American Legion was founded in 1919 on the four pillars of a strong national security, veterans affairs, Americanism, and youth programs. Legionnaires work for the betterment of their communities through more than 14,000 posts across the nation.

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Douglass Descendants Declare War on Human Trafficking - Modern-Day Slavery

/PRNewswire/ -- "Slavery exists today and it is time to educate ourselves about the brutal exploitation people in our own communities are experiencing."

These are the words of Kenneth B. Morris, Jr., but they echo those of a famous ancestor who escaped slavery at age 20 and went on to become a defender of human rights and one of America's greatest leaders. The family of the great Abolitionist, Frederick Douglass, wants your help in ending all forms of modern-day slavery and human trafficking. "It's the world's second most profitable illegal industry, yet the buying and selling of people is a crime that's poorly understood, " says Mr. Morris, President of the Frederick Douglass Family Foundation.

Students from middle schools and high schools across the country have been selected to help the foundation launch an awareness campaign beginning December 2nd. The campaign, being touted as the beginning of a new Abolitionist Movement, happens in concert with the United Nations' International Day for the Abolition of Slavery which commemorates a 1949 UN convention to end human trafficking and the exploitation of people everywhere in the world.

How can you help? On December 2nd, young people all over the USA will communicate the message of Abolition Day to friends, family and as many people as they can reach through the Internet and the media. Non-profit organizations and government agencies that deal with this issue will use December 2nd as a day to talk about the work they do. The foundation also asks:

-- Parents to learn: how their children could become victims of human
trafficking and discuss it openly with the entire family (go to
www.fdff.org/adproject for ideas),
-- Community and church leaders to host: open forums about human
trafficking,
-- Law Enforcement to visit: schools and create programs in which
students can participate.


The Frederick Douglass Family Foundation's Chairwomen, Nettie Washington Douglass, says that, "Women and children are most frequently the victims of these tragic crimes." Mrs. Douglass is the great great granddaughter of Frederick Douglass and she is the great granddaughter of Booker T. Washington. Mr. Morris is her eldest son.

The Frederick Douglass Family Foundation is a 501(c)(3) public charity. For more information about the Abolition Day project go to www.fdff.org/adproject. For information about the foundation contact Robert Benz at 702-523-4845 or email rbenz@fdff.org.

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Amoena and Young Survival Coalition Celebrate Breast Cancer Survivors With Contest and Cruise

/PRNewswire/ -- Amoena USA Corporation, the worldwide leader of post-surgery breast care products, is sponsoring the 4th Annual Breast Cancer Survivors Cruise. In 2010, for the first time, Amoena will honor survivors and the people who helped them through their recovery by awarding a cabin for the one with the most inspirational story to tell.

As part of the contest, Amoena wants to hear about young mothers who bravely endured treatments; women who, despite their diagnosis, remain positive and optimistic; friends who were there when a survivor was diagnosed, went to appointments and made the recovery process a little easier. The contest is a celebration of survivorship and friendship.

"Amoena's mission is to help restore dignity and a positive self-image to women who have fought breast cancer and won. No woman can go through the battle alone. They need someone by their side encouraging them," said Malissa Magyar, Marketing Manager for Amoena. "We're inspired by the women who have fought this fight, and we're inspired by those who helped them every step of the way to recovery. This contest is our way of celebrating them."

Amoena approached the Young Survival Coalition (YSC), an organization focused on addressing critical issues of women under 40 diagnosed with breast cancer, to help sponsor the contest and spread the word among its affiliates.

"As a survivor, I know how important it is to have a support system while you undergo treatment and the emotional ups and downs following a breast cancer diagnosis," said Courtney Bulger, Executive Director, YSC, Greater Metro Atlanta. "We're happy to join Amoena in promoting a contest that honors that support system."

Nominations are now being accepted through March 1, 2010. To nominate, write in 500 words or less, the inspirational story of the woman who never gave up and the people who encouraged her to keep fighting. Amoena will select one winner to receive a cabin for two on the 2010 Breast Cancer Survivors Cruise, May 2-8. YSC will cover travel costs for the winner and guest to the cruise's port city, Ft. Lauderdale.

To nominate someone, simply fill out the online form available at www.amoena.com/cruise.

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First-hand Stories from Marine Corps Boot Camp

/PRNewswire/ -- From the rifle range to the mess hall, the obstacle course to swimming, "A Few Good Memories, Tales of Marine Corps Boot Camp" (published by Trafford Publishing) by Marine Bob Taylor shares more than 400 first-hand stories of Marines and their experience during an amazing time of each of their lives -- boot camp.

"My book is a collection of stories collected through my web site in 1999," Taylor said, who also got a chance to spend two weeks in 2000 at camp at Parris Island. "Over the years, I had read many Marine books - most were of the 'blood and guts' variety. I published the web site and requested first-hand humorous stories about Boot Camp from the Marines who experienced them.

"Hardly two months had passed when I had received over a thousand stories," he added. "I began a difficult selection to filter the best. Most were the humorous type I had envisioned, but a few nostalgic and sad stories made the cut because of their quality - and the balance they provided."

Readers are sure to enjoy the first-hand stories of the men and women of the United States who have volunteered to train to be Marines and defend the country against foreign enemies as well as the highly professional Marine drill instructors, who work day and night to produce the best fighting men and women in the world.

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Snappy Tune for 2010

Tap, tap, snap, snap, I'm singing right along---




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'Dare to Believe in the Man in the Red Suit': Delivering the True Message of Christmas

/PRNewswire/ -- Thanksgiving is next week and retailers are advertising their merchandise and Black Friday deals everywhere you turn. With the bad economy, many families are feeling the pressure of the holidays and stress of not being able to buy the gifts their children are asking Santa to bring on Christmas morning. Melissa Larsen's "Dare to Believe in the Man in the Red Suit," published by AuthorHouse, helps parents and children remember the true reason for the season and reminds them to focus on the seven gifts of Christmas.

Tabby Mae, the story's main character, starts to question Santa Claus as she notices the stress and tension between her parents. Like many families this year, her parents don't have the money to buy new decorations and host their annual Christmas Eve party. They're left with the dilemma of telling their daughter the truth because they won't be able to afford the presents she wants this year.

After overhearing her parents' conversation, the little girl goes to bed and prays for her parents and to help them have the best Christmas. An angel suddenly appears and helps Tabby Mae to recall all of the wonderful Christmas memories stored in her heart and recreated all of the child's favorite family traditions and decorations for her to see. In the middle was the man in the red suit.

Suddenly, Tabby Mae sees the man in the red suit kneeling beside a baby wrapped in swaddling clothes. She overhears Santa praying to the baby Jesus explaining that he delivers small presents to people each year as a reminder of the gifts Jesus gives us each year and the red suit represents Jesus' love and life.

The angel explains to the little girl that the man is St. Nick and that to focus on the seven gifts of Christmas: hope, peace, faith, joy, comfort, love and knowledge. Tabby Mae was then able to realize the true meaning of Christmas and what it means to believe in the man in the red suit.

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Apocalypse Time Again

The end of time as we know it is certainly food for thought, and for some, it's a way of life. As the new movie about the alleged apoclypse in a couple of years comes out, it's time to revisit some of the great apocalyses that, well, didn't happen.

Read more...

Ten Notable Apocalypses That (Obviously) Didn’t Happen
Apocalyptic predictions, such as those warning of global destruction in 2012, are nothing new – they have been around for millenia
By Mark Strauss

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Veteran-led Peer Support Combats Suicide

/PRNewswire/ -- Last month in Washington, Department of Veterans Affairs Secretary Eric Shinseki made a staggering announcement: more veterans have committed suicide since 2001 than have been killed in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Coming within weeks of the release of the US Army's suicide prevention guidebook, the VA Secretary's statement underscores the commitment to teaching service members and veterans the methods for overcoming combat stress.

While for many the manual will be an important tool, veteran-to-veteran peer support is often the best way to stay mentally healthy during and after wartime service.

For more than a decade, Survivor Corps has helped thousands of military and civilian survivors of war to recover and move beyond their combat trauma. Now, thanks to a committed group of American veterans, the organization is implementing their international expertise here at home.

In 2006, US Army Captain (Ret.) Scott Quilty lost his right arm and right leg to an improvised explosive device (IED) explosion in Iraq. Today, he is the US Program Manager for Survivor Corps.

"I quickly learned at Walter Reed that isolation will kill me," says Quilty. "After months of rehabilitation I started to sleep more and interact less. The only thing that motivated me to get out of bed for the first time in days was the news that my friend just arrived and lost both his feet."

Survivor Corps partners with the Massachusetts Statewide Advocacy for Veterans Empowerment (SAVE) to implement a pioneering veteran peer support program.

Earlier this year, outreach workers from SAVE attended Survivor Corps' peer support training program, where they learned advanced techniques to identify mental health issues and reduce rates of suicide. Since the training, SAVE has reached over 7,000 veterans and service members.

Cameron Macauley, Survivor Corps' Health Education Specialist, conducted the peer support training in Massachusetts. "From our experience in post conflict countries around the world, it is clear that peer support is key to combating the social isolation felt by survivors. When we adapted our program to help veterans here in the United States we provided special training to our outreach workers in order to properly recognize the signs most commonly associated with suicide, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and traumatic brain injury (TBI)."

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Consumer Reports Poll: 65 Percent of Consumers Expect to Cut Back on Holiday Spending

/PRNewswire/ -- The effects of ongoing economic turbulence continue to weigh heavily on the pocketbooks and minds of shoppers as the 2009 holiday season approaches. According to a new Consumer Reports Holiday Shopping Poll, 65 percent of Americans plan to cut back on overall holiday expenses such as gifts, travel, and entertaining. The full results of this latest poll are available at www.ConsumerReports.org.

The anticipated decrease in spending comes on top of already dramatic cutbacks that occurred last year. In the 2008 Consumer Reports Holiday Shopping Poll, 76 percent of those surveyed said they were scaling back on holiday spending.

The projected decrease in spending is likely to be felt in almost every category. Those surveyed said they're cutting back on purchases of clothing and electronics (still the biggest seasonal gift categories), as well as other items such as gift cards, monetary presents, and jewelry.

Consistent with 2008's findings, Consumer Reports Holiday Shopping Poll also found that some consumers are still saddled with leftover holiday debt. Six percent of Americans--some 13.5 million consumers--continue to carry debt from last winter's holiday season.

"This year, it all comes down to value and getting the best bang for your shopping dollar," said Tod Marks, Consumer Reports senior editor and resident shopping expert. "We've already seen aggressive discounts that make it seem more like November 28 rather than October 28, but retailers are getting more sophisticated about targeting their promotions to their best customers."

Additional findings from the Consumer Reports Holiday Shopping Poll include:

The Gift List: Who's In? Who's Out?

-- Among consumers scaling back on gifts, most (78%) were willing to cut
back on buying for themselves, followed by friends and their families,
other family members, coworkers, and service providers like delivery
personnel and fitness trainers. Among those most likely to be spared
from the budgetary axe: Grandparents, grandchildren, kids under 18,
and the family pet.

A Few Favorite Things

-- Despite the gloomy outlook sales of certain products - notably
desktop, laptop, and netbook computers, cell phones and smart phones,
video game systems, and GPS systems - are expected to at least hold
their own, according to our poll.

Hitting the Stores
-- Similar to the past two holiday shopping seasons, the 2009 holiday
shopping season has begun with about a third of consumers reporting
that they have started their shopping as of mid-October.

-- Only about half (46%) of consumers anticipate they will be done buying
gifts by the second week in December. Approximately 18 percent say
they will push their holiday shopping right up to December 24th. About
4 percent of consumers don't plan to complete their shopping until
after the holidays.

Sticking to a Budget or Not?

-- This year, half (50%) of Americans will be making a budget for their
holiday purchases, yet sticking to it is bound to be a challenge. Of
the 38 percent of consumers who made a budget last year, 44 percent
reported that they exceeded it; five percent said they went way over
budget.

Most (& Least) Wanted Gifts
-- Clothing remains the biggest category, and 52 percent of consumers
plan to give apparel as a gift. But you might want to choose
carefully. Thirty-seven percent of recipients - particularly men -
cited clothes as their biggest gift disappointment of 2008. Socks were
still the single most hated item, but shirts, sweaters, slippers, and
ties, made the list, too.
-- Electronics gear also ranks among the most desirable gifts for both
men and women, and 51 percent of respondents plan on giving recipients
items such as video games or accessories, digital cameras, headphones,
or other gadgets.
-- Other gifts consumers plan on giving this season include gift cards
(46%), followed by money (44%), toys (42%), DVDs (31%), food or wine
(28%), jewelry (26%) and pet toys (19%).

Especially For You?

-- Tis' the season to give and receive and to re-gift what you've
received. According to the poll, 36 percent of adults have given a
gift they have received from someone else to another person as a
holiday gift. That's up from 31 percent in 2008.

The Perils of Gift Cards
-- Despite their drawbacks - fees, expiration dates, and the like - many
people plan on buying gift cards (46%) and many want them (15%) as
well. During the 2008 holidays, about half of adults received a gift
card, but one in four hadn't redeemed at least one of the cards as of
this month.
-- Sixty-five percent of adults who received a gift card in 2008
typically spend more than the value of the card, up from 58 percent in
2007. Forty-one percent of those who have unused gift cards from last
year said that they hadn't found anything they wanted to buy. This
year, lack of time was less of a factor in not redeeming gift cards;
only 37 percent of respondents reporting that they hadn't had time to
redeem their cards, down from 54 percent last year.

Happy Holidays

-- Despite continued cutbacks, a majority (87%) of adults remain hopeful
that their holiday season will be as happy or even happier than last
year.

Consumer Reports Holiday Shopping Poll Methodology

The Consumer Reports National Research Center conducted a telephone survey of a nationally representative probability sample of telephone households. 1,000 interviews were completed among adults aged 18+. Interviewing took place over October 15-18, 2009. The margin of error is +/- 3% points at a 95% confidence level.

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Opposite of a Tax Decrease is an Increase

Uhhh--eliminating a tax decrease-- uh-- it' a tax increase --





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