Tuesday, May 29, 2012

FUND MANAGER AND HIS TWO FIRMS CHARGED BY SEC WITH MISHANDLING FUNDS


Photo:  New York Stock Exchange.  Credit:  U.S. Government.
FROM:  U.S. SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C., May 25, 2012 — The Securities and Exchange Commission today announced charges against a New York-based fund manager and his two firms for luring investors into a trading program that would purportedly maximize their profits but instead spent their money in unauthorized ways.

The SEC alleges that since at least November 2011, Jason J. Konior and his firms raised approximately $11 million by selling investors limited partnership interests in Absolute Fund LP, an investment vehicle that Konior claimed had $220 million in trading capital. Konior and his firms falsely claimed that Absolute Fund would allocate millions of dollars in matching investment funds, place the combined funds in brokerage accounts through which investors could trade securities, and operate a “first loss” trading program that would allow investors to dramatically increase their potential profits.

However, the SEC alleges that instead of using investor funds for trading purposes, Konior and his firms Absolute Fund Advisors (AFA) and Absolute Fund Management (AFM) siphoned off approximately $2 million of the proceeds to pay redemptions from earlier investors and to pay their personal and business expenses.

The SEC obtained an asset freeze against Konior and his companies late yesterday in federal court in Manhattan.

“Konior falsely portrayed Absolute Fund as a legitimate investment vehicle designed to maximize investors’ access to trading capital in order to grow their hedge fund businesses,” said Bruce Karpati, Co-Chief of the SEC Enforcement Division’s Asset Management Unit. “In reality, Konior’s operation became a way for Konior to funnel cash to his firms and himself for unauthorized purposes.”

According to the SEC’s complaint, Konior falsely represented to several investors that upon receipt of their investments, Absolute Fund would:
Allocate capital of up to nine times the amount of the investor’s capital contribution.

Place the combined funds in a sub-account at a broker-dealer through which the investor could trade securities.

Allocate any trading losses first to the investor’s contribution amount, and then any trading profits would be shared between Absolute Fund and the investor.

The SEC alleges that Absolute Fund did not actually operate the first loss trading program as promised for these investors. Absolute Fund also did not provide these investors with any matching funds or satisfy investor demands for returns of their capital contribution.

The SEC’s complaint charges Konior, AFA, and AFM with violating the antifraud provisions of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and seeks, among other things, permanent injunctive relief, disgorgement of ill-gotten gains, and financial penalties. Without admitting or denying the allegations in the SEC's complaint, Konior, AFA, and AFM have consented to the entry of an order freezing their assets, imposing a preliminary injunction against further violations of Section 10(b) of the Exchange Act and Rule 10b-5 thereunder, and providing other relief. The Honorable Judge Louis L. Stanton issued the court order granting such relief.

The SEC’s investigation, which is continuing, is being conducted by Catherine Lifeso, Lara Mehraban, Kerri Palen, and Ken C. Joseph of the New York Regional Office. Ms. Lifeso, Ms. Mehraban, and Mr. Joseph are members of the Enforcement Division’s Asset Management Unit. Aaron Arnzen is leading the SEC’s litigation.

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION


Photo Credit:  Wikimedia. 
FROM:  U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
Race to the Top District Competition Draft
Thank you for your interest in the Race to the Top – District (RTT-D) Program. Like the Race to the Top State program, the Race to the Top – District Program is designed to encourage unprecedented innovation and bold comprehensive reform in elementary and secondary education.

In order to run a rigorous competition and obligate funds to grantees before the December 31, 2012 statutory deadline, the Department of Education (Department) will waive rulemaking for this new program, pursuant to its authority in the General Education Provisions Act.

However, because the Department is very interested in your input, we are posting this draft executive summary of the draft requirements, priorities, selection criteria, and definitions for the Race to the Top District competition on this Web site. We encourage all interested parties to submit opinions, ideas, suggestions, and comments pertaining to the Race to the Top District program. This document will be posted for public input until 5:00 PM EDT on Friday, June 8, 2012, at which time the input section will be closed and we will begin considering input received as we develop final requirements, priorities, selection criteria, and definitions. Though the Department will not respond to comments, the Department will read and consider all comments in finalizing the Race to the Top District competition design. Later this summer we will publish a notice of final requirements, priorities, selection criteria, and definitions in the Federal Register along with a notice inviting applications.

The Race to the Top District competition will build on the lessons learned from the State-level competitions and support bold, locally directed improvements in teaching and learning that will directly improve student achievement and teacher effectiveness. More specifically, Race to the Top District will reward those LEAs that have the leadership and vision to implement the strategies, structures and systems of support to move beyond one-size–fits-all models of schooling, which have struggled to produce excellence and equity for all children, to personalized, student-focused approaches to teaching and learning that will use collaborative, data-based strategies and 21st century tools to deliver instruction and supports tailored to the needs and goals of each student, with the goal of enabling all students to graduate college- and career-ready.

Successful LEAs will provide the information, tools, and supports that enable teachers to truly differentiate instruction and meet the needs of each child. These LEAs will have the policy and systems infrastructure, capacity, and culture to enable teachers, teacher teams and school leaders to continuously focus on improving individual student achievement. They will organize around the goal of each child demonstrating content and skills mastery and credentialing required for college and career and will allow students significantly more freedom to study and advance at their own pace - both in and out of school. As importantly, they will create opportunities for students to identify and pursue areas of personal passion-- all of this occurring in the context of ensuring that each student demonstrates mastery in critical areas identified in college- and career ready standards. LEAs successfully implementing this approach to teaching and learning will lay the modern blueprint for raising student achievement, decreasing the achievement gap across student groups, and increasing the rates at which students graduate from high school prepared for college and careers.

The Race to the Top State competition incentivized bold and comprehensive reform in elementary and secondary education and laid the foundation for unprecedented innovation. A total of 46 States and the District of Columbia put together comprehensive plans to implement college- and career-ready standards, use data systems to guide teaching and learning, evaluate and support teachers and school leaders, and turn around their lowest-performing schools. The Race to the Top District competition (RTT-D) will build on the lessons learned from the State-level competitions and support bold, locally directed improvements in teaching and learning that will directly improve student achievement and teacher effectiveness.

More specifically, RTT-D will reward those LEAs that have the leadership and vision to implement the strategies, structures and systems of support to move beyond one-size–fits-all models of schooling, which have struggled to produce excellence and equity for all children, to personalized, student-focused approaches to teaching and learning that will use collaborative, data-based strategies and 21st century tools to deliver instruction and supports tailored to the needs and goals of each student, with the goal of enabling all students to graduate college- and career-ready.



NASA ADMINISTRATOR CALLS STATION FOLLOWING SPACEX HISTORIC FEAT


FROM:  NASA
Photo:  SpacX  Prepares For Launch. Credit: NASA  
WASHINGTON -- NASA Administrator Charles Bolden offered his
congratulations to the International Space Station Expedition 31 crew
and mission flight control teams at NASA's Johnson Space Center in
Houston and SpaceX's headquarters in Hawthorne, Calif., following
Friday's successful first-time berthing of a commercial company
spacecraft, SpaceX's Dragon, to the space station.

Bolden talked with NASA astronauts Don Pettit and Joe Acaba, and
European Space Agency astronaut Andre Kuipers during a call to the
space station Friday afternoon live on NASA Television. Bolden told
the crew, "You made history today and have firmly locked into place
the future direction of America's space program."

To view the call between Bolden and the Expedition 31 astronauts,
visit:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J3Smw7rz1FU

At 9:56 a.m. EDT Friday, Pettit used the station's robotic arm to
grapple Dragon. Kuipers then used the arm to attach the capsule to
the station's Harmony node at 11:52 a.m. Acaba completed berthing
operations by remotely bolting the Dragon to Harmony at 12:02 p.m.
The crew members spent the rest of their day preparing to open the
hatches between the two spacecraft on Saturday morning.

The SpaceX demonstration mission to the space station is the second
under NASA's Commercial Orbital Transportation Services program,
which provides investments intended to lead to regular resupply
missions to the station and stimulate the commercial space industry
in the United States.

Monday, May 28, 2012

MAN CONVICTED FOR MAKING FALSE STATEMENTS TO CERTIFYING SHIPS FOR SEA



FROM:  U.S. JUSTICE DEPARTMENT
Friday, May 25, 2012
Miami Man Convicted for Obstruction of Justice and False Statements for Certifying Ships Safe for Sea

WASHINGTON – A federal jury in Miami yesterday convicted a Miami-based ship surveyor for lying to the Coast Guard and for falsely certifying the safety of ships at sea, announced Ignacia S. Moreno, Assistant Attorney General for the Environment and Natural Resources Division at the Department of Justice; Wifredo A. Ferrer, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida; Rear Admiral William D. Baumgartner, Commander, 7th Coast Guard District; and Jonathan Sall, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Coast Guard Investigative Service.

Alejandro Gonzalez, 60, of Miami-Dade County, Fla., was convicted by a federal jury in Miami of three counts of making false statements to the U.S. Coast Guard and one count of obstruction of an agency proceeding. The defendant faces a maximum statutory penalty of five years in prison on each count.

The jury found Gonzalez guilty of lying to U.S. Coast Guard inspectors and a criminal investigator during an interview in April 2009 about the dry-docking of the M/V Cala Galdana, a 68-meter cargo vessel, in San Juan, Puerto Rico.  Gonzalez repeatedly claimed the vessel was dry-docked in Cartagena, Colombia, in March 2006, while evidence at the trial proved conclusively that the vessel was never in Colombia during 2006.
U.S. Coast Guard inspectors in San Juan discovered the vessel taking on water in August 2008 and requested information concerning the last dry-docking of the vessel.  Gonzalez concocted a false story about the vessel being dry-docked in Colombia in 2006 when he knew it was not.

Gonzales was also convicted of falsifying documents in December 2009 for the M/V Cosette, a 92-meter cargo vessel.  As the surveyor on behalf of Bolivia, Gonzalez certified the ship as safe for sea while the vessel was docked in Fort Pierce, Fla., in November 2009.  When the vessel shortly thereafter arrived in New York City harbor, U.S. Coast Guard inspectors discovered exhaust and fuel pouring into the ship’s engine room, endangering the crew and the ship.  For his action, Gonzalez was convicted of making a false statement and obstructing a U.S. Coast Guard Port State Control examination.

Assistant Attorney General Moreno and U.S. Attorney Ferrer commended the investigative efforts of the U.S. Coast Guard and the U.S. Coast Guard Investigative Services.  The prosecution was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jaime Raich and Trial Attorney Kenneth Nelson, of the Environmental Crimes Section of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division.
Sentencing is currently scheduled for Aug. 2, 2012, in Miami.

VICE PRESIDENT JOE BIDEN AT WEST POINT GRADUATION 2012


FROM:  AMERICAN FORCES PRESS SERVICE
Vice President Joe Biden shakes hands with cadet First Captain Charles Phelps during graduation at the U.S. Military Academy in West Point, N.Y., May 26, 2012. U.S. Army photos by Staff Sgt. Teddy Wade

Biden Details Challenges for New West Point Grads
By Jim Garamone
WASHINGTON, May 26, 2012 - West Point is even more important to the country today than when Gen. George Washington called it "the key to the continent," Vice President Joe Biden said during graduation exercises at the U.S. Military Academy today.

In 1777, West Point was a fortified area along the Hudson River that stopped the British from splitting the colonies. Today, the home of the military academy produces leaders who shape America and answer every call to duty the country makes, the vice president said.

Biden spoke to the 1,032 cadets who received their diplomas and were commissioned into service. He also spoke to their families and friends gathered under a hot sun at Michie Stadium.

The class represents the best of the 9/11 generation, the vice president said, adding that the cadets "are more than worthy of the proud legacy you inherit today."

The cadets, like all men and women who joined the military after 9/11, knew they would be deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan, Biden said. "Hundreds of thousands of you have laced up those combat boots and walked across those barren deserts or snow-capped mountains, where 24 members of this graduating class have already served," he said.

The graduates will be commissioned officers, but they will also be much more, the vice president said. They will learn the intricacies of tribal politics, they will learn how to run a school system, put in irrigation, train indigenous forces and much more.

These young officers must learn counterinsurgency doctrine and apply it, but they must be ready for changes in the world, too, Biden said. The United States is working to strengthen NATO so it can continue being the most successful alliance in history, he said. And as the war in Iraq has ended and the war in Afghanistan ends, the military can spend time on other priorities including the Asia-Pacific region.

"The United States has long been and will remain a Pacific power, and a critical provider of peace, prosperity and security in this vital region," Biden told the cadets. "The most critical relationship to get right is that between the United States and China. Every day the affairs of our nations and the livelihoods of our citizens grow more connected. How we manage this relationship between the world's two largest economies ... will help shape the 21st century."

The United States also is working with other emerging powers like India, Brazil, Turkey and South Africa. "All these efforts are helping advance America's interests at home and around the world," he said.

The new strategic defense strategy will affect these new officers. The strategy provides "a more agile, flexible force prepared for future challenges, better able to confront the aggressors and project power with strong partners to share the burden and smart investments in cutting edge capabilities," he said.
America's unique position in the world requires the finest fighting force, Biden said. "And that's exactly what this strategy does," he said.

The U.S. Military Academy has prepared the new officers to face new challenges and lead. They have "the minds to adapt to tomorrow's horizons, from cyberspace to outer space," he said.

"West Point is in the business of producing great leaders," Biden said. "Class of 2012, this is your destiny – to lead your country."

U.S. SECRETARY OF DEFENSE PANETTA'S COMMENTS ON JAILING OF DR. SHAKIL AFRIDI

FROM:  AMERICAN FORCES PRESS SERVICE

Panetta: Pakistan's Jailing of Doctor 'Unhelpful' to U.S. Relations

By Nick Simeone
WASHINGTON, May 27, 2012 - Pakistan's jailing of a doctor who helped the United States find and kill Osama bin Laden a year ago is undermining efforts by both countries to improve relations, Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta said in an interview that aired today.

"It is so difficult to understand and so disturbing that they would sentence this doctor to 33 years for helping in the search for the most notorious terrorist in our times," Panetta said in a May 25 taping of ABC's "This Week" program. "This doctor was not working against Pakistan. He was working against al-Qaeda and I hope that, ultimately, Pakistan understands that because what they have done here, I think, does not help in the effort to try to re-establish a relationship between the United States and Pakistan."

Last week, a court in northwestern Pakistan convicted Dr. Shakil Afridi of treason and sentenced him to 33 years in prison. In January, Panetta confirmed publically that Afridi helped the U.S gain access to bin Laden's compound in Abbottabad, Pakistan, by providing "very helpful" information. In the interview that aired today, he made clear the Pakistani court's decision could undermine months of efforts to get relations back on track.

"What they did with this doctor doesn't help in the effort to try to do that," he said.

Several key events, including the secret U.S mission to kill bin Laden last May as well as NATO's accidental killing of 24 Pakistani soldiers near the Afghan/Pakistan border in November, have severely tested U.S.-Pakistani relations. Six months after Pakistan closed overland NATO supply lines in response to the border incident, Panetta confirmed both countries are still working on terms for re-opening the ground routes. There have been multiple reports that Pakistan is demanding a steep increase in the fees it will collect from vehicles crossing the border.
"They're negotiating what that price ought to be," the secretary said. "We're not about to get gouged in the price. We want a fair price."

Panetta said the United States and Pakistan remain allies in the fight against terrorism but acknowledged the relationship has strengths and weaknesses. "This has been one of the most complicated relationships that we've had working with Pakistan. We have to continue to work at it. It is important. This is a country that has nuclear weapons. This is a country that still is critical in that region of the world. It's an up and down relationship."

Panetta's interview with ABC came just days after nuclear talks between Iran and six world powers aimed at freezing Tehran's uranium enrichment program ended without apparent progress. Panetta was asked whether the U.S. has a plan ready to strike Iran's nuclear sites if diplomacy fails to curb what the West suspects is an Iranian covert nuclear weapons program.
"We are prepared for any contingency in that part of the world," he said. "But our hope is that these matters can be resolved diplomatically."



WWII FLYING B-17 FORTRESS "THE YANKEE LADY"



Active-duty, Air Force Reserve and Air National Guard Airmen at Andrews Air Force Base, Md., get a close up look at a Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress on Oct. 12, 2006. The "Yankee Lady" is kept at the Yankee Air Museum in Belleville, Mich., and was at Andrews AFB for a flyover during the Air Force Memorial Dedication weekend at the Pentagon Oct. 14-15. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Amaani Lyle)

A .50-calibur machinegun sits in the narrow tunneled fuselage of a Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress. Retired Maj. Gen. Richard Bodycombe, a former commander of the Air Force Reserve, and a crew flew the World War II aircraft from Detroit to Andrews Air Force Base, Md., Oct. 12, 2006. The plane holds 12 machine guns and can carry up to 6,000 pounds of ordnance. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Amaani Lyle)


BLUE ANGEL PERFORMANCES EARLIER THIS YEAR


(Left)
120519-N-MG658-604 JOINT BASE ANDREWS, Md. (May 19, 2012) The U.S. Navy fight demonstration squadron, the Blue Angels, demonstrate choreographed flight skills during the annual Joint Service Open House. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Todd Frantom/Released)







(Right)
120330-N-BA418-044 TUSCALOOSA, Ala. (March 30, 2012) Capt. Greg McWherter, commanding officer and flight leader for the U.S. Navy flight demonstration squadron, the Blue Angels, leads a formation of F/A-18 Hornets during a looping maneuver at the Tuscaloosa Regional Air Show 2012. The Tuscaloosa Regional Air Show was the fourth show site of the squadron's 2012 season. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Andrew Johnson/Released) 













PRESIDENT OBAMA URGES AMERICANS TO REMEMBER SACRIFICES ON MEMORIAL DAY


Photo:  Marine Plays Taps At Arlington National Cemetery.  Credit:  U.S. Marine Corps.  

FROM:  AMERICAN FORCES PRESS SERVICE


Obama: Remember Veterans Past, Present on Memorial Day


By Jim Garamone
American Forces Press Service
WASHINGTON, May 26, 2012 - President Barack Obama today urged all Americans to remember those who sacrificed for the country and to help service members still feeling the effects of war.

In his Saturday address, the president reminded Americans that Memorial Day is more than just a well-earned three-day weekend. "In town squares and national cemeteries, in public services and moments of quiet reflection, we will honor those who loved their country enough to sacrifice their own lives for it," he said.

On Monday, Obama will place a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknowns at Arlington National Cemetery. The ceremony honors all Americans who died in war from those at Concord and Lexington to Baghdad and Kandahar.

Later in the day, he will participate in a ceremony at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial here marking the 50th anniversary of the war that claimed 58,000 Americans. "It's another chance to honor those we lost at places like Hue, Khe Sanh, Danang and Hamburger Hill," he said. "And we'll be calling on you — the American people — to join us in thanking our Vietnam veterans in your communities."

But even as Americans remember those who died, they need to remember the veterans who also sacrificed, the president said. Hundreds of thousands of service members have served in Iraq and Afghanistan, tens of thousands of them have been wounded.

"We have to serve them and their families as well as they have served us: By making sure that they get the healthcare and benefits they need; by caring for our wounded warriors and supporting our military families; and by giving veterans the chance to go to college, find a good job, and enjoy the freedom that they risked everything to protect," he said.

The country owes these Americans for their service, Obama said. "Our men and women in uniform took an oath to defend our country at all costs, and today, as members of the finest military the world has ever known, they uphold that oath with dignity and courage," he said.

Americans need to let these veterans and their families know they are appreciated and cherished. "On Memorial Day, we come together as Americans to let these families and veterans know that they are not alone," the president said. "We give thanks for those who sacrificed everything so that we could be free. And we commit ourselves to upholding the ideals for which so many patriots have fought and died."




MEMORIAL DAY, A DAY OF REFLECTION


Photo:  Annapolis National Cemetery.  Credit:  U.S. Department of Defense.
FROM:  U.S. DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS
Memorial Day – When America Remembers
Reflecting on the Sacrifice of America’s Fallen Warriors
Memorial Day is a time for somber remembrance of the loved ones who died in the service of their nation.

Memorial Day is the Federal holiday celebrated the last Monday of each May to honor the men and women who died while serving in the military.

Unlike Veterans Day, which is held each November 11 to honor all Veterans, Memorial Day represents a time for the nation to pause, remember and honor the service of deceased Veterans and military members who died on active duty.

Memorial Day is a time when people visit cemeteries and memorials. Many cemeteries will host ceremonies of remembrance, which are usually coordinated on the local level by officials at those cemeteries.
                                                                            Photo:  Corinth National Cemetery.  Credit:  Wikimedia.
The holiday was originally called Decoration Day, when the tradition of decorating the graves of Union and Confederate Veterans began. It still brings loved ones to the graves of the deceased, often with flowers.

“I call on all Americans to come together to honor the men and women who gave their lives so that we may live free, and to strive for a just and lasting peace in our world.”
— President Barack Obama

More than 100,000 people are expected to attend activities at VA’s national cemeteries with color guards, readings, bands, and choir performances. Events will honor about one million men and women who died in the military during wartime, including about 655,000 battle deaths.

National cemetery staff and volunteers typically place American flags on each grave.
At Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia, soldiers from the 3rd U.S. Infantry Regiment based at Fort Myer, Va. — the famed “Old Guard” — traditionally decorate each grave with a small American flag.

Remembering Fallen Warriors
On Memorial Day at 3 p.m., local time around the nation, Americans will pause for the annual Moment of Remembrance to pause and reflect on the sacrifice of America’s fallen warriors and the freedoms that unite Americans.

The Department of Veterans Affairs maintains approximately three million gravesites at its 131 national cemeteries and has the potential to provide six million graves on more than 19,000 acres in 39 states and Puerto Rico, as well as 33 soldier’s lots and monument sites.



NATIONAL MISSING CHILDREN'S DAY



FROM:  U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE
Justice Department Commemorates National Missing Children’s Day May 25th, 2012
 Posted by Tracy Russo
The following post appears courtesy of Acting Assistant Attorney General of the Office of Justice Programs, Mary Lou Leary

The disappearance of 6-year-old Etan Patz on May 25, 1979, of Adam Walsh in 1981, and the murders of 29 children in Atlanta during those same years forced our nation to realize we had no national response system in place to coordinate the efforts among federal, state, and local law enforcement when children went missing. We had no central resource to help families searching for their children. The momentum generated by a concerned public following these disappearances led to photographs of missing children on milk cartons — and ultimately a nationwide movement.

Each president since Ronald Reagan has commemorated May 25th as National Missing Children’s Day to remind the nation to make child protection a national priority.

At a moving ceremony this Wednesday, I listened as Deputy Attorney General James Cole paid tribute to four individuals — a special agent, a detective, a 30-year veteran of the postal service, and a prosecutor– for their extraordinary efforts to recover missing children, rescue children from abuse, and prosecute sexual predators.  These jobs are among the toughest in law enforcement, as Deputy Attorney General Colesaid:

Your jobs are among the most intellectually challenging and emotionally wrenching.   You uncover crimes of depravity and cold calculation.   Most people would cower from the prospect but you rise to meet the challenge, knowing that these kids and their communities are depending on you.   We commend you for your servic

Yvonne Pointer, a mother who experienced this pain and loss firsthand, also spoke passionately and poignantly during the ceremony about her daughter Gloria, who was abducted, raped, and murdered when she was 14 years old. Since then Yvonne has become a passionate advocate, working to stop crimes against children and to give a voice to families who have lost a loved one.

I’m proud that the Office of Justice Programs plays such a central role in the Justice Department’s efforts on behalf of children.  We fund programs, we train practitioners, and we support research to make these efforts increasingly more successful and effective.  Our work with the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children and the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force program has made a difference in neighborhoods across the country in the lives of many children and their families. As the AMBER AlertProgram National Coordinator, I’m gratified to report the program has led to the successful recovery of 584 abducted children since its creation in 1996.

Attorney General Holder has long been committed to children’s safety and well-being.  His Defending Childhood initiative, has created a national task force of experts who have heard about children’s exposure to violence from practitioners, policymakers, academics, community members, and survivors at four public hearings in the past six months. The task force will synthesize its recommendations in a final report to the Attorney General later this year.

We know that the powerful voices of those most affected by violence will spur the task force to find new tools for preventing and reducing the effects of children’s exposure to violence, just as our annual National Missing Children’s Day event reminds us of the importance of working together to recover missing children and rescue them from harm’s way.  

As Yvonne Pointer said so eloquently:

“Today we are reminded why we commemorate this day and why we must continue to speak for children who have lost their voices and those that are still missing.  We must be the strength of our communities and the keeper of our children.  We must never give up this mission.  Never give up hope.”

U.S. SECRETARY OF HHS KATHLEEN SEBELIUS SPEECH AT WORLD MEDICAL ASSOCIATION IN GENEVA, SWITZERLAND


FROM:  U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
World Medical Association
May 22, 2012
Geneva, Switzerland
Every country in the world recognizes the huge benefits of investing in health. Healthy children are better students. Healthy adults are more productive workers. Healthy families can make greater contributions to their communities. And when we live longer, healthier lives, we have more time to do our jobs, play with our children, and watch our grandchildren grow up.

And yet, in too many countries, including my own, we fall short when it comes to the health of women.

One reason for this is that women are more likely to depend on a male partner to access health care. And they’re often less likely to have the resources they need to get care on their own.

Another obstacle is health systems that too often fail to consider the unique health needs of women.

In the United States, it wasn’t until the 1980s that women were even included in clinical trials. As a result, we had no idea what treatments or medicines were particularly effective for women. We didn’t know what might happen when a drug that had been tested on a 180-pound man, was given to a 110-pound woman.

Despite the progress we’ve made since then, disparities persist to this day. Women in America often pay more for health insurance, just because they’re women. And to add insult to injury, these plans often don’t even cover the basic care they need. In my country, just one out of 8 plans for those who buy their own insurance cover maternity care -- as if getting pregnant were some very rare condition.

The result is that far too many women, who often serve as the health care gatekeepers for their families, go without care themselves.

Of course, we see the same thing around the world. Every two minutes, a woman dies from complications related to pregnancy or childbirth. The risks are even greater if you live in the developing world -- where three out of every four women needing care for complications from pregnancy do not receive it.

Even in places where care is available, the demand is so great that it often stretches resources to their limits.

Last year I visited the maternity ward of the Mnazi Mmoja Hospital in Zanzibar, Tanzania. There were so few beds and nurses that some women had to share beds in the post-natal room. And others were discharged just hours after giving birth. The hospital was doing heroic work. And the women who were able to deliver there, were among the lucky ones. Yet, so much need still went unmet.

We know that when we under-invest in women’s health, whole families pay the price. When a mother dies the chance of her child dying within 12 months, increases seven fold.
So under President Obama, we’re putting a new focus on women’s health – at home and abroad.

In the United States, the key to those efforts is the Affordable Care Act, our most important women’s health legislation in years.
The health care law starts by ending discrimination against pre-existing conditions. Insurers are already prohibited from denying coverage to children because they have asthma or diabetes. And beginning in 2014, all women will be protected from being locked out of the market because they’re a breast cancer survivor, or gave birth by c-section, or were a victim of domestic violence.

In the past -- because they were worried about losing their health coverage -- too many women didn’t have the freedom to make important decisions like changing jobs, starting a new company, even leaving a bad marriage. Now that women know they can’t be turned away because of their health status, we’re taking those choices back from the insurance companies and returning them to the women where they belong.

Next, the law prohibits insurers from charging women more just because they’re women. To put it another way: this means that being a woman is no longer a pre-existing condition.

And the law helps women get the preventive care they need to stay healthy, from mammograms to contraception to an annual check-up where you get to sit down and talk with your doctor, as a basic part of any insurance plan.
These improvements are happening across the lifespan. Young girls now have access to the vaccinations they need stay healthy without their parents worrying about additional costs. And seniors are getting better care to help manage their chronic conditions.
Put all these changes together and they represent the most important and comprehensive American law affecting women’s health in decades.

Now, we’ve also made women and girls a priority for our Global Health Initiative -- a new approach to coordinating the US government’s global health work around the world.
With a focus on collaboration, and innovation, this initiative -- launched by President Obama -- allows us to maximize America’s own strengths and support other nations as they work to improve their people’s health.

We are integrating our programs across the U.S. Government so they can work together more effectively. And we are looking for new and better ways to work with international partners, multilateral organizations, NGOs and foundations to meet our common goals
Through it all, we’ve made women’s health a key priority – and that includes family planning. We know that access to contraception allows women to space their pregnancies and have children during their healthiest years. And delaying pregnancy beyond adolescence can reduce infant mortality and dramatically improve a child’s long-term health. Providing a woman the tools to plan how many children she has, and when she has them, is essential to her health and her family’s health.

Now, just as important is making sure that, when women are pregnant, they get the care and support they need to have a safe and healthy pregnancy and delivery.
The Global Health Initiative’s ‘Saving Mothers Giving Life’ campaign is a great example of these efforts. We know that for mothers and children at risk, the first 24 hours postpartum are the most dangerous. That’s when two out of every three maternal deaths, and almost half of newborn deaths occur.

So we’re working together with groups like Merck for Mothers, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, Every Mother Counts, and the Government of Norway, to make sure mothers get the essential care they need during labor, delivery, and those crucial first 24 hours, so they can survive and thrive.
We’re focusing on countries with the political will to bring about change. And with more than $90 million in generous support from our non-governmental partners, we have begun selecting pilot sites in the regions of Uganda and Zambia where women are facing some of the highest maternal mortality ratios in the world.

‘Saving Mothers Giving Life’ is just one example. But it illustrates an approach that runs throughout the Global Health Initiative. It starts by identifying the most urgent health challenges affecting some of the world’s poorest nations. Next, we identify the best people in the world with the specific expertise to solve these problems. Then we bring them together, and make sure they have the tools, resources and flexibility to take action.
For too long, too many women and girls have had their lives marred by illness or disability, just because they didn’t have access to health services. When we deprive women of the care and support they need to stay healthy or get well, we’re also robbing them of hope for the future.

That’s the moral argument for making women’s health a priority. But there’s a strategic argument too.

Women are gateways to their communities. Around the world, women are primarily responsible for managing water, nutrition, and household resources. They’re responsible for accessing health services for their families. Many of them are closely involved in actually providing health care for those around them.So by improving the health of women, we can improve the health of communities too.

Consider the story of Jemima, a woman living with HIV in rural western Kenya. At one point, the effects of her HIV got so bad she had wasted to 77 pounds. That’s when a volunteer brought Jemima, her husband, and her sick grandchild to a U.S. government-supported health clinic.

They went home with what is called a “Basic Care Package” – a bundle of low-cost health interventions, developed by public health researchers from our CDC Global AIDS Program to prevent the most debilitating, opportunistic infections among people living with HIV.

Jemima bounced back. She regained a healthy weight. And today she is a health leader in her community. She founded a group that offers emotional support and small loans to families touched by HIV. She sells health products to help support the eight sick and orphaned children she has adopted. And she has referred more than 100 HIV-infected men, women, and children to receive care at the same facility where she got help.
In Jemima, our investment saved not only a life, but a mother, a community leader, an entrepreneur and a health advocate.

What we know from our work with partners around the world is that improving the health of women and girls, unleashes powerful new opportunities – not just for them or their families – but for their communities and countries.

If we want to improve education, we should be giving our young women the healthy start they need to succeed in school. If we want to boost productivity, we can make sure women have access to health care, including family planning and other reproductive health services. If we want to build stronger communities, let’s enable women to teach their neighbors how to prevent disease and stay healthy.

Around the globe, our nations face many challenges. And investing in women’s health is one of the best ways we can address them together.
Thank you.

FALLEN SOLDIER RETURNS HOME FROM AFGHANISTAN


FROM:  U.S. AIR FORCE
5/22/2012 - PETERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Colo. - Airmen and civilians line Peterson Boulevard May 21 to pay respect to Army 1st Lt. Alejo Thompson. Thompson was based at Fort Carson's 4th Infantry Division and was killed May 11 while serving in support of Operation Enduring Freedom in Parwan Province, Afghanistan. (U.S. Air Force photo/Dennis Howk)

Sunday, May 27, 2012

BOMBER AIRCRAFT DEVELOPMENT IN THE EARLY 1940S


U.S. AIR FORCE FACT SHEET
One of the first North American B-25s built. (U.S. Air Force photo) 
The pace of U.S. bomber development accelerated through the 1930s into the World War II years. Projects on the drawing board in the late 1930s were built and flying by the early 1940s. These projects could be grouped into three broad development categories: medium bombers, very heavy bombers and special projects.

The two most famous medium bombers were the North American B-25, which was developed using knowledge gained in the unsuccessful XB-21 project, and the B-26, the first successful Martin bomber since the ground breaking B-10.

At dawn on April 18, 1942, a U.S. Navy task force was heading through rough Pacific seas toward Japan. One of the ships in the flotilla was the aircraft carrier Hornet with 16 AAF B-25s on deck. Plans called for the B-25s to take off from the carrier within 450 to 650 miles of Japan, bomb selected targets at such locations as Yokohama and Tokyo, and then fly another 1,200 miles to friendly airfields on mainland China.

AAF B-26 medium bombers in England became operational in the spring of 1943. Not having the long range of the B-17 and B-24, B-26s were used almost exclusively for missions to Holland, Belgium and northwestern France, where they bombed airfields, transportation and lines of communication.

Very heavy bomber development can be traced back to the Boeing XB-15 and Douglas XB-19. Although neither design was successful, the data gathered led to the development of the B-29 -- one of the best bombers of WWII.

Development of the Boeing Superfortress, "very heavy bomber," began late in 1939 and the first XB-29 made its initial flight on Sept. 21, 1942; however, in a bold wartime gamble, the AAF ordered the plane into quantity production months before this first flight. Among the B-29's new features were pressurized crew compartments and a central fire-control system with remotely controlled gun turrets. Flying combat missions first from India and China and later from the Marianas Islands, the Superfortress repeatedly demonstrated its capability for carrying bomb loads of up to 20,000 pounds against targets as far away as 1,500 miles from its base.

Even larger bombers were in development during the war. The prototypes for the Northrop B-35 flying wing and the massive Consolidated B-36 Peacemaker were both ordered in 1942.

Finally, some bombers series were modified to test the feasibility of the escort bomber concept. Because of the limited range of escort fighters early in the war, bombers with greatly increased armament were built. The plan failed mainly because the increased weight of the escort bomber made it too slow to keep pace with the regular bomber formation and it had no maneuverability to avoid enemy fighter attacks.

PRESIDENT OBAMA PROCLAIMS 50 ANNIVERSARY OF VIETNAM WAR


Vietnam War Memorial Aerial View.  Credit: U.S. Government
FROM:  AMERICAN FORCES PRESS SERVICE
President Proclaims 50th Anniversary of the Vietnam War
WASHINGTON, May 25, 2012 - In a proclamation issued today, President Barack Obama urged Americans to remember the courage and sacrifice of U.S. military members who served during the Vietnam War, and he declared May 28, 2012, through November 11, 2025, as the Commemoration of the 50th Anniversary of the Vietnam War.

In his proclamation, Obama called upon federal, state, and local officials "to honor our Vietnam veterans, our fallen, our wounded, those unaccounted for, our former prisoners of war, their families, and all who served with appropriate programs, ceremonies, and activities" during the 13-year commemoration.

"As we observe the 50th anniversary of the Vietnam War, we reflect with solemn reverence upon the valor of a generation that served with honor," Obama said in his proclamation. "We pay tribute to the more than 3 million servicemen and women who left their families to serve bravely, a world away from everything they knew and everyone they loved.

"From Ia Drang to Khe Sanh, from Hue to Saigon and countless villages in between, they pushed through jungles and rice paddies, heat and monsoon, fighting heroically to protect the ideals we hold dear as Americans," the president continued. "Through more than a decade of combat, over air, land, and sea, these proud Americans upheld the highest traditions of our armed forces."

Today, grateful Americans "honor more than 58,000 patriots -- their names etched in black granite -- who sacrificed all they had and all they would ever know," Obama said. "We draw inspiration from the heroes who suffered unspeakably as prisoners of war, yet who returned home with their heads held high. We pledge to keep faith with those who were wounded and still carry the scars of war, seen and unseen. With more than 1,600 of our service members still among the missing, we pledge as a nation to do everything in our power to bring these patriots home.

"In the reflection of The Wall," he continued, "we see the military family members and veterans who carry a pain that may never fade. May they find peace in knowing their loved ones endure, not only in medals and memories, but in the hearts of all Americans, who are forever grateful for their service, valor, and sacrifice."
Obama urged citizens to "renew our sacred commitment to those who answered our country's call in Vietnam and those who awaited their safe return."

Beginning on Memorial Day, May 28, 2012, he said, the federal government will partner with local governments, private organizations, and communities across America to participate in the Commemoration of the 50th Anniversary of the Vietnam War.

The 13-year commemoration, he added, will "honor and give thanks to a generation of proud Americans who saw our country through one of the most challenging missions we have ever faced."

No amount of words will ever be enough or fully worthy in praising military members for their service in the Vietnam War, nor any honor truly befitting their sacrifice, Obama said.

However, "it is never too late to pay tribute to the men and women who answered the call of duty with courage and valor," he said, adding it's also important to "renew our commitment to the fullest possible accounting for those who have not returned."

Obama urged all Americans to provide "our Vietnam veterans, their families, and all who have served the fullest respect and support of a grateful nation."

SECRETARY OF DEFENSE PANETTA DELIVERS INTREPID FREEDOM AWARD


Photo:  WWII Aircraft Carrier USS Intrepid.  Credit:  U.S. Navy.
FROM:  U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Intrepid Freedom AwardAs Delivered by Secretary of Defense Leon E. Panetta, New York City, New York, Thursday, May 24, 2012
I want to express my profound regret for not being able to accept this award in person tonight.  I had very much looked forward to coming up to the city I love, and to being aboard that great ship, the USS Intrepid.

But I want you to know that I am profoundly honored by this award.  And I am proud to be associated with this organization and its noble mission of honoring the heroes of America's armed forces.

I know that many of those heroes are in the audience.  I'd like to acknowledge all the men and women from across the services who join us tonight, and all of the veterans – particularly those who served aboard the USS Intrepid.

I also want to pay special tribute to the Fisher family for the extraordinary work done by the Intrepid Family of Foundations.

The three Intrepid foundations – the Intrepid Fallen Heroes Fund, the Fisher House Foundation, and the Intrepid Relief Fund – make a crucial difference in the life of our armed forces.

They provide critical support to our troops, veterans, wounded warriors, and their family members in times of hardship, in times of need, and in times of heartbreak.
Through the Intrepid Sea, Air and Space Museum, Americans learn a timeless lesson.  It is the lesson that our freedom, our security, and our very way of life are made possible only because there have been those among us willing to fight and to die to make it so.
Our men and women in uniform embody what makes America strong:  the determination to overcome any challenge, and the willingness to sacrifice for our children.
The Intrepid museum also reminds us of the strong spirit of innovation that courses through the life of the military, a spirit which has always been and remains the key to a strong national defense.

I'm talking about the ability to look around the corner, perceive new challenges, and develop ways to leap ahead of potential adversaries or competitors.
To not only be able to fight, but to be able to anticipate how and where and against whom we might need to fight.

These are the forces that led the military to develop the jet engine, to help send people and satellites to space, to build the Internet, and now to develop remotely piloted aircraft and automated vehicles.

The story of this ship is the story of innovation in the face of crisis and adversity.
As many of you know, the Intrepid's keel was laid more than 70 years ago, only one week before our country was brutally attacked at Pearl Harbor.  It would go on to play a decisive role in defeating the Japanese Navy and securing victory in the Pacific.
For more than ten years, we have been in a different kind of war than what the Intrepid confronted in the early years of her life.  From networks of violent extremists operating across the globe to ruthless insurgents in Iraq and Afghanistan, our military has fought an adversary determined to attack our homeland.  But just as with World War II, we have made clear that nobody attacks America and gets away with it.  What we have done to Bin Laden and al Qaeda's leadership sends a message that we will do whatever we have to do to protect our country.
It has been a decade of great challenge, but also of great change, of innovation and adaptation for the men and women of the United States military.  Across the services our men and women have become vastly more networked, more capable and more effective at operating on the 21st century battlefield.

This next greatest generation of heroes has exemplified the spirit of innovation and leadership that runs through the United States military.

These men and women, who have fought and bled for us over the last ten years, want to find ways to lead and to contribute to a better future for their children.
As leaders in business and as leaders in government, we need to find ways to support them and their families – by helping those who are leaving the service find good jobs, by supporting their educational ambitions, and by helping them start a business.

These are men and women who have been tested by war, who have demonstrated the greatest qualities of leadership, sacrifice, and innovation.  I have had no greater honor in life than to lead them as Secretary of Defense.  In them I see the best that America has to offer, and I see a hope for a better future.
Thank you all for your support of them and thank you again for this award.

JUSTICE DEPARTMENT ALLEGES U.S. COMPANY DISCRIMINATED AGAINST U.S. CITIZENS


FROM:  U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE
Tuesday, May 22, 2012
Justice Department Files Lawsuit Against New Jersey Information Technology Company for Retaliation
The Justice Department filed a lawsuit today against Whiz International LLC, an information technology staffing company in Jersey City, N.J., regarding allegations that the company violated the anti-discrimination provision of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) when it terminated an employee in retaliation for expressing opposition to Whiz’s alleged preference for foreign nationals with temporary work visas.

The complaint alleges that the company directed an employee that served as a receptionist and a recruiter, to prefer certain noncitizens in its recruitment efforts and then terminated the employee when she expressed discomfort with excluding U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents from consideration. The anti-discrimination provision prohibits employers from retaliating against workers who oppose a practice that is illegal under the statute or who attempt to assert rights under the statute.

“Employers cannot punish employees who try to do the right thing and take reasonable measures to shed light on a practice they believe may be discriminatory,” said Thomas E. Perez, Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Rights Division. “Employers must ensure that their practices conform to the anti-discrimination provision of the INA, and retaliation will not be tolerated.”

The complaint seeks a court order prohibiting future discrimination by the respondent, monetary damages to the employee, as well as civil penalties.

The Office of Special Counsel for Immigration-Related Unfair Employment Practices (OSC) is responsible for enforcing the anti-discrimination provisions of the INA, which protect U.S. citizens and certain work-authorized individuals from citizenship status discrimination.  The INA also protects work-authorized individuals from national origin discrimination, over-documentation in the employment eligibility verification process and retaliation.

RESEARCHER TO HELP DEVELOP USES FOR NEW MATERIALS


Photo:  Solar Sail Testing.  Credit:  NASA
FROM:  U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE ARMED WITH SCIENCE
ONR Researcher Tapped For Role In National Materials Genome Initiative 
Written on MAY 26, 2012 AT 7:31 AM by JTOZER
The White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) has selected an Office of Naval Research (ONR) director to serve as co-deputy chair of an interagency subcommittee tasked with speeding the advancement of new materials.

Dr. Julie Christodoulou, division director of naval materials in ONR’s Sea Warfare and Weapons department, became one of three co-deputy chairs of the National Science and Technology Council’s Subcommittee for the Materials Genome Initiative. The subcommittee is supporting the Materials Genome Initiative for Global Competitiveness (MGI), part of President Obama’s plan to accelerate the standard decades-long process to discover, mature and manufacture new materials.

Just as the Human Genome Project rejuvenated and spurred the growth of biological sciences by decoding the fundamental building blocks of human genetics, MGI is a national effort to build a materials innovation infrastructure that will accelerate the discovery and incorporation of materials in half the time and at a reduced cost of traditional approaches.

It took nearly 40 years for lithium-ion batteries to go from material discovery and development to mass market consumption.

With investment in the MGI, officials aim to gain efficiency in the scientific discovery process and accelerate commercial adaptation. Scientists supporting the initiative will advance computational tools that encourage collaboration throughout the development, certification, implementation and manufacturing processes of new materials, which will also shorten the transition time into commercial products.

“The purpose is to advance our experimental and computational tools, and to establish data-sharing protocols and ways of working together,” said Christodoulou. “That’s what all of this is about—trying to seed that infrastructure so that people have a way to work in this collaborative environment, which we believe is really going to make a difference in the world of materials science.”

Christodoulou will help oversee the effort with her co-deputy chairs, Dr. Charles Ward of the Air Force Research Laboratory and Dr. Ian Robertson of the National Science Foundation (NSF).

Dr. Cyrus Wadia, who is OSTP’s assistant director for clean energy and materials research and development, is the subcommittee chairman.

Federal agencies participating in the initiative include the departments of energy, commerce and defense; the National Institute of Standards and Technology; NSF; and NASA.

ONR has been at the forefront of funding basic research to help scientists discover, improve and incorporate new materials. The MGI will assist in focusing national attention, allowing the collective harnessing of similar but disparate interests, ultimately leading to more rapid advancement of materials for national security needs.
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WOMEN IN THE AFGHAN AIR FORCE


FROM:  U.S. AIR FORCE 
U.S. Air Force Capt. Vanessa Vanden Bout, 439th Air Expeditionary Advisory Squadron, gender integration advisor and force support squadron advisor, hands out patches to the Afghan Air Force female maintenance officers at Kabul, Afghanistan, International Airport, May 22, 2012. The patches had the American and Afghanistan flag together along with the word sisters in Dari and English. Vanden Bout, deployed from 3rd Air Force, Ramstein, Germany, has worked in getting more women into the Afghan Air Force. The Vermilion, Ohio, native has worked with the Afghan female officers and wanted to show a sign of appreciation and welcome with the patches. (Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Clay Lancaster) 

Airmen advise Afghan women officers, instill hope 
by Senior Airman Alexandria Mosness
U.S. Air Forces Central Public Affairs

5/25/2012 - KABUL, Afghanistan (AFNS) -- The four Afghan air force lieutenants stand at a petite five feet, their uniforms bare the proud patches of military members serving their country. They wear something that is not common in the Afghan air force - a hijab, a head covering traditionally worn by Muslim women.

These women are trying to make the anomaly of women in the military a thing of the past.

The Afghan air force Kabul Wing was the first to graduate six female Afghan maintenance officers in 2012.

"We are here to give oversight and support along with technical expertise," said Maj. Jennifer Bradley, 440th Air Expeditionary Advisory Squadron flightline maintenance adviser, who is deployed from Detachment 510 at the University of New Mexico as an Air Force ROTC instructor.

"We show them new aircraft and how to maintain it," Bradley added.

But, it is not only about learning the job, but showing the women there is someone they can look up to and see they have succeeded, said Capt. Vanessa Vanden Bout, 439th Air Expeditionary Advisory Squadron, gender integration adviser and force support squadron adviser, who is deployed from 3rd Air Force, Ramstein Air Base, Germany.

"Bradley has shown them they are not just females but individuals," continued the Vermilion, Ohio native. "She is giving them both courage and hope to serve their country. It's plain and simple mentorship. That's what she's teaching them."

The major wanted to show the Afghan female officers the capabilities of women.

"I wanted to show them a woman could be in charge," Bradley passionately said. "In the beginning, we would go out to the flightline and I would advise the women and one of my male technical sergeants would advise the men. I said hold up; we need to switch this around. So, we changed spots and my male technical sergeant started talking to the women and saying yes she is a female and she is my boss."

With the mentorship also comes giving these women hope and inspiration. Vanden Bout gave some of that inspiration in the form of a brown two-by-four inch patch with both the American and Afghanistan flag side-by-side along with the word sisters in Dari and English.

Through an interpreter, four of the women sat down to answer questions.

Lieutenants Sakina, Nafisa and Semen were fascinated with being in the military since they were children, they said. For Lt. Ziba it didn't come until she saw a movie where she saw a woman in the military.

"I thought if men could be in the military why can't women?" Nafisa said. "My family was worried at first but now they are encouraging."

Even with the support of their families, it has not been an easy journey for the female officers.

"At first the men would stare and talk about us when they would see us," Sakina said. "The Afghan men would sometimes stand in front of us so we could not pass them."

But now that does not happen.

"We don't want to lose ourselves in their beliefs," Sakina said. "We want to change their ideas and make a bridge to other women, so they can come and join the military."

Throughout her time with the female officers, Vanden Bout has worked hard to present a good image for the young females.

"I hope I am a role model," said Vanden Bout. "I want to display the proper military image. I have always thought if I can't look up and see someone like me at that higher position, how can I get to it? So, I hope I am able to show them it is achievable."

And it has not gone unnoticed by the females they have spent hours mentoring.

"We are very proud to work with them [Bradley and Vanden Bout]," Semen said. "They have done a lot for us. We are very thankful."

What they are doing is not easy, Bradley said with a sigh.

"I hope they have the strength to continue what they are doing," she continued. "We came in and it was already established for females, so it is hard to tell if I would have been able to do what they are doing. I would like to think so."

While the band of female officers face a tough road ahead, they know the path they are forging can change history.

"We must be brave for other girls, so they can come and join the military," Semen said with determination. "If we are not here, how will they know it "

TWO COMPANIES AND TWO MEN CHARGED IN $11 MILLION FRAUD

Photo:  Chicago Board Of Trade.  Credit:  Wikipedia.
FROM:  COMMODITY FUTURES TRADING COMMISSION
CFTC Charges CTI Group, LLC, Cooper Trading, Stephen Craig Symons, and James David Kline, all of California, with an $11 Million Fraud in the Sale of Automated Trading Systems
Federal court issues emergency order freezing defendants’ assets and protecting books and records.
Washington, DC – The U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) today announced the filing of a federal court action against defendants CTI Group, LLC, Cooper Trading, and Stephen Craig Symons of Corona del Mar, Calif., and James David Kline of Van Nuys, Calif., charging them with fraudulent sales practices in connection with the sale of two automated trading systems, known as the Boomer and Victory Trading Systems.

The CFTC complaint was filed under seal May 11, 2012, in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, and on May 14, 2012, Judge Andrew L. Carter, Jr. entered an emergency order freezing the defendants’ assets and prohibiting the destruction or alteration of books and records. The judge set a hearing date on the CFTC’s motion for a preliminary injunction for June 21, 2012.

According to the CFTC complaint, since at least August 2009 and continuing through the present, CTI Group, LLC and Cooper Trading (which allegedly operated as a common enterprise and are collectively referred to in the complaint as “CTI”), by and through Symons, Kline, and others, fraudulently solicited clients to subscribe to the Boomer and Victory Trading Systems, used by clients to trade E-mini Standard and Poor’s 500 Stock Index futures contracts in managed accounts. To carry out the fraud, CTI and Kline allegedly engaged, and continue to engage, in a systematic pattern of material false statements and omissions in connection with the marketing of CTI’s Trading Systems to clients and prospective clients. CTI sells subscriptions to its Trading Systems for $5,000 to $6,000 and has sold subscriptions to well over 1,000 clients, receiving at least $11 million from the sale of its Trading Systems, according to the complaint.

CTI’s misrepresentations and omissions in the sale of its Trading Systems allegedly concern 1) how long CTI has been in business; 2) CTI’s experience developing and marketing Trading Systems, 3) the identities and professional experience of CTI’s personnel (who use fictitious names when communicating with clients), 4) the track record of CTI’s Trading Systems, 5) the past profitability of CTI’s Trading Systems, and 6) the transaction costs associated with trading via CTI’s Trading Systems.

CTI’s salespeople, including Kline, also allegedly made false statements to clients and prospective clients about CTI’s purported money-back guarantee and misrepresented the risks associated with trading futures contracts using CTI’s systems. The complaint further alleges that Symons and Kline controlled CTI and actively participated in CTI’s unlawful conduct.

Two California-based relief defendants named
The CFTC complaint also names as relief defendants California companies Snonys, Inc. and Dragonfyre Magick Incorporated, allegedly owned or operated by Symons and Kline, respectively. The relief defendants allegedly received funds as a result of the defendants’ fraudulent conduct and have no legitimate entitlement to those funds.

In its continuing litigation, the CFTC seeks disgorgement of ill-gotten gains from the defendants and the relief defendants, restitution, civil monetary penalties, permanent trading and registration bans, and preliminary and permanent injunctions against further violations of the Commodity Exchange Act and CFTC regulations, as charged.

CFTC establishes special toll-free call-in number for alleged victims
The CFTC has established a special toll-free call-in number – 1-866-720-9071 – for CTI’s clients to leave messages for the CFTC’s Division of Enforcement.

The CFTC appreciates the assistance of the National Futures Association.
CFTC Division of Enforcement staff members responsible for this case are R. Stephen Painter, Jr., Laura A. Martin, Michael C. McLaughlin, David W. MacGregor, Lenel Hickson, Jr., Stephen J. Obie, and Vincent A. McGonagle.


MANY IDEAS FOR NEW MISSIONS TO MARS

Photo:  The Three Mars Rovers.  Credit:  NASA
FROM: NASA
WASHINGTON -- NASA's call to scientists and engineers to help plan a 
new strategy to explore Mars has resulted in almost double the amount 
of expected submissions with unique and bold ideas. 

About 400 concepts or abstracts were submitted to the Concepts and 
Approaches for Mars Exploration Workshop in Houston, which was 
organized to gather input for the reformulation of NASA's Mars 
Exploration Program. Submissions came from individuals and teams that 
included professional researchers, undergraduate and graduate 
students, NASA centers, federal laboratories, industry, and 
international partner organizations. 

NASA is reformulating the Mars Exploration Program to be responsive to 
high-priority science goals and President Obama's challenge of 
sending humans to Mars orbit in the 2030s. 

"This strong response sends a clear message that exploring Mars is 
important to future exploration," said John Grunsfeld, associate 
administrator for NASA's Science Mission Directorate at the agency's 
headquarters in Washington and an astrophysicist and astronaut. "The 
challenge now will be to select the best ideas for the next phase." 

Selected abstracts will be presented during a workshop June 12-14 
hosted by the Lunar and Planetary Institute in Houston. Selectees are 
now being invited to present and discuss concepts, options, 
capabilities and innovations to advance Mars exploration. Workshop 
discussion will help inform a strategy for exploration within 
available resources beginning as early as 2018, and stretching into 
the next decade and beyond. Proceedings will be streamed live online. 

"Developing abstracts is very time consuming, requiring intense 
preparation, and we appreciate the fabulous response," said Doug 
McCuistion, director, NASA's Mars Exploration Program in Washington. 
"Even though space is limited, to ensure transparency in the process 
anyone can observe the scientific and engineering deliberations via 
the Web." 

Based on the abstracts selected, associated working groups will 
consider the ideas and concepts in depth during the workshop. 
Near-term ideas will be taken into consideration for early mission 
planning in the 2018-2024 timeframe, while mid- to longer-term ideas 
will inform program-level architecture planning for 2026 and beyond. 

The Mars Program Planning Group (MPPG), tasked with developing options 
for a reformulated Mars Exploration Program, will consider the 
workshop inputs for the various options, taking into consideration 
budgetary, programmatic, scientific, and technical constraints. 


Options developed by the MPPG are expected to advance the science 
objectives in the National Research Council's Planetary Science 
Decadal Survey. The survey rated the return of Mars samples to Earth 
as a top scientific goal. Developed in consultation with the 
scientific and technical community, the MPPG report is expected to be 
delivered for NASA review at the end of the summer. 

The MPPG reports to Grunsfeld, who chairs the overall, agencywide 
reformulation strategy along with William Gerstenmaier, associate 
administrator for NASA's Human Exploration and Operations Mission 
Directorate, NASA Chief Scientist Waleed Abdalati and NASA Chief 
Technologist Mason Peck. "Getting to Mars is hard," said Grunsfeld. "We've had successes and 
losses, but the human spirit to continue exploring the Red Planet 
prevails." 

This August, NASA will land the Mars Science Laboratory, Curiosity, on 
the planet's surface. This roving science laboratory will assess 
whether Mars was or is today an environment able to support life. In 
2013, NASA will launch the Mars Atmosphere and Volatile Evolution 
(MAVEN) orbiter, the first mission devoted to understanding the 
Martian upper atmosphere. 


MAN CHARGED WITH INSIDER TRADING CONCERNING A TENDER OFFER


Photo Credit:  Wikimedia.
FROM:  U.S. SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
May 24, 2012
Stephen H. Guth Settles SEC Insider Trading Charge Concerning Omrix Tender Offer
The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission today filed a settled civil injunctive action in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia alleging that Stephen H. Guth violated Section 14(e) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and Rule 14e-3 promulgated thereunder, by buying Omrix Biopharmaceuticals, Inc. common stock ahead of a November 2008 public announcement that Johnson & Johnson, Inc. was making a tender offer for the outstanding shares of Omrix stock. Guth, a U.S. citizen residing in the United Kingdom, is a self-employed consultant and had been the Chief Financial Officer of Omrix from 1996 to 2000.

The Commission’s complaint alleges the following: On October 3, 2008, after Johnson & Johnson had taken substantial steps to commence the tender offer, Guth received an unsolicited communication from the Chief Executive Officer of Omrix requesting assistance with due diligence questions pertaining to transactions that occurred while Guth worked for the company. In October and November 2008, the Chief Executive Officer of Omrix had additional communications with Guth related to due diligence questions. As a result of his communications with the Omrix CEO, Guth learned that an acquisition of Omrix was likely, and he purchased 7,000 shares of Omrix common stock. Guth purchased Omrix securities while in possession of material information relating to the tender offer, which he knew or had reason to know was nonpublic and had been acquired from an officer of the issuer whose securities were to be sought. On November 23, 2008, Omrix and Johnson & Johnson jointly announced the tender offer. Thereafter, defendant Guth tendered his shares of Omrix stock, realizing profits exceeding $60,000.

Without admitting or denying the allegations in the Commission’s complaint, Guth has consented to entry of a proposed Final Judgment that would enjoin him from future violations of Section 14(e) of the Exchange Act and Rule 14e-3 thereunder, order him to disgorge $63,517, with prejudgment interest of $7,695.49; and impose a civil penalty of $31,758. The proposed settlement is subject to the approval of the district court.



U.S. JUSTICE DEPARTMENT ISSUES MORE GUIDANCE ON SWIMMING POOL ACCESSIBILITY


FROM:  U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE
Thursday, May 24, 2012
Justice Department Issues Further Guidance on Accessibility Requirements for Existing Swimming Pools at Hotels and Other Public Accommodations
The Justice Department released two technical assistance documents today regarding the application of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) to swimming pools. The documents can be found at www.ada.gov//qa_existingpools_titleIII.htm and www.ada.gov/pools_2010.htm.

Many people with disabilities could benefit from the social, recreational and exercise benefits of swimming.   However, until September 2010, there were no accessibility standards for swimming pools under the ADA.   In September 2010, the department issued a regulation providing accessibility requirements for swimming pools.   The rules were originally set to become effective on March 15, 2012.   Newly constructed and altered pools must be fully accessible to people with disabilities as of March 15, 2012, by providing pool lifts, sloped entries, or other specified accessibility features.   However, many pool owners had misunderstandings about how to apply the new accessibility requirements to pre-existing pools.  Therefore, the department has extended the compliance date for existing pools to Jan. 31, 2013.

In its continuing effort to be responsive to both pool owners and the disability community, the department has now issued a technical assistance document addressing 19 common questions about accessibility requirements for existing pools.   The document emphasizes the application of the requirement that pool owners remove accessibility barriers to the extent it is readily achievable to do so.   The document explains, “Readily achievable means that it is easily accomplishable without much difficulty or expense.   This is a flexible, case-by-case analysis, with the goal of ensuring that ADA requirements are not unduly burdensome, including to small businesses.”

Recognizing that some pool owners who attempted to comply with the rule before the original compliance date mistakenly believed that portable lifts were generally acceptable, the department also provides that it will not enforce the fixed elements of the 2010 standards against those owners of existing pools who purchased otherwise-compliant portable lifts prior to March 15, 2012, as long as those owners keep the lifts in position for use at the pool and operational during all times that the pool is open to guests.

Significant tax credits and deductions are available to help businesses of all sizes offset any costs of ADA compliance.   The department is committed to providing technical assistance and education to ensure that covered entities and people with disabilities understand their rights and responsibilities under the ADA.   The department has offered two live webinars on pool accessibility.   Additional information about the ADA’s requirements, including the 2010 ADA standards, is available on the department’s ADA website at www.ada.gov.   ADA specialists are also available on the ADA Information Line at 800-514-0301 (voice); 800-514-0383 (TTY).  Specialists are available Monday through Friday from 9:30 a.m. until 5:30 p.m. EDT, except on Thursday, when the hours are 12:30 p.m. until 5:30 p.m.

USS GERALD R. FORD UNDER CONSTRUCTION




FROM:  U.S. NAVY  
The final keel section of the future USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78) is lowered into place at Huntington Ingalls Industries-Newport News Shipbuilding. The 680-metric-ton, 60-foot-tall lower bow unit was joined to the other keel sections and was the last major section of the ship installed below the waterline. The ship is scheduled to be delivered to the fleet in 2015. U.S. Navy photo courtesy of Ricky Thompson Huntington Ingalls Industries Newport News Shipbuilding Division (Released) 120524-N-ZZ999-003

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