SAILORS SERVE THANKSGIVING MEALS TO HOMELESS

121121-D-QK571-165 VENTURA, Ca. (Nov. 21, 2012) Left, Capt. David Sasek and Command Master Chief Thomas Cyr, the chief staff officer and command master chief at Naval Base Ventura County, serve up thanksgiving meals with members of local community and law enforcement agencies. Thirty Sailors, including Chief Petty Officer Alan Grow, right, helped serve over 800 meals at the Ventura County Rescue Mission in Oxnard, Calif. Nov. 21. Photo by Andrea Howry, NBVC public affairs.

FROM: U.S. NAVY, NAVAL BASE VENTURA
California Sailors Help Serve Thanksgiving Meals to the Homeless
Andrea Howry, Naval Base Ventura County Public Affairs

OXNARD, Calif. (NNS) -- Sailors from Naval Base Ventura County were among the 150 volunteers who showed up at the Ventura County Rescue Mission in Oxnard Calif., Nov. 21.

"We are so appreciative that the military is willing to give up a day and come help the community," said John Saltee, director of the rescue mission. "We are so pleased with the turnout."

Chief Staff Officer David Sasek and Command Master Chief Thomas Cyr were among several local dignitaries at one buffet table serving food onto plates that were then taken to the families seated at picnic tables all over the rescue mission property.

Another buffet table was staffed by Sailors in their khaki uniforms, while more Sailors shuttled steaming plates of food to the hungry families.

While serving did not begin until noon, several volunteers came as early as 10:30 a.m. to help with behind-the-scenes work, from wrapping plastic tableware in napkins and tying them with orange yarn to setting out drinking cups filled with ice.

A dozen other volunteers from the base visited the rescue mission the day before to help set up for the feast.

"It's important to help out," said Construction Electrician 3rd Class Bryan Sheridan of Naval Mobile Construction Battalion (NMCB) 3. "We all need to give something back."

"We have a lot of things to be thankful for. We need to give, too," said Logistics Specialist 2nd Class Ivy Jane Ibarra, also of NMCB 3.

Five volunteers came from Naval Branch Health Clinic, including Hospital Corpsman 1st Class Starleen Whitaker.

"I wanted to help support the needy," said Whitaker. "I like reaching out to the community."

Lt. Jeffrey Han, base chaplain, said the religious ministries team organizes several volunteer opportunities at the rescue mission every year.

"This is important because it's Thanksgiving," he said. "But it's important to volunteer the other 364 days of the year as well."

LOS ALAMOS NATIONAL LABORATORY GIVES OUT VENTURE ACCLERATION FUND AWARDS

Photo:  Los Alamos National Laboratory.  Credit:  LANL.

FROM:  LOS ALAMOS NATIONAL LABORATORY
New Companies Get Boost from Los Alamos National Security
Venture Acceleration Fund awards help region’s businesses grow

LOS ALAMOS, NEW MEXICO, November 19, 2012—Two local biotech start ups, a water and power company and a hardware inventor are the latest recipients of $165,000 in Venture Acceleration Fund (VAF) awards from Los Alamos National Security, LLC.

Mustomo, Inc., IX Power, Synfolia, and Tape-Ease will receive funding to take their products and services to the next development level. Three of the four companies are commercializing technology and intellectual property developed by New Mexico’s national laboratories and educational institutions.

"Although the program was originally intended to commercialize Lab technologies, VAF frequently funds companies with no tie to LANL or research institutions," says David Pesiri, the Laboratory’s Technology Transfer Division leader. "This round of VAF funding represents a special opportunity to push national lab and research institution technology into the marketplace, and to build upon other tech transfer efforts such as Labstart."

Breast Cancer Detection Aided

Mustomo, Inc. of Los Alamos received $100,000 to commercialize novel LANL technology for breast cancer screening and detection. The ultrasound-based, three-dimensional tomography system has significant advantages over x-ray mammograms and ultrasound screenings in that it is safe, comfortable, high-resolution, and easy to administer. In conjunction with clinical trials at the University of New Mexico Medical Center, Mustomo will use its VAF award to complete an operator manual, procedural guide, quality assurance and test plans, and to implement on-site training and test result review. The company will also prepare a preliminary FDA filing to enter the marketplace.

Mustomo, Inc. is a spin off of LANL’s Labstart program, a joint partnership between Arch Venture Partners and Verge Fund that is under contract with LANL to help identify and create start-up companies.

"I am excited about and appreciate the support from VAF," says Denis O’Connor, CEO of Mustomo, Inc. "This grant will greatly enhance our ability to commercialize this cutting edge technology in breast cancer assessment developed at Los Alamos National Laboratory."

Powering Up

IX Power of Los Alamos received $30,000 to acquire a first customer for Trans-Ex, a software package developed at LANL to optimize electric power grid supply and delivery configuration. IX Power will partner with Local Power of Marshall, CA to identify candidate sites and market opportunities for renewable and efficiency deployments in San Francisco. The team includes six IX Power founders, led by CEO John R. (Grizz) Deal, former LANL Computer Research & Applications Group Leader Vance Faber, and former LANL scientist Jonathan Bradley. Gaspar Loren Toole of Los Alamos will provide technical assistance to the company through the New Mexico Small Business Assistance (NMSBA) program.

IX Power expects to expand its workforce from nine full-time employees to more than 100 employees in the next year. "The VAF grant is critical to our ability to successfully commercialize the TransEx technology," says John R (Grizz) Deal, IX Power’s chief executive officer. "This kind of shared risk, between public sector inventors and private sector marketers, is a unique and vital partnership and a model for other labs and public institutions."

Biodegradability Testing

Synfolia of Santa Fe received $20,000 to conduct materials and biodegradability testing for tailored tissue scaffolds that regenerate epidermal and bone tissue. The company has exclusive rights to commercialize technology that was developed jointly by the University of New Mexico and Sandia National Laboratories. The company’s bioengineered scaffolds improve upon products currently used for tissue generation because they use the patient’s own cells and degrade easily without the problems of inadequate supply. Synfolia’s team includes Elizabeth Dirk, Ph.D. of the University of New Mexico; Shawn Dirk, Ph.D. and Stephen P. Buerger, Ph.D. of Sandia National Laboratories; and Dr. Reza Shekarriz.

"The VAF is a valuable tool for early stage start-ups like Synfolia," says John Chavez, CEO of Synfolia. "The VAF process makes entrepreneurs focus on specific milestones that move them to the next level."

Measuring Up

Tape-Ease received $15,000 to manufacture and market its products through trade shows, merchandising, and video production. The woman-owned, Santa Fe-based company invented practical tools that attach to a standard one-inch tape measure, enabling accurate and quick measurements by a single person. In the past year, Tape-Ease secured a manufacturer and began distribution. Initial marketing resulted in a phenomenal response, prompting Tape-Ease to seek VAF support to capitalize on momentum. The project team includes founders Lisa and Linda Johnson, and partners Michael Rafter and Eldon Goates.

The VAF award came at the most opportune time for Tape-Ease, whose founders have personally funded the company to date. "The funding allowed us to accelerate our momentum in fulfilling orders and marketing our products," says Tape-Ease founder Linda Johnson. "By helping us attend the International Builders Show for the first time, VAF opened the door to distributors from all over the world. VAF has been a lifeline for Tape-Ease. We're so grateful!" About the Program Los Alamos National Security, LLC, manager of Los Alamos National Laboratory, invests $1 million per year in economic development through a program known as Los Alamos Connect. Los Alamos Connect promotes VAF and a variety of other business development programs. The VAF efforts have generated a $24 million return in the regional economy on a $2.46 million LANS investment and helped create or retain 48 jobs.

2012 CONFERENCE ON MIDDLE EAST ZONE FREE OF WMD



Trinity Test - Worlds first atomic bomb detonated by the U.S. at Trinity site in southern New Mexico on 16 July 1945.

FROM: U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT
2012 Conference on a Middle East Zone Free of Weapons of Mass Destruction (MEWMDFZ)

Press Statement
Victoria Nuland
Department Spokesperson,
Office of the Spokesperson
Washington, DC
November 23, 2012

As a co-sponsor of the proposed conference on a Middle East zone free of weapons of mass destruction (MEWMDFZ), envisioned in the 2010 Non-Proliferation Treaty Review Conference Final Document, the United States regrets to announce that the conference cannot be convened because of present conditions in the Middle East and the fact that states in the region have not reached agreement on acceptable conditions for a conference.

The United States will continue to work seriously with our partners to create conditions for a meaningful conference. We are particularly grateful for the tireless efforts of Ambassador Jaakko Laajava, the appointed facilitator, supported by the United States, the United Kingdom, the Russian Federation and the UN Secretary General, to lay the groundwork for a successful conference against the backdrop of turmoil and dramatic political change taking place in the Middle East and Iran’s continuing defiance of its international nonproliferation obligations.

The United States believes that a deep conceptual gap persists in the region on approaches toward regional security and arms control arrangements. These differences can only be bridged through direct engagement and agreement among the states in the region. Outside states cannot impose a process on the region any more than they can dictate an outcome. The mandate for a MEWMDFZ must come from the region itself. That principle must underlie any serious undertaking on this issue.

Looking ahead, we encourage states in the region to take a fresh look at the obstacles standing in the way of convening a conference and to begin to explore terms for a successful meeting. This will require that all parties agree on the purpose and scope of a conference and on an agenda and process that takes into account the legitimate security interests of all states in the region. We believe that this conference should discuss a broad agenda that covers regional security and all WMD issues, and that it must operate solely on the basis of consensus among regional parties.

These are appropriate guidelines for official dialogue on security issues in the Middle East where none currently exists. They provide the necessary assurance that states can attend a conference on an equal footing. We would not support a conference in which any regional state would be subject to pressure or isolation.

The United States will continue to work with our partners to support an outcome in which states in the region approach this issue on the basis of mutual respect and understanding and with acknowledgement of the challenges inherent in advancing regional security and arms control. A conference handled this way, with direct engagement of the regional states, will enjoy the greatest prospects for success.

The United States fully supports the goal of a Middle East free of all weapons of mass destruction and we stand by our commitments. We further note our view that a comprehensive and durable peace in the region and full compliance by all regional states with their arms control

SEC HAS NEAR RECORD RESULTS FOR FISCAL YEAR 2012

Photo Credit:  Wikimedia.

FROM: U.S. SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C., Nov. 14, 2012 — Building on last year’s record results, the Securities and Exchange Commission today announced that it filed 734 enforcement actions in the fiscal year that ended Sept. 30, 2012, one shy of last year’s record of 735. Most significantly, that number included an increasing number of cases involving highly complex products, transactions, and practices, including those related to the financial crisis, trading platforms and market structure, and insider trading by market professionals. Twenty percent of the actions were filed in investigations designated as National Priority Cases, representing the Division’s most important and complex matters.

The SEC also announced that it obtained orders in fiscal year 2012 requiring the payment of more than $3 billion in penalties and disgorgement for the benefit of harmed investors. It represents an 11 percent increase over the amount ordered last year. In the past two years, the SEC has obtained orders for $5.9 billion in penalties and disgorgement.

"The record of performance is a testament to the professionalism and perseverance of the staff and the innovative reforms put in place over the past few years," said SEC Chairman Mary L. Schapiro. "We’ve now brought more enforcement actions in each of the last two years than ever before including some of the most complex cases we’ve ever seen."

Robert Khuzami, Director of the SEC’s Division of Enforcement, added, "It’s not simply numbers, but the increasing complexity and diversity of the cases we file that shows how successful we’ve been. The intelligence, dedication, and deep experience of our enforcement staff are, more than any other factors, responsible for the Division’s success."

The sustained high-level performance comes two years after the Division underwent its most significant reorganization since it was established in the early 1970s. The results in 2012 were aided by many of the reforms and innovations put in place in the past two years, such as increased expertise in complex and emerging financial markets, products, and transactions, including through enhanced training, the hiring of industry experts, and the creation of specialized enforcement units focused on high-priority misconduct; a flatter management structure; streamlined and centralized processes and the improved utilization of information technology; and a vastly enhanced ability to collect, process, and analyze tips and complaints.

Financial Crisis-Related Cases

Among the cases filed by the SEC in FY 2012 were 29 separate actions naming 38 individuals, including 24 CEOs, CFOs and other senior corporate officers, regarding wrongdoing related to the financial crisis.

These cases included enforcement actions involving:
The former senior officers of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac for misleading statements regarding the extent of each company’s holdings of higher-risk mortgage loans.

Former investment bankers at Credit Suisse for fraudulently overstating the prices of $3 billion in subprime bonds.
Several bank and mortgage executives including those at United Commercial Bank, TierOne Bank, Franklin Bank, and Thornburg Mortgage for misleading investors about mounting loan losses and the deteriorating financial condition of their institutions.
The U.S. investment banking subsidiary of Japan-based Mizuho Financial Group for misleading investors in a CDO by using "dummy assets" to inflate the deal’s credit ratings.

During the last 2½ years, the agency has filed actions related to the financial crisis against 117 defendants – nearly half of whom were CEOs, CFOs and other senior corporate executives, resulting in approximately $ 2.2 billion in disgorgement, penalties, and other monetary relief obtained or agreed to. The SEC brought enforcement actions against Goldman Sachs, J.P Morgan Securities, and Morgan Keegan as well as senior executives from Countrywide, New Century, and American Home Mortgage.

Insider Trading Cases

Insider trading cases also are on the upswing with 58 actions filed in FY 2012 by the SEC, an increase over last year’s total of 57 actions. The 168 total insider trading actions filed since October 2009 have been the most in SEC history for any three-year period.

In these actions, the SEC has charged approximately 400 individuals and entities for illegal trading totaling approximately $600 million in illicit profits. Among those charged in SEC insider trading cases in 2012 were:
Former McKinsey & Co. global head Rajat Gupta for illegally tipping convicted hedge fund manager Raj Rajaratnam.

Hedge funds Diamondback Capital and Level Global Investors and affiliated traders and analysts.
Hedge fund manager Douglas Whitman.

John Kinnucan and his expert network consulting firm Broadband Research Corporation.
A second round of charges in an insider trading case involving former professional baseball players and the former top executive at Advanced Medical Optics.

Other Enforcement Matters

In order to ensure fair trading and equal access to information in the securities markets, the SEC brought several actions involving compliance failures and rules violations relating to stock exchanges, alternative trading platforms, and other market structure participants.

These cases included:
First-of-its-kind charges against the New York Stock Exchange for compliance failures that gave certain customers an improper head start on trading information.
The first-ever action against a "dark pool" trading platform (Pipeline Trading Systems) for failing to disclose to its customers that the vast amount of orders were filled by an affiliated trading operation.
An action against Direct Edge Holdings LLC for violations at two of its electronic stock exchanges and a broker-dealer arising out of weak controls that resulted in millions of dollars in trading losses and a systems outage.

In the NYSE matter, the exchange and its parent company NYSE Euronext agreed to pay a $5 million penalty, marking the first-ever SEC financial penalty against an exchange.

Investment Advisers: The SEC filed numerous actions resulting from several risk-based, proactive measures that identify threats at an early stage so that early action to halt the misconduct can be initiated and investor harm minimized. In 2012, several actions resulted from the Division’s investment adviser compliance initiative, which looks for registered investment advisers who lack effective compliance programs designed to prevent securities laws violations.

The SEC also filed actions charging three advisory firms and six individuals as part of the Aberrational Performance Inquiry into abnormal performance returns by hedge funds. Other actions against investment advisers included cases against UBS Financial Services of Puerto Rico and two executives for misleading disclosures relating to certain proprietary closed-end mutual funds, Morgan Stanley Investment Management for an improper fee arrangement, and OppenheimerFunds for misleading investors in two funds suffering significant losses during the financial crisis. UBS paid more than $26 million to settle the SEC’s charges while OppenheimerFunds paid more than $35 million for its violations.

The SEC filed 147 enforcement actions in 2012 against investment advisers and investment companies, one more than the previous year’s record number.

Issuer Disclosures:
The SEC brought 79 actions in FY 2012 for financial fraud and issuer disclosure violations. Those cases included actions against Life Partners Holdings and senior executives for fraudulent disclosures related to life settlements; two executives at China-based Puda Coal for defrauding investors about the nature of the company’s assets; and an enforcement action against Shanghai-based Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu for its refusal to provide the SEC with audit work papers related to a China-based company under investigation for potential accounting fraud against U.S. investors.

Broker-Dealers:
The agency filed 134 enforcement actions related to broker-dealers, a 19 percent increase over the previous year. Broker-dealer actions included charges against a Latvian trader and electronic trading firms for their roles in an online account intrusion scheme that manipulated the prices of more than 100 NYSE and Nasdaq securities as well as charges against New York-based brokerage firm Hold Brothers On-Line Investment Services and three of its executives for their roles in allowing overseas traders to access the markets and conduct manipulative trading through accounts the firm controlled. The defendants in the Hold Brothers action paid a total of $4 million to settle the SEC’s charges.

FCPA:
The SEC filed 15 actions in FY 2012 for violations of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act. FCPA actions were filed against former Siemens executives, Magyar Telekom, Biomet, Smith & Nephew, Pfizer, Tyco International, and a former executive at Morgan Stanley’s real estate investment and fund advisory business.

Municipal Securities:
The SEC filed 17 enforcement actions related to municipal securities, more than double the number filed in 2011. Among those charged in SEC municipal securities actions were the former mayor and city treasurer of Detroit in a pay-to-play scheme involving investments of the city’s pension funds, and Goldman Sachs for violations of various municipal securities rules resulting from undisclosed "in-kind" non-cash contributions that one of its investment bankers made to a Massachusetts gubernatorial candidate.

LOWER MEKONG INITIATIVE LAUNCHES "CONNECT MEKONG"

Golden lion on a Mekong River waterfront.  Credit:  CIA World Factbook.

FROM: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE

Lower Mekong Initiative Launches "Connect Mekong"
Fact Sheet
Office of the Spokesperson
Washington, DC
November 20, 2012

The Lower Mekong Initiative (LMI) is a multilateral partnership effort initiated by the United States in 2009 for promoting cooperation in the Mekong sub-region in the areas of education, health, environment and water, connectivity, agriculture and food security, and energy security. Over the past four years, LMI has implemented programs through a variety of interagency partners on both sides of the Pacific to meet some of the most pressing trans-boundary challenges in the region.

Looking forward, the United States has committed substantial resources to LMI over the next three years through the Asia Pacific Strategic Engagement Initiative (APSEI), which allows LMI members to support regional efforts towards political and economic integration and narrowing the development gap in ASEAN over the long-term.

On November 20, 2012, President Obama held a photo op with LMI country leaders Prime Minister Hun Sen of Cambodia, Prime Minister Thongsing Thammavong of Laos, President Thein Sein of Myanmar, Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra of Thailand, and Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung of Vietnam on the sidelines of the East Asia Summit in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. This photo op was a demonstration of the commitment of all members to develop strong collaboration to address the most important transnational challenges of the region.

Building on the priorities identified under ASEAN’s Economic and Socio-Cultural Pillars and the ASEAN Master Plan on Connectivity, "Connect Mekong" leverages U. S. expertise in fostering entrepreneurship and trade, cultivating technical expertise to promote infrastructure connectivity, and expanding educational access to support development of sustainable infrastructure systems and technical capacity in the sub-region. "Connect Mekong" increases investment opportunities in the region by providing avenues for public-private cooperation, establishes formal channels of communication between LMI and ASEAN to fast track LMI programs which contribute most effectively to ASEAN connectivity, and initiates new efforts to generate grassroots entrepreneurship in the Mekong sub-region.
"Connect Mekong" is the result of the collaboration and consultation with government agencies and offices, including USAID, as well as LMI member governments.
The signature program under "Connect Mekong," the Mekong Technology Innovation Generation and Entrepreneurship Resources (TIGERS), is a new public-private platform aimed at boosting competitiveness and growth in targeted Mekong economies by supporting young innovators and entrepreneurs.
"Connect Mekong" also includes the next phase of the Professional Communication Skills (PCS) program, which aims to train up to 1,000 public officials in LMI countries working in technical sectors essential to ASEAN connectivity, such as civil aviation, urban planning and river navigation.
"Connect Mekong" will support a series of best practice exchanges with a wide range of U.S. and LMI partners, focusing on how to develop infrastructure which enhances competitiveness and allows better access to transportation, electricity, information technology, education, and improved sanitation and quality of life for the people.

ROCKET SLED TEST VIDEO

FROM: NASA

 

Rocket Sled Testing
Video of rocket-sled testing of the SIAD-R device, conducted in fall 2012 at China Lake, Calif. The SIAD-R is one of three supersonic deceleration devices now being prepared for flight testing by the Low-Density Supersonic Decelerator project at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, Calif. The devices, which slow the rate of descent for vehicles entering the atmosphere of another planet, could be used in Mars missions launching as early as 2018. Credit-NASA.

RECENT PHOTOS FROM THE U.S. NAVY

FROM: U.S. NAVY
The Aircraft carrier John C. Stennis (CVN 74) operates in the U.S. 5th Fleet Area of Responsibility during sunset. Stennis is deployed to the U.S. 5th Fleet area of Responsibility conducting maritime security operations, theater security cooperation efforts and support missions as part of Operation Enduring Freedom. U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Aaron Chase (Released) 121118-N-YF306-158

Family members wave to Sailors aboard the guided-missile destroyer USS Michael Murphy (DDG 112) as it arrives at hits homeport, Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam for the first time. The new destroyer honors the late Lt. (SEAL) Michael P. Murphy, a New York native who was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions in combat as leader of a four-man reconnaissance team in Afghanistan. Murphy was the first person to be awarded the medal for actions in Afghanistan, and the first member of the U.S. Navy to receive the award since the Vietnam War. U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Jon Dasbach (Released) 121121-N-KT462-091

A NEW GATEWAY TO SPACE

FROM: NASA

Establishing A New Gateway to Space

A year after space shuttle Atlantis touched down to end the shuttle program, NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida is preparing for future missions. Facilities are being remodeled to host a variety of spacecraft, rockets and companies to continue humanity's great adventure into space.

MARINE DONATES BONE MARROW TO LEUKEMIA VICTIM

Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Enrique Gallardo sets up a communication interface system at Camp Foster in Okinawa, Japan, Nov. 6, 2012. In May, Gallardo flew to San Diego to donate bone marrow to a woman suffering from acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Gallardo volunteered to be a donor during recruit training and was contacted as a potential match two years later. U.S. Marine Corps photo by Pfc. Kasey Peacock

FROM: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Face of Defense: Marine Donates Bone Marrow for Stranger

By Marine Corps Pfc. Kasey Peacock
Marine Corps Installations Pacific

CAMP FOSTER, Okinawa, Japan, Nov. 19, 2012 - In the midst of recruit training, Pvt. Enrique Gallardo was given a form to sign in January of 2010 -- a form that, while similar in appearance to countless others that had passed in front of Gallardo, would be very significant in the Marine's future.

By checking a box on this form, Gallardo elected to be a potential bone marrow donor, setting events into motion that would possibly save the life of a complete stranger.

Two years later, Lance Cpl. Gallardo, an aviation systems radio technician with Marine Air Support Squadron 2, Marine Air Control Group 18, 1st Marine Aircraft Wing, III Marine Expeditionary Force, received an email stating he was a potential bone marrow match for a 23-year-old female patient in need of a transplant.

The patient, whose identity remains anonymous to the donor until one year after the procedure is completed, was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia: a fast-growing cancer affecting white blood cells.

"When they contacted me, I had forgotten that I chose to be a potential donor," Gallardo said. "I have always lived by the idea that if you can help out someone in need, you should. If the temporary pain I [had] to endure during the process could prevent someone from a lifetime of pain, it was worth it."

After further testing confirmed Gallardo was a match for the patient, he received approval to continue with the procedure in either California or New York.

"I chose San Diego because I'm from Los Angeles and my parents and wife were able to meet up with me during the procedure," Gallardo said. "Their support definitely helped me through the process because they were behind my decision to help someone in need."

The procedure, known as a peripheral blood stem cell donation, began the day after Gallardo arrived at the hospital. The first phase of the procedure consists of a five-day series of shots designed to expand the bone marrow in the donor's body to assist with its withdrawal.

"The first two days of the injections, I remember feeling a minor headache with a few aches and pains in my hips," Gallardo said. "By the fourth and fifth day, I could feel extreme pain throughout my body."

Gallardo was ready for the marrow extraction a few hours after the fifth injection. His blood was removed through a hypodermic needle in one arm and passed through a machine to separate out blood stem cells. The remaining blood, minus the stem cells, was returned to Gallardo through the other arm.

"Throughout the process, I would think about what my staff sergeant told me back when I was contemplating carrying on with the process," Gallardo said. "It was a morning after we had just run a [physical] fitness test. I was bent over feeling a little tired and she came up to me and [asked if I was] in pain. I said that I was and she responded that whoever is in need of this procedure probably wishes they could run a PFT to feel that pain in their legs."

After the procedure, Gallardo was cleared to leave the hospital and took leave to spend time with his family and recover.

"I did my best to be there for him for whatever he needed," said Vannia Gallardo, Enrique's wife. "Even though he never complained about the side effects from the shots, I could see that he was going through some pain. When the day of the donation arrived, we were a little nervous, but the hospital personnel took very good care of him. After lying on the hospital bed with [intravenous fluids] in him for more than four hours, we were relieved to be told everything went well."

Following his leave, Gallardo was back into the swing of things, carrying out his daily duties with no issues.

"I was impressed that, without hesitation, Gallardo was willing to help someone he didn't even know who was in an extreme situation," said Sgt. Eric J. Hansen, an aviation systems radio technician with MASS-2. "As Marines, we are expected to go above and beyond what is expected in everything we do. Gallardo showed that with his selfless sacrifice."

While Gallardo continues on in his Marine Corps career, he says he eagerly awaits the day he will get an update on the condition of the recipient of his donation, hoping he was able to make a difference in her life.

NEWS FROM AFGHANISTAN FOR NOVEMBER 23, 2012

Photo:  Refueling Over Afghanistan.  Credit:  U.S. Air Force.

FROM: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Combined Force Arrests Taliban Leader

From an International Security Assistance Force Joint Command News Release
KABUL, Afghanistan, Nov. 23, 2012 - An Afghan and coalition security force arrested a Taliban leader in Afghanistan's Kandahar province yesterday, military officials reported.

The arrested Taliban leader coordinated improvised explosive device emplacements and ambushes against Afghan and coalition forces, officials said.

The security force detained two other suspected insurgents.

In Nov. 21 Afghanistan operations:

-- Three Taliban senior leaders, including the No. 1 Taliban leader in western Logar province, were killed Nov. 21 during a security operation in Logar province. At the time of his death, Abu Baker was the top Taliban leader in western Logar province. Abu Baker facilitated weapons to insurgents, planned attacks against Afghan and coalition forces and was directly involved in foreign fighter facilitation. Deceased Taliban leader Bashir was involved in the Aug. 7 suicide-vehicle IED attack on Forward Operating Base Shank, and directly linked to the final, pre-execution stages of planning for an impending vehicle-borne IED attack targeting Afghan and coalition forces in Logar province, officials said. Deceased Taliban leader Zarqawi facilitated weapons to execute IED as well as direct- and indirect-fire attacks on Afghan and coalition forces. A number of additional insurgents were also killed. One suspect was detained and several rocket-propelled grenades and multiple assault rifles were confiscated.

-- A combined force arrested a Taliban facilitator in Kunduz province. The arrested facilitator is suspected of being directly involved in the purchasing and distribution of weapons to Taliban fighters. The security force also detained one other suspect and seized rocket-propelled grenades, mortars, hand grenades, assault rifles and ammunition.

-- Combined forces arrested a Taliban senior leader in Nimroz province. The arrested insurgent leader is suspected of being involved in the purchasing and movement of weapons and providing intelligence to other Taliban senior leaders. The security force also detained a number of other suspects.

U.S. WELCOMES THAILAND'S ENDORSEMENT OF PROLIFERATION SECURITY INITIATIVE



A Yaksha demon guards the Wat Phra Kaew, Temple of the Emerald Buddha, in the Grand Palace in Bangkok. Credit: CIA World Factbook.

 

FROM: U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT 

 Thailand Endorses the Proliferation Security Initiative
Media Note
Office of the Spokesperson
Washington, DC
November 19, 2012
　

The United States welcomes the Kingdom of Thailand’s decision to endorse the Proliferation Security Initiative (PSI). President Obama has commended Thailand for its decision to participate in the Initiative, which advances our shared vision of a secure and peaceful Asia-Pacific where the rights and responsibilities of all nations are upheld. The United States looks forward to working with the Royal Thai Government to advance the nonproliferation goals of the PSI and its Statement of Interdiction Principles. Thailand is the 102nd state to become a PSI participant.

Launched in Krakow, Poland in 2003, the PSI will mark its tenth anniversary in May 2013. PSI participants commit to undertake measures, on a voluntary basis and consistent with their authorities and resources, to interdict illicit transfers of weapons of mass destruction- and missile-related items, exchange relevant information, and strengthen legal authorities to conduct interdictions. They also conduct exercises, workshops, and other activities to improve their capacities to fulfill their PSI commitments. The addition of each new participating state strengthens the Initiative and helps ensure that it will remain a durable international effort in the years ahead.



 

U.S. Department of Defense Contracts for November 23, 2012

Contracts for November 23, 2012

U.S.- MISSISSIPPI ANNOUNCE CLEAN WATER ACT AGREEMENT WITH CITY OF JACKSON

Photo Credit:  Wikimedia.

FROM: U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY


WASHINGTON – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the Department of Justice, and the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ) announced today a comprehensive Clean Water Act settlement with the city of Jackson, Miss. Jackson has agreed to make improvements to its sewer systems to eliminate unauthorized overflows of untreated raw sewage and unauthorized bypasses of treatment at the Savanna Street Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP), the city’s largest wastewater treatment facility. When wastewater systems overflow, they can release untreated sewage and other pollutants into local waterways, threatening water quality and contributing to beach closures and disease outbreaks.

"EPA is working with cities to protect the nation’s waters from raw sewage overflows that can have significant impacts on people’s health and the environment," said Cynthia Giles, assistant administrator for the EPA’s Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance. "Today’s settlement will lead to improvements in the management of wastewater overflows, which will reduce water pollution and benefit the Jackson community for years to come."

"This agreement will bring lasting benefits to the people of Jackson by reducing the threats to public health posed by untreated sewage overflows," said Ignacia S. Moreno, assistant attorney general for the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division. "The settlement will bring the city into compliance with the nation’s Clean Water Act, requiring significant upgrades to the existing sewer system. Under the settlement, assistance will be provided to residents to repair sewer connections in lower-income areas that have suffered historically from overflows of untreated sewage"

The consent decree requires Jackson to implement specific programs designed to ensure proper management, operation and maintenance of its sewer systems. In order to address the problem of wet weather overflows of raw sewage from the sewer lines, Jackson will develop and implement a comprehensive sewer system assessment and rehabilitation program. The city will also develop and implement a comprehensive performance evaluation and composite correction program to reduce the bypasses of treatment at the Savanna Street WWTP.

The consent decree also requires Jackson to develop and implement numerous sewer system capacity, management, operations and maintenance programs, including a pump station operation and preventive maintenance program, a WWTP operation and maintenance program and a water quality monitoring program.

In addition to the control requirements, the consent decree requires Jackson to pay a civil penalty of $437,916. As part of the settlement, Jackson has also agreed to implement a supplemental environmental project valued at $875,000 that will provide additional environmental benefits to the local community. The project involves reducing the flow of water from entering the sewer system by eliminating illicit stormwater connections and repairing defective private lateral sewer lines from the low-income residential properties.

Keeping raw sewage and contaminated stormwater out of the waters of the United States is one of the EPA’s national enforcement initiatives for 2011 to 2013. The initiative focuses on reducing sewer overflows, which can present a significant threat to human health and the environment. These reductions are accomplished by obtaining cities’ commitments to implement timely, affordable solutions to these problems, including the increased use of green infrastructure and other innovative approaches.

The United States has reached similar agreements in the past with numerous municipal entities across the country including Mobile and Jefferson County (Birmingham), Ala.; Atlanta and Dekalb County, Ga.; Memphis, Knoxville and Nashville, Tenn.; Miami-Dade County, Fla.; New Orleans, La.; Hamilton County (Cincinnati), Oh.; Northern Kentucky Sanitation District #1 and Louisville MSD, Ky.

The proposed consent decree with Jackson is subject to a 30-day public comment period and final court approval before becoming effective.


　

U.S. RESPONDS TO CONCENTRATION OF POWER IN EGYPT

Photo Credit:  U.S. Air Force.



FROM: U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT
The United States' Reaction to Egypt's November 22 Decisions
Press Statement
Victoria Nuland
Department Spokesperson, Office of the Spokesperson
Washington, DC
November 23, 2012


The decisions and declarations announced on November 22 raise concerns for many Egyptians and for the international community. One of the aspirations of the revolution was to ensure that power would not be overly concentrated in the hands of any one person or institution. The current constitutional vacuum in Egypt can only be resolved by the adoption of a constitution that includes checks and balances, and respects fundamental freedoms, individual rights, and the rule of law consistent with Egypt's international commitments. We call for calm and encourage all parties to work together and call for all Egyptians to resolve their differences over these important issues peacefully and through democratic dialogue.

CHARGES FILED IN SEC'S LARGEST EVER INSIDER TRADING CASE

Photo Credit:  SEC

FROM: U.S. SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

November 20, 2012

The Securities and Exchange Commission today charged Stamford, Conn.-based hedge fund advisory firm CR Intrinsic Investors LLC and its former portfolio manager along with a medical consultant for an expert network firm for their roles in a $276 million insider trading scheme involving a clinical trial for an Alzheimer's drug being jointly developed by two pharmaceutical companies. The illicit gains generated in this scheme make it the largest insider trading case ever charged by the SEC.

The SEC alleges that Mathew Martoma illegally obtained confidential details about the clinical trial from Dr. Sidney Gilman, who served as chairman of the safety monitoring committee overseeing the trial. Dr. Gilman was selected by Elan Corporation and Wyeth to present the final drug trial results to the public. In phone calls that were arranged by a New York-based expert network firm for which he moonlighted as a medical consultant, Dr. Gilman tipped Martoma with safety data and eventually details about negative results in the trial about two weeks before they were made public in July 2008. Martoma then caused several hedge funds to sell more than $960 million in Elan and Wyeth securities in just over a week.

Dr. Gilman, who lives in Ann Arbor, Mich., where he works as a medical school professor, has agreed to settle the SEC's charges and cooperate in this action and related SEC investigations. In a parallel action, the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York today announced criminal charges against Martoma and a non-prosecution agreement with Dr. Gilman. Martoma lives in Boca Raton, Fla.

According to the SEC's complaint filed in federal court in Manhattan, Martoma first met Dr. Gilman through paid consultations arranged by the expert network firm. Dr. Gilman provided Martoma with material nonpublic information concerning the Phase II trial of the potential Alzheimer's drug called bapineuzumab (bapi). They coordinated their expert network consultations around scheduled safety monitoring committee meetings, and during their phone calls they discussed PowerPoint presentations made during the meetings and Dr. Gilman provided Martoma with his perspective on the results. Dr. Gilman developed a personal relationship with Martoma, eventually coming to view Martoma as a friend and pupil.

The SEC alleges that Martoma caused hedge funds managed by CR Intrinsic as well as hedge funds managed by an affiliated investment adviser to trade on the negative inside information he received from Dr. Gilman. Although Elan and Wyeth's shares rose on June 17, 2008, on the public release of top-line results of the Phase II trial, market participants were disappointed by the detailed final results issued on July 29, 2008. Double-digit declines in Elan and Wyeth shares ensued. After Martoma was tipped, the hedge funds not only liquidated their combined long position in Elan and Wyeth of more than $700 million, but went on to hold substantial short positions in both securities. This massive repositioning allowed CR Intrinsic and the affiliated advisory firm to reap approximately $82 million in profits and $194 million in avoided losses for a total of more than $276 million in illicit gains.

According to the SEC's complaint, Martoma received a $9.3 million bonus at the end of 2008 - a significant portion of which was attributable to the illegal profits that the hedge funds managed by CR Intrinsic and the other investment advisory firm had generated in this scheme. Dr. Gilman, who was generally paid $1,000 per hour as a consultant for the expert network firm, received more than $100,000 for his consultations with Martoma and others at the hedge fund advisory firms. Dr. Gilman also received approximately $79,000 from Elan for his consultations concerning bapi in 2007 and 2008.

The SEC's complaint charges each of the defendants with violating Section 17(a) of the Securities Act of 1933, and Section 10(b) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and Rule 10b-5, and seeks a final judgment ordering them to disgorge their ill-gotten gains plus prejudgment interest, ordering them to pay financial penalties, and permanently enjoining them from future violations of these provisions of the federal securities laws.

Dr. Gilman has agreed to pay more than $234,000 in disgorgement and prejudgment interest. He also agreed to a permanent injunction against further violations of the federal securities laws. The proposed settlement is subject to approval by the court, which also will determine at a later date whether any additional financial penalty is appropriate.

TWIN SUNS AND MULTIPLE PLANETS

FROM:  NASA

　

NASA's Kepler Mission Discovers Multiple Planets Orbiting Twin Suns

NASA's Kepler mission has discovered the first transiting circumbinary system -- multiple planets orbiting two suns -- 4,900 light-years from Earth, in the constellation Cygnus, proving that more than one planets can form and survive in orbit around a binary star. The inner planet, Kepler-47b, orbits the pair of stars in less than 50 days. It is thought to be a sweltering world, where the destruction of methane in its super-heated atmosphere might lead to a thick haze that could blanket the planet. At three times the radius of Earth, Kepler-47b is the smallest known transiting circumbinary planet. The outer planet, Kepler-47c, orbits its host pair every 303 days, placing it in the so-called 'habitable zone,' the region in a planetary system where liquid water might exist on the surface of a planet. While not a world hospitable for life, Kepler-47c is thought to be a gaseous giant, slightly larger than Neptune, where an atmosphere of thick bright water clouds might exist.