EPA ADMINISTRATOR LISA P. JACKSON ANNOUNCES SHE IS LEAVING CABINET

FROM: U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

STATEMENT BY EPA ADMINISTRATOR LISA P. JACKSON ANNOUNCING HER LEAVING CABINET AFTER STATE OF UNION

WASHINGTON -- I want to thank President Obama for the honor he bestowed on me and the confidence he placed in me four years ago this month when he announced my nomination as Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency. At the time I spoke about the need to address climate change, but also said: "There is much more on the agenda: air pollution, toxic chemicals and children’s health issues, redevelopment and waste-site cleanup issues, and justice for the communities who bear disproportionate risk." As the President said earlier this year when he addressed EPA’s employees, "You help make sure the air we breathe, the water we drink, the food we eat are safe. You help protect the environment not just for our children but their children. And you keep us moving toward energy independence…We have made historic progress on all these fronts." So, I will leave the EPA confident the ship is sailing in the right direction, and ready in my own life for new challenges, time with my family and new opportunities to make a difference.

CALLING AFGHANISTAN

Air Force Senior Airman Keshia Shutts receives a Christmas morning phone call from President Barack Obama while deployed at Kandahar Airfield, Afghanistan, Dec. 25, 2012. Obama called Shutts to wish her a Merry Christmas and thank her for her service. They talked about her 3-year-old daughter and her upcoming wedding. U.S. Air Force photo by Capt. Tristan Hinderliter

FROM: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Face of Defense: Airman Gets Presidential Christmas Call
By Air Force Capt. Tristan Hinderliter
451st Air Expeditionary Wing

KANDAHAR AIRFIELD, Afghanistan, Dec. 26, 2012 - "Hello, President Obama? ... I'm great, how are you?"

So began the most memorable phone call of a six-month deployment for Air Force Senior Airman Keshia Shutts with the 451st Expeditionary Logistics Readiness Squadron here, who received a Christmas morning phone call from President Barack Obama.

The commander in chief thanked Shutts for her service and asked if she had been able to talk to her 3-year old daughter, Sienna, back home in Angola, Ind. He also asked if Shutts, who is engaged, had set a date for her wedding ceremony.

"September 1, 2013," she replied. "You're more than welcome to attend our wedding."

Shutts, originally from Montpelier, Ohio, is deployed from the Ohio Air National Guard's 121st Logistics Readiness Squadron, based at Rickenbacker International Airport in Columbus, Ohio.

She is nearing the end of a six-month deployment to Kandahar Airfield, Afghanistan, where she has worked as an administrative assistant in the 451st ELRS command section for the last five months. She was nominated by her command to receive the call from the president in recognition of her outstanding performance.

"Airman Shutts conducts herself as a true quality airman," said Air Force Lt. Col. Manuel Perez, the 451st ELRS commander. "She demands perfection and professionalism and she really sets the example."

In addition to her official duties, Shutts volunteered at the Role 3 hospital, at the USO and as a victim advocate in the wing's Sexual Assault Prevention and Response program. She also mentored 30 Afghan children at the Kandahar Bazaar School.

Volunteering at the hospital and working with the Afghan children have been two highlights of her deployment, Shutts said.

Since Shutts has been at KAF, she has also completed Airman Leadership School and is pursuing her second bachelor's degree, in nursing.

"For me, nominating her was a no-brainer," Perez said. "If I had to pick my No. 1 airman in the squadron it would be her."

Shutts, who has been selected for staff sergeant and will sew on her new chevrons next month, said it was an honor to be selected to receive the phone call from the president.

"It was awesome," she said of the call. "Definitely a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity."

RECENT U.S. NAVY PHOTOS

FROM: U.S. NAVY, USS MOBILE BAY

121218-N-LV331-132 ARABIAN SEA (Dec. 18, 2012) Sailors hold a fuel line during a helicopter-in-flight refueling exercise aboard the Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruiser USS Mobile Bay (CG 53). Mobile Bay is deployed with the John C. Stennis Carrier Strike Group to the U.S. 5th Fleet area of responsibility conducting maritime security operations, theater security cooperation efforts and support missions for Operation Enduring Freedom. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Armando Gonzales/Released)

121218-N-DC018-561 VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (Dec. 18, 2012) Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 83, part of Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 7, returns to Naval Air Station Oceana after a six-month deployment to the U.S. 5th and 6th Fleet areas of responsibility supporting Operation Enduring Freedom, maritime security operations and theater of security cooperation efforts. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Antonio P. Turretto Ramos/Released)

THINGS ARE NOT PEACHY AT TWO GEORGIA BASED TAX PREPARERS

FROM: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE

Friday, December 21
Justice Department Seeks to Shut Down Georgia Tax
Preparers
Falsify Tax Returns, Costing U.S. Treasury More Than $100 Million Dollars

The United States has asked a federal court in Atlanta to bar Larry J. Heath, who operates Heath’s Income Tax II in Cartersville, Ga., and his brother Andrew R. Heath, who operates Excellent Tax Service of Acworth, Ga., from preparing tax returns for others, the Justice Department announced today. According to the government complaint, the Heaths and their businesses have repeatedly prepared federal tax returns that unlawfully understate customers’ federal tax liabilities. The suit alleges that the defendants concoct bogus losses, expenses, education credits, business expenses and charitable contributions, which they falsely report on their customers’ federal income tax returns.

According to the complaint, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) previously suspended Larry Heath’s IRS-issued electronic filing identification number (EFIN) because of the large number of erroneous returns he prepared. In response, the complaint alleges, Larry Heath purported to "sell" his business to two different individuals and used their EFINs to continue to file tax returns.

The suit alleges that the IRS has examined thousands of income tax returns prepared by the Heaths and their businesses and found that 94.5 percent of tax returns required IRS adjustments. According to the complaint, the total harm to the U.S. Treasury caused by Larry and Andy Heath’s misconduct could exceed $100 million.

2012 INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION CHRISTMAS CELEBRATION

FROM: NASA
　

 
Station Crew Celebrates Christmas

U.S. Department of Defense Armed with Science Update: SCIENCE AND SNIPERS

U.S. Department of Defense Armed with Science Update

U.S.-SLOVAKIA RELATIONS

 

Map:  Slovakia.  From:  CIA World Factbook.

FROM: U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT

The United States established diplomatic relations with Slovakia in 1993, and provided assistance to support the rebuilding of a healthy democracy and market economy. The United States and Slovakia have strong diplomatic ties and cooperate in the military and law enforcement areas. Slovakia has been a close North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) ally and partner. The two countries have a mutual commitment to freedom and human rights. Slovakia has shared its experience in democratic transition with emerging democracies around the world, and has been a role model for other countries on the path to Euro-Atlantic integration.

U.S. Assistance to Slovakia

The goal of U.S. security assistance to Slovakia is to support Slovakia’s contribution to North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) operations and regional stability. U.S. assistance provides support to Slovakia’s contributions to NATO missions, particularly in Afghanistan. U.S. assistance seeks to help Slovakia consolidate its gains and maintain its development as a positive and stabilizing influence among its neighbors, in the region, and globally.

Bilateral Economic Relations

Slovakia is a member of the European Union (EU), and its major trading partners are European countries. The U.S. economic relationship with the EU is the largest and most complex in the world, and the United States and the EU continue to pursue initiatives to create new opportunities for transatlantic commerce.

U.S. exports to Slovakia include energy equipment, medical equipment and supplies, electrical and electronic machinery and components, automotive parts and components, chemical products, and plastics. U.S. imports from Slovakia are dominated by Volkswagen and Audi sport utility vehicles that are manufactured in Slovakia. The United States and Slovakia have a bilateral investment treaty. Slovakia participates in the Visa Waiver Program, which allows nationals of participating countries to travel to the United States for certain business or tourism purposes for stays of 90 days or less without obtaining a visa.

Slovakia's Membership in International Organizations

Slovakia and the United States belong to a number of the same international organizations, including the United Nations, North Atlantic Treaty Organization, Euro-Atlantic Partnership Council, Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, International Monetary Fund, World Bank, and World Trade Organization. Slovakia also is an observer to the Organization of American States.
　

Slovakia Locator Map.  Credit:  CIA World Factbook.

 
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION FROM CIA WORLD FACTBOOK

Slovakia's roots can be traced to the 9th century state of Great Moravia. Subsequently, the Slovaks became part of the Hungarian Kingdom, where they remained for the next 1,000 years. Following the formation of the dual Austro-Hungarian monarchy in 1867, language and education policies favoring the use of Hungarian (Magyarization) resulted in a strengthening of Slovak nationalism and a cultivation of cultural ties with the closely related Czechs, who were themselves ruled by the Austrians. After the dissolution of the Austro-Hungarian Empire at the close of World War I, the Slovaks joined the Czechs to form Czechoslovakia. Following the chaos of World War II, Czechoslovakia became a Communist nation within Soviet-dominated Eastern Europe. Soviet influence collapsed in 1989 and Czechoslovakia once more became free. The Slovaks and the Czechs agreed to separate peacefully on 1 January 1993. Slovakia joined both NATO and the EU in the spring of 2004 and the euro area on 1 January 2009.

EMARSS: FUTURE SURVEILLANCE AIRCRAFT

 

Artist’s rendering of the Enhanced Medium Altitude Reconnaissance and Surveillance System now under development. (Photo by U.S. Army PEO IEWS)

FROM: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE 'ARMED WITH SCIENCE'

by jtozer
Amry Developing NextGen Surveillance Aircraft

Army scientists, engineers and program developers are making substantial progress building and integrating a technically sophisticated battlefield surveillance aircraft called Enhanced Medium Altitude Reconnaissance and Surveillance System in a laboratory at Aberdeen Proving Ground, Md., service officials said.

The initial task, now underway at Aberdeen’s Joint Test and Integration Facility, is aimed at engineering and integrating an Enhanced Medium Altitude Reconnaissance and Surveillance System or EMARSS, fuselage with cameras, sensors, software, antennas, intelligence databases and electronic equipment.

This is so the Army can deliver four Engineering Manufacturing Development aircraft to Afghanistan as part of a forward assessment of the capabilities, said Raymond Santiago, deputy product manager, Medium Altitude Reconnaissance and Surveillance Systems.

"An EMARSS Forward Operational Assessment will place this system in the hands of our soldiers, allowing them to inform an assessment as to whether the system meets the approved requirements. We will get to see the system being used to gather real-world data in a combat environment, with a high optempo. This will help us refine and establish the architecture for the platform," an Army acquisition official explained.

The Army plans to complete the EMARSS EMD Phase with a minimum of four aircraft systems. Overall, the EMD contract has options to procure two additional EMD systems and 4-6 Low Rate Initial Production systems.

Plans for the EMARSS aircraft include efforts to engineer a surveillance aircraft with a wide range of vital combat-relevant capabilities, such as the ability to quickly gather, integrate and disseminate intelligence information of great value to warfighters in real time. It is being built to do this with an integrated suite of cameras, sensors, communications and signals intelligence-gathering technologies and a data-link with ground-based intelligence databases allowing it to organize and communicate information of great relevance to a commander’s area of responsibility, Santiago explained.

The work at the JTIF laboratory, involving a significant development and integration-related collaborative effort with Army and industry engineers, is aimed at reducing risk through rapid prototyping and software and sensor integration. The EMARSS fuselage in the laboratory is a built-to specification model of a Hawker Beechcraft King Air 350, Santiago said.
"The laboratory gives us the flexibility to try things out with the fuselage. This helps us with how we configure the equipment."
A key aim of the effort is to engineer and configure a modular aircraft designed with "open architecture" and a plug-and-play capability, allowing it to successfully integrate and function effectively with a variety of different sensor payloads, software packages and electronic equipment, he said.

"We want to build one bird with as many common capability packages on it as well as a full-motion video camera. We want it to be sensor agnostic," Santiago said.

For example, the EMARSS aircraft is being configured to integrate a range of sensor packages such as Electro-Optical/Infrared cameras, MX-15 full-motion video cameras and an imaging sensor technology known as Wide Area Surveillance System able to identify and produce images spanning over a given area of terrain, Army acquisition officials explained.

The EMARSS capability is unique in that it is engineered with a data-link connecting the aircraft to the Army’s ground-based intelligence database called Distributed Common Ground System – Army. DCGS-A is a comprehensive integrated intelligence data repository, able to compile, organize, display and distribute information from more than 500 data sources.

DCGS-A incorporates data from a wide array of sensors, including space-based sensors, geospatial information and signal and human intelligence sources.

By having a data-link with information from the ground-bases DCGS-A, flight crews on board EMARSS will be able to use display screens and on-board electronics to receive and view intelligence information in real-time pertaining to their area of operations.
"As they are flying over an area, the EMARSS crew is able to immediately pick up the latest information from what other nearby intelligence assets are picking up. They can immediately get results from DCGS-A and see it on their display screens. Intelligence experts on the ground are doing analysis, and they can send relevant information back up to the aircraft."
Also, EMARSS’ plug-and-play, open architecture framework is being engineered so that the aircraft could potentially accommodate certain radar imaging technologies in the future, such as Ground Moving Target Indicator, a radar imaging technology able to detect moving vehicles and Synthetic Aperture Radar, a radar system able to paint an image or picture of the ground showing terrain, elevation and nearby structures, Santiago said.

Given that all the sensors, antennas, cameras and electronics are designed to operate within a common architecture, one possibility is to strategically disperse various sensor capabilities across a fleet of several EMARSS aircraft, thus maximizing the ability to gather and distribute relevant intelligence information, Santiago explained.

The Army Training and Doctrine Capability Manager for Intelligence Sensors (TCM Intel Sensors) is also working on the Capabilities Production Document which, according to plans, will eventually be submitted to the Joint Requirements Oversight Council before the EMARSS program can achieve a Milestone C production decision paving the way for limited rate initial production of the system in FY 13, Army acquisition officials explained.

RECENT U.S. AIR FORCE PHOTOS

FROM: U.S. AIR FORCE

Second Lt. Kendrick Passey and Staff Sgt. Craig Patterson, both assigned to the 38th Rescue Squadron, get hoisted to an HH-60 Pave Hawk helicopter during a training mission at Avon Park Air Force Range, Fla., Dec. 12, 2012. The Airmen took part in a medical evacuation where they assisted members of the 823rd Base Defense Squadron after an ambush. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Jamal D. Sutter)

Airmen from the 823rd Base Defense Squadron and 38th Rescue Squadron ground themselves as an HH-60G Pave Hawk from the 41st Rescue Squadron hovers above them during a medical evacuation at Avon Park Air Force Range, Fla., Dec. 12, 2012. The evacuation was part of a three-day training exercise testing their ability to operate during hostile situations. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Jamal D. Sutter)

 

NEWS FROM AFGHANISTAN FOR DECEMBER 26, 2012

Map:  Afgahnistan.  Credit:  CIA World Factbook.

FROM: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Combined Force Arrests Taliban Leader
Compiled from International Security Assistance Force Joint Command News Releases

WASHINGTON, Dec. 26, 2012 - An Afghan and coalition security force arrested a Taliban leader and detained one other suspected insurgent during an operation in the Now Zad district of Afghanistan's Helmand province today, military officials reported.

The arrested Taliban leader coordinated and executed direct-fire and improvised explosive device attacks against Afghan and coalition forces in the province.

In other Afghanistan operations today:

-- In the Dzadran district of Paktiya province, a combined force arrested a local Haqqani leader who was responsible for planning attacks against Afghan and coalition forces in the district. The arrested Haqqani leader commanded a number of insurgents who constructed, transported and emplaced IEDs. The security force also detained one other suspect.

In Dec. 25 operations:

-- An Afghan-led security force of more than 1,000 soldiers and police killed multiple insurgents and detained dozens of suspects at the conclusion of a five-day coalition-supported operation in the Baraki Barak district of Logar province. The operation was conducted by the Provincial Response Company Laghman, along with elements of the Afghan Local Police, the Afghan Uniformed Police, and the Afghan National Army. The security force also seized IED-making materials, suicide vests, weapons, ammunition, and some illicit drugs.

-- In the Panjwa'i district of Kandahar province, a combined force arrested a Taliban leader who coordinated the distribution of weapons, ammunition and explosives for insurgents' use in attacks against Afghan and coalition forces. The security force also detained one other suspect.

-- A combined force arrested a Taliban leader and detained one other suspect in the Nahr-e Saraj district of Helmand province. The arrested Taliban leader coordinated direct-fire and IED attacks against Afghan government officials and Afghan and coalition forces.

-- A combined force arrested a Taliban leader and a Taliban facilitator in the Rodat district of Nangarhar province. Both men were involved in planning the Dec. 2 attack on Jalalabad Airfield. They also organized and executed other attacks against Afghan and coalition forces and were involved in the acquisition of vehicle-borne IEDs. The security force also detained several other suspects and seized weapons and ammunition.

-- A combined force arrested a Haqqani leader, detained three other suspects, and seized more than 1,300 pounds of illicit drugs, weapons and ammunition in the Jaji district of Paktiya province. The Haqqani leader directed multiple attacks against Afghan and coalition forces. He also emplaced IEDs and organized the storage of insurgent weapons.

-- In the Andar district of Ghazni province, a combined force arrested a Taliban leader who commanded more than a dozen fighters in the district and planned and executed ambushes and IED attacks against Afghan and coalition forces. The security force also detained three other suspects.

In Dec. 24 operations:

-- A combined force killed the Taliban leader, Qadir, and three other insurgents in the Baghlan-e Jadid district of Baghlan province. Qadir commanded a group of insurgents who conducted IED attacks in the district. He was also responsible for the movement of weapons, ammunition and bomb-making materials for insurgents in the province.

-- A combined force detained a Taliban leader in the Khanabad district of Kunduz province. The detained Taliban leader was involved in the planning of IED attacks on Afghanistan government officials and Afghan and coalition security forces. He was also a financial facilitator who coordinated funding to support the insurgency.

-- A combined force detained a Taliban leader and two other suspects in the Nad 'Ali district of Helmand province. The detained Taliban leader commanded a direct-action cell within the Nad 'Ali district. He also directed IED and other attacks against Afghan and coalition forces.

-- A combined force arrested a Taliban leader and detained one other suspect in the Jalalabad district of Nangarhar province. The arrested Taliban leader was directly involved in planning attacks on the Afghan government.

-- A combined force detained four insurgents seized firearms during a search for a Haqqani leader in the Musa Khel district of Khost province. The sought-after Haqqani leader is responsible for distributing, planning and conducting attacks against Afghan and coalition forces within the district.

In Dec. 23 operations:

-- A combined force killed Taliban leader, Obaidullah, in the Sherzad district of Nangarhar province. Obaidullah, also known as Saifullah, directed the Oct. 12 indirect-fire attack on Forward Operating Base Fenty. He was also responsible for laundering money to fund Taliban attacks against Afghan and coalition forces and facilitated the movement of weapons, ammunition and bomb-making materials throughout Nangarhar province.

-- A combined force arrested a Taliban leader and seized weapons and ammunition in the Nad 'Ali district of Helmand province. The arrested Taliban leader was in contact with senior Taliban leaders in the province and coordinated and conducted IED and other attacks against Afghan and coalition forces.

-- In the Khanabad district of Kunduz province, a combined force arrested a Taliban leader and detained several other suspects. The arrested Taliban leader planned and executed IED attacks against Afghan and coalition forces. He also distributed IEDs to insurgents in the Khanabad and Kunduz districts.

-- In the Pul-e 'Alam district of Logar province, a combined force arrested a Haqqani leader who coordinated attacks in the district. One other suspect was also detained.

-- A combined force detained a suspected insurgent during a search for a Taliban leader in the Hisarak district of Nangarhar province. The detained suspect allegedly laundered money used to fund attacks against Afghan and coalition forces.

-- A combined force arrested a Haqqani leader and detained one other suspect in the Khost district of Khost province. The arrested Haqqani leader planned, facilitated and executed attacks against Afghan and coalition forces in the Pul-e 'Alam district of Logar province. He also emplaced IEDs and directed the movement of Haqqani fighters.

-- A combined force detained two suspects during a search for a Haqqani leader in the Sharan district of Paktika province.

In Dec. 22 operations:

-- The Kabul Crisis Response Unit discovered a weapons and explosives cache during a coalition-supported operation in the Surobi district of Kabul province. This was the first mission planned and led by the CRU. The cache included 772 pounds of homemade explosives, other weapons and ammunition.

-- A combined force arrested a Taliban facilitator and detained one other suspect in the Arghandab district of Kandahar province. The arrested Taliban facilitator procured and transported homemade explosives, IEDs and other weapons for use in attacks against Afghan and coalition forces.

-- A combined force arrested a Haqqani leader, detained three other suspects and seized weapons and some Afghan National Security Force uniforms in the Jaji district of Paktiya province. The arrested Haqqani leader directed attacks against Afghan and coalition forces in the province.

In Dec. 21 operations:

-- A Taliban leader was arrested in the Tarnek wa Jaldak district, Zabul province. The arrested Taliban leader transported and delivered weapons and ammunition to insurgents operating in the Tarnek wa Jaldak and Qalat districts.

-- A combined force detained three suspects during a search for a Taliban leader in the Tarnek wa Jaldak district of Zabul province. The sought-after Taliban leader is responsible for planning and conducting IED and other attacks against Afghan government leaders and Afghan and coalition forces.

-- In the Achin district of Nangahar province, an Afghan-led, coalition-supported force detained two suspects and discovered a drug cache containing 882 pounds of opium and drug-processing equipment. The security force destroyed the drugs and equipment.

-- In the Sabari district of Khost province, a combined force arrested a Haqqani facilitator who procured and transported weapons, homemade explosives and IEDs for insurgents. The security force also detained three other suspects and seized weapons.

CFTC COMMISSIONER CHILTON'S REMARKS ON UBS SETTLEMENT

FROM: U.S. COMMODITY FUTURES EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Statement of Commissioner Bart Chilton on UBS Settlement
"A Conscience Isn't Nonsense"
December 19, 2012

Every so often, folks wonder if some in the financial sector believe that having a business conscience is nonsense. Financial sector violations are hurtling toward us like a spaceship moving through the stars. All too often, penalties have been a simple cost of doing business. That needs to change.

The UBS settlement is serious and significant and will provide a definite deterrent.

This $700 million settlement is the granddaddy of CFTC penalties. Combined with other regulator settlements, UBS will pay $1.5 billion. Even for a mega-bank, that amount serves as a direct deterrent. It serves as a deterrent not only for UBS, but for the biggest of the big schemers in the financial world.

One of the most egregious aspects of this case was that even when the bank knew it was being investigated for these violations of the law, it continued the wrongdoing. It was a corrupt culture.

One of the crooked characters in this debacle went so far as to pay off brokers at other firms in return for falsifying rates. All told, he made at least 2,000 attempts to manipulate the benchmark in a three-year period.

Whether the manipulated rates moved higher or lower (and rates went both ways) really isn’t what matters. They were not true rates. They were fictitious and that can throw off the normal balance of the global economy. When somebody is making false profits, somebody else pays the price.

These interest rate benchmarks are extremely important affecting virtually anything consumers purchase with credit. The entire benchmark rate regime needs to be revisited. We need to ensure that the rates are based upon transparent, actual trades. The numbers should not be consolidated by a trade association and there should never be a profit motive involved in submitting rates.

Finally, I’ve asked Congress to revisit this issue of puny penalty authority for the CFTC. Our authority needs to be revised and enhanced to ensure we continually protect consumers from violations of the law.

President Obama Speaks to Servicemembers on Christmas | The White House

President Obama Speaks to Servicemembers on Christmas | The White House

OSHA CITES U.S. POSTAL SERVICE FOR WORKER'S DEATH

FROM: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
Dec. 17, 2012

US Labor Department's OSHA cites US Postal Service
for worker's heat-related death in Independence, Mo.

INDEPENDENCE, Mo. – The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration has cited the U.S. Postal Service Truman Station in Independence, Mo., with a willful violation for failing to protect employees working in excessive heat. OSHA initiated an inspection in July after a mail carrier developed heat-related illness symptoms, collapsed while working his route and was taken to the hospital where he died as a result of his exposure to excessive heat.

"This tragedy underscores the need for employers to take proactive steps to keep workers safe in extreme heat," said Charles Adkins, OSHA's regional administrator in Kansas City. "If this employer had trained workers in recognizing the symptoms of heat stroke, and taken precautions to ensure workers had access to water, rest and shade, this unfortunate incident may have been avoided."

The willful violation addresses the hazard of multiple employees who were required to work during periods when excessive heat advisories and warnings were issued by the National Weather Service. The employer did not have procedures in place to address worker concerns during times of excessive heat. A willful violation is one committed with intentional, knowing or voluntary disregard for the law's requirements, or with plain indifference to worker safety and health.


Penalties of $70,000 have been proposed. The Postal Service has 15 business days from receipt of the citations and penalties to comply, request an informal conference with OSHA's area director in Kansas City, or contest the findings before the independent Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission.

Under the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, employers are responsible for providing safe and healthful workplaces for their employees. OSHA's role is to ensure these conditions for America's working men and women by setting and enforcing standards, and providing training, education and assistance. For more information, visit http://www.osha.gov.

NEAR TERM EXTINCTION OF AMAZON TREE SPECIES UNLIKELY TO BE CAUSED BY CLIMATE WARMING

Phoito:  Tropical Forest Brazil.  Credit:  Wikimedia Commons.

FROM: NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION

Climate Warming Unlikely to Cause Near-Term Extinction of Amazon Tree Species
December 13, 2012
New genetic analyses show that some common Amazon tree species are more than 8 million years old.

The analysis also reveals that these surprisingly old species have endured past periods of significant climate warming. It therefore appears unlikely that human-caused temperature increases alone will cause mass extinctions of the trees in the coming century.

Results of a study by evolutionary biologist Christopher Dick of the University of Michigan and colleagues show that some trees in the Amazon rainforest have survived warm periods similar to the global warming scenarios forecast for the year 2100.

"In the absence of other major environmental changes, near-term high-temperature-induced mass species extinction is unlikely" in the Amazon forest, Dick and colleagues conclude in a paper published online today in the journal Ecology and Evolution.

"The rapidly changing climate of our planet has the potential to put great stresses on plants and animals," said Sam Scheiner, program director in the National Science Foundation's (NSF) Division of Environmental Biology, which funded the research.

"To prepare for these changes, we need to know how species have adapted to past climate change," Scheiner said. "Much more is left to be learned about the effects of climate change."

The new results are at odds with earlier findings based on ecological niche-modeling scenarios that predict tree species extinctions in response to relatively small increases in global average air temperatures.

Dick used a molecular clock approach to determine the ages of 12 widespread Amazon tree species.

Then he and other scientists looked at climate events that have occurred since those tree species emerged. In general, the older the tree species, the warmer the climate it has previously survived.

The researchers determined that nine of the tree species have been around for at least 2.6 million years, seven have been present for at least 5.6 million years and three have existed in the Amazon for more than eight million years.

"These are surprisingly old ages," Dick said. "Previous studies have suggested that a majority of Amazon tree species may have originated during the Quaternary Period, from 2.6 million years ago to the present."

"The most lasting finding of our study may be the discovery of ancient geographic variation within widespread species, indicating that many rainforest tree species were widely distributed before the major uplift of the northern Andes," said paper co-author Eldredge Bermingham of the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute.

Air temperatures across Amazonia in the early Pliocene Epoch--3.6 million to 5 million years ago--were similar to Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) projections for the region in 2100 using moderate carbon-emission scenarios.

Air temperatures 5.3 to 11.5 million years ago in the late Miocene Epoch were about the same as IPCC projections for the region in 2100 using the highest carbon-emission scenarios.

"Our results provide evidence that common Neotropical tree species endured climates warmer than the present, implying they can tolerate near-term future warming under climate change," said Dick.

Paper co-author Simon Lewis of University College London and the University of Leeds cautioned that the good news for Amazon trees is not a panacea.

"The past cannot be compared directly with the future," he said.

"While tree species seem likely to tolerate higher air temperatures than today, the Amazon forest is being converted for agriculture and mining, and what remains is being fragmented by roads and fields.

"Species will not move as freely in the Amazon as they did in previous warm periods, when there was no human influence. Today's climate change is extremely fast, making comparisons with the past difficult."

The 12 tree species used in the study are broadly representative of the Amazon tree flora.

Primary forest collection sites were in central Panama, western Ecuador and Amazonian Ecuador. Additional collections were in Brazil, Peru, French Guiana and Bolivia.

Other plant samples were obtained from herbarium specimens.

To determine the age of each tree species, the researchers extracted and sequenced DNA from plant samples, then looked at the number of genetic mutations contained in those sequences.

Using a molecular clock approach and population genetic models, they estimated how long it would take for each of the tree populations to accumulate the observed number of mutations, which provided a minimum age for each species.

Tropical rainforests have existed in South America for at least 55 million years.

The future of the contemporary Amazon forest is uncertain, however, as the region is entering conditions with no past analog, combining rapidly increasing air temperatures, high atmospheric carbon dioxide concentrations, possible extreme droughts and extensive removal and modification of the forest by humans.

The findings imply that droughts, direct human effects and their interactions "may be more immediate threats to the integrity of Amazon rainforests, and should remain a focus of conservation policy," the authors conclude.

"An important caveat is that because we've been in a cold period over the past 2 million years--basically the whole Quaternary Period--some of the trees' adaptations to warmth tolerance may have been lost," Dick said.

In addition to Dick, Bermingham and Lewis, Mark Maslin of University College London is a co-author of the paper.

Additional support for the research was provided by the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, the University of Michigan and the Royal Society.

 

U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT COMMENTS REGARDING REFERENDUM ON EGYPTIAN CONSTITUTION

 

Reliefs showing the god Horus defeating his uncle Seth at the Temple of Horus at Edfu. The reliefs probably were damaged by early Christians to remove faces and hands.

FROM: U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT

Referendum on the Egyptian Constitution
Press Statement
Patrick Ventrell
Acting Deputy Spokesperson, Office of the Spokesperson
Washington, DC
December 25, 2012
This past weekend, the draft Egyptian constitution passed a public referendum. We have stood with Egyptians as they have engaged in the difficult work of democratic transition. We have consistently supported the principle that democracy requires much more than simple majority rule. It requires protecting the rights and building the institutions that make democracy meaningful and durable.

The future of Egypt’s democracy depends on forging a broader consensus behind its new democratic rules and institutions. Many Egyptians have voiced deep concerns about the substance of the constitution and the constitutional process. President Morsi, as the democratically elected leader of Egypt, has a special responsibility to move forward in a way that recognizes the urgent need to bridge divisions, build trust, and broaden support for the political process. We have called for genuine consultation and compromise across Egypt’s political divides. We hope those Egyptians disappointed by the result will seek more and deeper engagement. We look to those who welcome the result to engage in good faith. And we hope all sides will re-commit themselves to condemn and prevent violence.

Only Egyptians can decide their country’s future. The United States remains committed to helping them realize the aspirations that drove their revolution and complete a successful democratic transition. Egypt needs a strong, inclusive government to meet its many challenges. Its future depends not on the ability of one side to prevail over the other, but on the commitment of all to engage in an inclusive process to negotiate their differences - on the constitution and on the laws implementing it - and to find a more united path forward.

FORMER CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD CHARGED BY SEC WITH FRAUD

 

FROM: U.S. SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

SEC Charges Former Chairman of Board In Connection With A Fraudulent Plan To Evade The Beneficial Ownership Reporting Requirements

The United States Securities and Exchange Commission (Commission) announced today it filed a civil action against Lee S. Rosen, the former Chairman of the Board of publicly traded New Generation Biofuels Holdings, Inc., alleging that he fraudulently evaded the reporting requirements concerning his ownership interest in New Generation shares held in five separate trusts in violation of the antifraud provisions and beneficial reporting provisions of the federal securities laws. According to the Commission's complaint, at various times from June 2007 through May 2010, Rosen, directly or indirectly profited from the sale of New Generation shares held in two of the five trusts and benefited from using shares in two trusts as payment toward an ultimately unsuccessful purchase of a yacht. The complaint alleges that Rosen received at least $666,000 in direct payments from sales of New Generation stock held in three of the trusts and from a trustee's individual brokerage account. The complaint also alleges that Rosen indirectly benefited from using New Generation shares held in two trusts as partial payment in an effort to purchase a yacht. Further, the complaint alleges that Rosen failed to disclose these transactions and his true holdings in New Generation securities in various Commission filings and that Rosen made false and misleading statements and omissions in Commission filings regarding his true beneficial ownership of New Generation shares.

The SEC's complaint, which was filed in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida, charges Rosen with violating Section 17(a) of the Securities Act of 1933, and Sections 10(b), 13(d) and 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and Rules 10b-5, 13d-1, 13d-2, 16a-3, and 16a-8 thereunder. Rosen has agreed to settle the SEC's charges without admitting or denying the allegations. Rosen consented to a permanent injunction, and an order requiring him to pay $666,000 in disgorgement, plus $50,484 in prejudgment interest, a $195,000 civil money penalty, and barring him from serving as an officer or director.

GALAXY EVOLUTION

FROM: NASA

　

The Hubble Legacy: Galaxy Evolution
Three astronomers explain how Hubble acts like a time machine by detecting which galaxies are moving toward and away from us.

U.S. JUSTICE DEPARTMENT SETS ABOUT REFORMATION OF THE PUERTO RICO POLICE DEPARTMENT

FROM: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE

Friday, December 21, 2012
Justice Department Enters into Agreement to Reform the Puerto Rico Police Department

The Justice Department (DOJ) today entered into a sweeping agreement with the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico and Governor Luis Fortuño to resolve its civil investigation of the Puerto Rico Police Department (PRPD). The complaint and the agreement were filed today in the U.S. District Court of Puerto Rico, along with a joint motion requesting a temporary stay of the proceedings until April 15, 2013 to provide the incoming administration of Governor-elect Alejandro García Padilla sufficient time to review the agreement.

The comprehensive agreement addresses wide-ranging and ongoing constitutional violations by PRPD that were documented in a lengthy DOJ report issued in September 2011. The department found reasonable cause to believe that PRPD engages in a pattern or practice of use of excessive force, use of unreasonable force designed to suppress protected speech, and unconstitutional searches and seizures. The agreement also addresses allegations that PRPD fails to investigate sex crimes and domestic violence, and engages in discriminatory policing.

"We appreciate the hard work of Governor Fortuño, Superintendent Hector Pesquera, and their staff. Together, and with great input from the public, we have designed a comprehensive blueprint for reform that provides a solid foundation that will professionalize and support the hardworking men and women of PRPD as they protect the people of Puerto Rico," said Thomas E. Perez, Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Rights Division. "We have also met with Governor-elect Garcia-Padilla, who recognizes that constitutional policing and effective policing go hand in hand. We look forward to working with Governor-elect García Padilla and his incoming administration to finalize the agreement and begin the critical work of rebuilding PRPD. Ensuring effective, constitutional policing is not a partisan issue, and we appreciate the commitment of Governor Fortuño and Governor-elect García Padilla to the reforms embodied in the agreement. The successful implementation of the reforms contained in this agreement will help to reduce crime, ensure respect for the Constitution and restore public confidence in PRPD."

Today’s agreement was reached after extensive negotiations with commonwealth officials and their police consultants. The agreement provides a comprehensive blueprint for meaningful, sustainable reform and reflects the input of many community stakeholders from throughout the Commonwealth, including police affinity groups, members of the Puerto Rico business community, students, representatives of the Dominican community, and members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transsexual and transgender communities.

The agreement addresses the policies, procedures, training, internal and external oversight, disciplinary systems and information and data integrity mechanisms that caused or contributed to the pattern or practice of misconduct. It also details necessary changes intended to ensure that police services are delivered to the people of Puerto Rico in a manner that is effective, complies with the Constitution, and promotes the community’s trust in PRPD. For instance, the agreement contains provisions that are designed to increase transparency and promote PRPD’s responsiveness to the community, including measures that require regular meetings with community representatives to facilitate cooperation and communication; collection and dissemination of accurate and up-to-date crime statistics; community outreach programs in each PRPD region; and independent and periodic compliance assessments that are available to the public.

The purpose of the joint motion requesting a temporary stay of the proceedings is to provide the incoming administration with a meaningful opportunity to review the agreement. The department and representatives of Governor Fortuño have met independently with Governor-elect García Padilla and his transition team to brief them on the investigation’s findings and the agreement. The stay, requested until April 15, 2013, will provide Governor-elect García Padilla and his incoming administration with a meaningful opportunity to review the agreement, and either accept it or negotiate necessary changes, before the department and Commonwealth request approval and entry of the agreement as an order. During this period, the department will continue its ongoing outreach into communities across Puerto Rico to seek input and feedback. Once approved and entered by the district court, the agreement will resolve the department’s civil action, and the implementation phase will immediately begin.

Holidays at the White House 2012 | The White House

Holidays at the White House 2012 | The White House

U.S.-MALAWI RELATIONS

 

Map:  Malawi.  Credit:  CIA World Factbook.

FROM: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE

The United States established diplomatic relations with Malawi in 1964, following its full independence from the United Kingdom. Malawi saw one-party rule from 1966 to 1994. The transition from a one-party state to a multi-party democracy in 1994 strengthened bilateral relations between the United States and Malawi. The two countries have worked together to advance health, education, agriculture, energy, and environmental projects. In 2012, the U.S. reinstated the Millennium Challenge Corporation Compact partnership with Malawi following a number of reforms enacted by the Government of Malawi.

U.S. and Malawian views on the necessity of economic and political stability in southern Africa generally coincide. Through an assessment of its own national interests and foreign policy objectives, Malawi advocates peaceful solutions to the region's problems through negotiation. The country works to achieve these objectives in a variety of regional and international forums. The United States and Malawi engage in military-to-military programs. Malawi was the first southern African nation to receive peacekeeping training under the U.S.-sponsored African Crisis Response Force Initiative and has joined its successor, the Africa Contingency Operations Training and Assistance program.

U.S. Assistance to Malawi

U.S. assistance in Malawi seeks to promote food security and agriculture-based economic growth and poverty reduction; preserve Malawi’s unique biodiversity and its ability to mitigate climate change; strengthen public and private institutions for better delivery of social services; empower the private sector and civil society; and advance democracy, human rights, and good governance. U.S. partnerships with the Government of Malawi, civil society, and other donors aim to address weaknesses and gaps that constrain the government’s efforts to meet the basic needs of its citizens, support regional stability, and help the government remain a responsible actor on the international stage.

Bilateral Economic Relations

Malawi is eligible for preferential trade benefits under the African Growth and Opportunity Act. U.S. exports to Malawi include wheat, low-value shipments, pharmaceutical products, baking-related products, and machinery. U.S. imports from Malawi include tobacco, apparel, tea, macadamia nuts, and sugars.

The United States has signed a trade and investment framework agreement with the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa, of which Malawi is a member.

Malawi's Membership in International Organizations

Malawi and the United States belong to a number of the same international organizations, including the United Nations, International Monetary Fund, World Bank, and World Trade Organization.



Malawi Locator Map. 

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION FROM CIA WORLD FACTBOOK
Established in 1891, the British protectorate of Nyasaland became the independent nation of Malawi in 1964. After three decades of one-party rule under President Hastings Kamuzu BANDA the country held multiparty elections in 1994, under a provisional constitution that came into full effect the following year. President Bingu wa MUTHARIKA, elected in May 2004 after a failed attempt by the previous president to amend the constitution to permit another term, struggled to assert his authority against his predecessor and subsequently started his own party, the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) in 2005. MUTHARIKA was reelected to a second term in May 2009. As president, he oversaw some economic improvement. He died abruptly in April 2012 and was succeeded by his vice president, Joyce BANDA. Population growth, increasing pressure on agricultural lands, corruption, and the spread of HIV/AIDS pose major problems for Malawi.