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911 CFTC to Hold Open Meeting to Consider Two Final Rules and Two Proposals

11-28-11 Washington, DC – The Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) will hold a public meeting on Monday, December 5, 2011, at 9:30 a.m.. This will be the place to be to find out new rules and regulations if you are a serious investor or if you just want to learn more.

The details will be on the following topics:

(1) Final Rule on Investment of Customer Funds and Funds Held in an Account for Foreign Futures and Options Transactions;

(2) Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking on Process for Making a Swap Available to Trade under Section 2(h)(8) of the Commodity Exchange Act

(3) Final Rule on Registration of Foreign Boards of Trade

(4) Proposed Interpretation for Retail Commodity Transactions under Commodity Exchange Act Section 2(c)(2)(D)

Call-in participants should be prepared to provide their first name, last name and affiliation. Conference callinformation is listed below:

Domestic Toll-Free Number: 877-951-7311

International Toll Numbers: See Related Link

Participant Passcode/Pin: 7689106

Your Money Invested?

10-5-2011 Washington, DC -Are you trying to get ahead by trading your money in the Forex market? The Forex market trading firm of FXCM has been charged by the CFTC of negligence to the tune of a fine of up to $6 million civil monetary penalty and restitution of $8,261,937 to its customers and former customers. The U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) today issued an order filing and simultaneously settling charges that Forex Capital Markets LLC (FXCM) failed to supervise diligently its personnel’s handling of more than 57,000 customer accounts that traded on FXCM’s forex trading platforms. FXCM is a registered retail foreign exchange dealer and futures commission merchant headquartered in New York, N.Y. The order also settles charges that FXCM failed to produce certain records promptly to the CFTC’s Division of Enforcement during its investigation.

In addition, the CFTC order requires FXCM to retain, at its own expense, a monitor to review for three years: (1) its trade execution practices and policies as they relate to the change in price between the time the customer places the order and the time the order is executed by FXCM; and (2) its compliance with its restitution obligation.

According to the CFTC order, from at least June 18, 2008 until December 17, 2010, FXCM failed to supervise diligently the handling of customer accounts traded on the FXCM platforms by its officers, employees, and agents with respect to changes in price between order placement and execution on both market orders and margin liquidation orders. The order finds that FXCM’s failure prevented its customers from receiving the benefit of price movements in customers’ favor, but allowed its customers to suffer detrimental price movements. The CFTC order finds that had FXCM diligently supervised its personnel, FXCM would have discovered these problems with its trade integrity and would have had the opportunity to correct them before its customers were deprived of, and FXCM benefitted by, approximately $8,261,937.

Further, the CFTC order finds that FXCM failed to produce certain records promptly in its capacity as a CFTC registrant and thereby required the CFTC to issue a subpoena to attempt to obtain required records from FXCM.

The CFTC thanks the National Futures Association (NFA) for its assistance. On August 12, 2011, the NFA issued a Decision imposing a $2 million monetary sanction against FXCM in settlement of an NFA action (NFA Case No. 11-BCC-016) involving some of the same practices identified in the CFTC order.

SBA Disaster Assistance for Hurricane Irene

ATLANTA – The U.S. Small Business Administration announced today that certain Private Non-Profit Organizations (PNPs) in Maryland that do not provide critical services of a governmental nature may be eligible to apply for low-interest disaster loans. These loans are available as a result of a Presidential disaster declaration for Public Assistance resulting from damages caused by Hurricane Irene that occurred between Aug. 24 and Sept. 5, 2011

PNPs located in the following counties that provide non-critical services are eligible to apply: Calvert, Caroline, Cecil, Charles, Dorchester, Harford, Kent, Queen Anne’s, Saint Mary’s, Somerset, Talbot, Wicomico and Worcester in Maryland. Examples of eligible non-critical PNP organizations include, but are not limited to, food kitchens, homeless shelters, museums, libraries, community centers and colleges.

“PNP organizations are urged to contact John Harding, Public Assistance Officer for the state of Maryland at 410-517-5112 to obtain information about local briefings. At the meeting, PNP representatives will need to provide information about their organization,” said Frank Skaggs, director of SBA Field Operations Center East in Atlanta. The information will be used to submit a Request for Public Assistance which FEMA uses to determine if the PNP provides an essential governmental service and meets the definition of a “critical facility.” Based upon that conclusion, FEMA may provide the PNP with a Public Assistance reimbursement grant for their eligible costs or refer the PNP to SBA for disaster loan assistance.

Eligible entities may borrow up to $2 million to repair or replace damaged or destroyed real estate, machinery and equipment, inventory and other business assets. The SBA may increase a loan up to 20 percent of the total amount of disaster damage to real estate and/or leasehold improvements, as verified by SBA, to make improvements that lessen the risk of property damage by future disasters of the same kind.

The SBA also offers Economic Injury Disaster Loans to help meet working capital needs, such as ongoing operating expenses to PNP organizations of all sizes. Economic Injury Disaster Loan assistance is available regardless of whether the organization suffered any physical property damage.

Interest rates are as low as 3 percent with terms up to 30 years. The SBA sets the loan amounts and terms based on each applicant’s financial condition.

Disaster loan information and application forms may be obtained by calling the SBA’s Customer Service Center at 800-659-2955 (800-877-8339 for the deaf and hard-of-hearing) Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday from 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. ET or by sending an e-mail to disastercustomerservice@sba.gov. Applications can also be downloaded from http://www.sba.gov/. Completed applications should be mailed to: U.S. Small Business Administration, Processing and Disbursement Center, 14925 Kingsport Road, Fort Worth, TX 76155.

Those affected by the disaster may also apply for disaster loans electronically from SBA’s website at https://disasterloan.sba.gov/ela/.

The filing deadline to return applications for physical property damage is November 15, 2011. The deadline to return economic injury applications is June 18, 2012.

Brystol Myers Squibb

Bristol-Myers Squibb initiated a voluntary recall of one lot of 1,000-count bottles of (blood clotting medication) Coumadin® (warfarin sodium) Crystalline 5 mg tablets. Bottles of 1,000 tablets are distributed to pharmacies for further dispensing to patients in prescription quantities. The lot number affected in the U.S. is 9H49374A with an expiry date of September 30, 2012. The recall is a precautionary measure based on the company’s testing of tablets from a returned bottle. A single tablet was found to be higher in potency than expected.

Coumadin is prescribed to treat or prevent blood clots. A decrease of active ingredient may increase the risk of clots which could lead to heart attack or stroke and if there is too much active ingredient, there is an increased risk of bleeding.

Patients who may have 5 mg tablets should not interrupt their therapy but should seek advice from their pharmacist to see if they have tablets originating from the affected lot and if so, should consult their physician for appropriate medical advice.

Bristol-Myers Squibb is committed to ensuring patient safety and is working to resolve this issue quickly and appropriately. The company has notified the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and will issue recall communications to all physicians and other customers involved.

Any adverse reactions may be reported to the FDA's MedWatch Program by fax at 1-800-FDA-0178, by mail at MedWatch, HF-2, FDA, 5600 Fishers Lane, Rockville, MD 20852-9787, or on the MedWatch website at www.fda.gov.

Native American Women Win

7-29-2010 According to:Lynn Rosenthal the White House Advisor on Violence Against Women

The President just signed the Tribal Law and Order Act -- an important step to help the Federal Government better address the unique public safety challenges that confront tribal communities.

According to a Department of Justice report, Native American women suffer from violent crime at a rate three and a half times greater than the national average. Astoundingly, one in three Native American women will be raped in their lifetimes. At the White House Tribal Nations Conference in November 2009, President Obama stated that this shocking figure "is an assault on our national conscience that we can no longer ignore."

Last week, Congress took another important step to improve the lives of Native American women by passing the Tribal Law and Order Act of 2010. The Act includes a strong emphasis on decreasing violence against women in Native communities, and is one of many steps this Administration strongly supports to address the challenges faced by Native women.

The stipulations in the Act that will benefit Native women reflect several Administration priorities. The Act will strengthen tribal law enforcement and the ability to prosecute and fight crime more effectively. The Indian Health Care Improvement Act will require that a standardized set of practices be put in place for victims of sexual assault in health facilities. Now, more women will get the care they need, both for healing and to aid in the prosecution of their perpetrators.

Victims of domestic violence and sexual assault will now more often encounter authorities who have been trained to handle such cases. The Act expands training of tribal enforcement officers on the best ways to interview victims of domestic and sexual violence and the importance of collecting evidence to improve rates of conviction. The Director of Indian Health Services will coordinate with the Department of Justice, Tribes, Tribal organizations and urban Indian organizations to develop standardized sexual assault policies and protocols.

Special Assistant US Attorneys will be deputized under the Act to prosecute reservation crimes in Federal courts, and tribes will be given greater authority to hold perpetrators accountable. These provisions help to increase communication between tribal law enforcement, Federal authorities and the court system. As numbers of convictions grow, more women may be willing to report the abuses against them so that their abusers may be prosecuted.

However, the Act focuses not only on prosecution but also on prevention. It reauthorizes and improves programs to prevent and treat alcohol and substance abuse, as well as programs that improve opportunities for at-risk Indian youth. Getting men and boys involved in stopping the violence against women and girls is an important step to ending it everywhere, giving youth a chance to change their own futures.

This Act, combined with the great work that Attorney General Eric Holder and the Department of Justice are doing to combat violence in American Indian/Alaska Native communities, is an important step towards our Administration’s priority of ending violence against women and girls, and making Native communities safer and more secure. One in three is a statistic that is intolerable, and the Tribal Law and Order Act of 2010 will help to change that.

Lynn Rosenthal is the White House Advisor on Violence Against Women

Stay Safe After a Hurricane

7-26-2010 Because of the current problems in the Gulf of Mexico, the CDC has issued safety tips to keep you and your family safe if a hurricane occurs there. 

Stay out of the dirty water, it can make you sick.

Wash yourself with clean water if you can, never flood water.

Baby oil or suntan lotion can remove tar or oil from your skin.

Wash your hands when coming in contact with things you are unsure about,before preparing food, before eating, after using the toilet, and after clean-up activities.

For additional information on stressed pets and other animals click here

 

Storm Ravishes Philippines Again/

12-20-11 Not fully recovered from the last storm, the tiny nation is devastated once more. Authorities say over 1,000 people are lost to the storm and hundreds of thousands of residents are in need of humanitarian assistance.

The Government has accepted the offer of assistance from the international humanitarian community conveyed by the UN in the aftermath of the storm, Vanessa Huguenin, public information officer with UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), told reporters in Geneva. OCHA is revising its humanitarian action plan for Mindanao to include needs resulting from the latest storm, she said.

Stephen Anderson, WFP’s Country Director in the Philippines, said the agency is rapidly moving food from its warehouses in Mindanao for delivery to those made homeless by the floods.

“We are working with the Government to provide vital emergency food rations to help those who have lost their homes and belongings in areas where there has been the most extensive devastation from the flooding,” he said.

WFP’s initial assistance includes the rapid delivery of high-energy biscuits, enough to feed more than 7,800 people in evacuation centres in the stricken cities of Cagayan de Oro and Iligan. Additional high-energy biscuits for 65,000 people are currently being mobilized, according to an update issued by the agency.

Supplies of the nutritious ready-to-use supplementary food are also being distributed to some 15,000 children under the age of five, according to WFP. Logistical support provided to the Government by WFP include the deployment of a mobile storage tent and delivery of water tanks, blankets, tarpaulins and tents for people who have been displaced by storm waters.

The Philippines National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council reported that of the 285,000 persons displaced by floods, some 43,000 are sheltered in 62 evacuation centres.

OCHA reported that an estimated 338,000 people had been affected by the floods.

A joint rapid assessment by UN agencies and national authorities has identified the immediate needs of those affected as food, non-food items, water sanitation and hygiene facilities and shelter.

The UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) said it has launched an appeal for $4.2 million to assist families affected by the storm for the next three to six months, according to Marixie Mercado, the agency’s spokesperson in Geneva. Those affected by Washi include an estimated 200,000 children, she added.

The World Health Organization (WHO) reported that preliminary reports showed that 12 health centres in Cagayan de Oro, and 10 community health facilities in Iligan were put out of service after the storm.

Major hospitals in the two cities are still functioning and there were no major public health concern, except the risk of communicable diseases due to a lack of clean water and sanitation facilities, Tarik Jasarevic, a WHO spokesperson in Geneva, said.

Malaria and dengue fever are endemic in the flood-affected areas and WHO will send mosquito nets to evacuation centres, he added.

Sue the Foreclosure Bums and Put Them in Jail

12-2-11 BOSTON – Five national banks have been sued in connection with their roles in allegedly pursuing illegal foreclosures on properties in Massachusetts as well as deceptive loan servicing, Attorney General Martha Coakley announced today. The lawsuit was filed today in Suffolk Superior Court against Bank of America, Wells Fargo, JP Morgan Chase, Citi, and GMAC. It also names Mortgage Electronic Registration System, Inc. (“MERS”) and its parent, MERSCORP Inc., as defendants. The American public can now sleep better and safer in their beds at night. Finally someone with clout has spoken up and is taking decisive steps to punish wrongdoers in the banking industry.

“The single most important thing we can do to return to a healthy economy is to address this foreclosure crisis,” said AG Coakley. “Our suit alleges that the banks have charted a destructive path by cutting corners and rushing to foreclose on homeowners without following the rule of law. Our action today seeks real accountability for the banks illegal behavior and real relief for homeowners.”

The Attorney General alleges these five entities engaged in unfair and deceptive trade practices in violation of Massachusetts’ law by:

Pervasive use of fraudulent documentation in the foreclosure process, including so-called “robo-signing”;

Foreclosing without holding the actual mortgage (“Ibanez” violations);

Corrupting Massachusetts’ land recording system through the use of MERS;

Failing to uphold loan modification promises to Massachusetts homeowners.

USE OF FALSE DOCUMENTS TO EXPEDITE FORECLOSURES “ROBO-SIGNING”:

According to the complaint, the banks used false documentation in the foreclosure process, including so-called “robo-signing”, whereby bank personnel signed affidavits that were untrue, or not based on the signor’s actual knowledge. An entity wishing to foreclose on a property must demonstrate it has filed an affidavit in compliance with Massachusetts law. By October 2010, the banks’ flagrant disregard of affidavit and notary process requirements became widely known. Filings with various Registers of Deeds provided to the Attorney General’s Office revealed the pervasive use of mortgage service employees to sign hundreds of affidavits and sworn statements without personal knowledge of the information contained in those affidavits. Evidence also suggests these practices were not confined to the foreclosure process, but also used in the assignment, transfer and modification of mortgages secured by property in Massachusetts.

FORECLOSING WITHOUT LEGAL AUTHORITY “IBANEZ VIOLATIONS”:

Second, these five entities participated in unlawful foreclosures when they commenced foreclosures on mortgages where they were not the holders of those mortgages. The Supreme Judicial Court (SJC), in Commonwealth v Ibanez, recently upheld Massachusetts law and stated that “only the present holder of a mortgage is authorized to foreclose on the mortgaged property.” The complaint alleges that these entities ignored this fundamental legal mandate and proceeded to foreclosure even though they did not hold the mortgage, and thus had no legal authority to conduct the foreclosure. The banks’ failure to obtain a valid assignment of the mortgage prior to foreclosure has adversely impacted titles to hundreds, if not thousands, of properties in the Commonwealth. The complaint alleges that the banks falsely claimed to be the holder of a mortgage in several foreclosure documents even though they failed to obtain a valid assignment of the mortgage.

UNDERMINING PUBLIC RECORDS “MERS”:

"Third, the complaint alleges that these banks have undermined our public land record system through the use of MERS, a private electronic registry system. According to the complaint, the creation and use of MERS was adopted by these defendants primarily to avoid land registration and recording requirements, including payment of recording and registration fees, and to facilitate sales of mortgage loans. The use of MERS has resulted in a lack of transparency as to the entities that have the legal authority to enforce mortgages, and unfairly conceals from borrowers the true identity of the holder of the debt. Since 1997, more than 63 million home loans have been registered on the MERS System, accounting for more than 60 percent of all newly-originated mortgage loans. The complaint also alleges that through the use of the MERS system, the banks unlawfully failed to register assignments of mortgages and transfers of the beneficial interests in mortgages.

MISREPRESENTING LOAN MODIFICATION PROGRAMS:

Finally, the complaint alleges the banks deceived and misrepresented to borrowers the process, requirements, and availability of loan modifications when they foreclosed. The banks publically claimed to be engaged in widespread loan modifications aimed at preserving home ownership and avoiding unnecessary foreclosures. Through the National Homeownership Retention Program, which commenced on November 6, 2008, these banks represented that they would work with borrowers to help them avoid unnecessary foreclosures by reducing monthly mortgage payments to affordable and sustainable levels. The complaint alleges these banks misled borrowers about their eligibility for this program and the amount of relief available, failed to achieve a significant level of modifications, and often strung along borrowers for months in trial modifications that were ultimately rejected.

The AG’s lawsuit seeks civil penalties, restitution for harm to borrowers and compensation for registration fees that were avoided. The lawsuit also seeks to hold the banks accountable through permanent injunctive relief to provide a solution for prior unlawful foreclosures and to require that the banks, going forward, register assignments and other documents in accordance with Massachusetts law.

The lawsuit follows more than a year of negotiations with the banks over a 50-state settlement focused around the issues of fraudulent documents, including “robo-signing.” AG Coakley had made clear that she would not sign on to an agreement with the banks if it included broad liability release regarding MERS and other issues or if she did not believe the banks had come to the table with an offer in the best interest of Massachusetts.

AG Coakley’s office has been a national leader in holding banks and investment giants accountable for their roles in the economic crisis. AG Coakley has obtained recoveries from Morgan Stanley, Goldman Sachs, Royal Bank of Scotland, Countrywide, Fremont Investment & Loan, Option One, and others on behalf of Massachusetts homeowners. As a result of these actions, her office has recovered more than $600 million in relief for investors and borrowers, helped keep more than 25,400 people in their homes, and returned nearly $60 million in taxpayer funds back to the Commonwealth.

Homeless in Baltimore

Artist Unkown

General Assembly for Occupy Baltimore is every Evening at 8PM, at McKeldin Square on Pratt & Light Streets. To see all actions, teach-ins, committee meetings, and more go to

Occupy Wall Street Re: Baltimore- Open New Womens Shelter Immediately

By Diane Knaus

10-22-11 911, Looking for the Baltimore Occupy Wall Street group protestors it wasn't long before I came upon 50 demonstrating in one of the courtyards in the Inner Harbour. Tents lined Pratt Street in front of The Gallery and near the International Trade Center. Demonstrators were all ages, and some were giving open air workshops and providing resource information for the homeless people in attendance.

Some people said that the new shelter Code Blue is good, but the overflow shelters are not as well oganized and staff not as helpful. It is a known fact that Code Blue was not big enough to house the people who needed help last year (Built to hold 250 less people than last year). One of the women said that there is no overflow for the women at all. More important, if there is no overflow shelter for women and children in Baltimore who are known as more vulneral and marginlized to start with, where will they sleep? These women and their chldren have been told to move away from the parking lots adjacent to the shelters. If you take that alone on its face value, where are those same women and children sleeping tonight? Where will they sleep in the next few weeks, or for the winter as the weather gets colder? One of these women is a veteran.

On October 5, Mayor Stephanie Rawlings Blake held a meeting to raise awareness of sexual assault for women in the city. She brought it to the citys' attention that women are being forced to sleep on the streets. We have not heard of any positive action being taken since then. These demonstrations are a freedom of speech and to assemble issues. Under the very building of commercialism in our inner citys commercial district homeless people are finding their voices. I just hope they are not stopped, but lead to helping hands for their safety.

A project local to Baltimore called "B-More Housing for All" is a grassroots campaign of people who have experienced homelessness themselves and their allies working to end homelessness for their neighbors in te city. Their emetings are held every Tuesday 11:30-1:00 p.m. at Healthcare for the homeless 421 Fallsway. To get additional information or to help contact

Homeless Women Writes a Poem-What Would I Give

What would I give to have a home of my own with a white picket fence?

I am tired of sleeping on a park bench.

What would I give to be able to buy new clothes?

I am tired of wearing these used rags and my shoes are walking out of their soles.

What would I give to be treated like everyone else?

Instead of laughed at or ignored as a bum or a wreck!

I would give everything I am just to have enough!

I am not greedy.

I don't want it all, just enough to live comfortably.

What would I give to not eat my meals from a soup kitchen?

To prepare my own feast?

What would I give for all of these things?

I would give everything I am.

I am not greedy.

I don't need it all.

Just enough to live comortably.

That homeless womans name is Bonie Lane-Monroe. No longer homeless she is working for the Occupybmore.org. She has been off of the streets for more than a year now. She says " A homeless person has to be ready to make a change in their lives in order to be able to succeed at being self sufficient. However, they need to be able to get the resource information in order to help themselves. There are some people who are on disability who have been waiting for housing for three years in Baltimore.

Keep us Safer

10-5-2011 When masses of people make an unannounced sit in on the Wall Street section of New York city, you can know that many more thousands of Americans are upset. These demonstrators are brave enough to give you the message saying what is in the rest of Americas heart. Enough is enough, we want action, and we want it now. Keep corporations accountable,and keep us safer.

Our government should not take away accountability quality controls or reporting for corporations or manufacturers, food processors, insurance brokers or companies, banking or mortgage companies, rather make more of them because the recent past has proved that even the largest sized companies will only do the right things when forced to.

I know that government can’t solve all of our financial or personal problems, but they can make corporate America more accountable for thier policies, and fine them for their inconsistancies.

Protests are now active in more than 21 locations around the U.S. against the government and corporate America.

Other Worldwide Protests: Remember, that in Tunisia the protests started because the police were taking fruits from a vendor and not paying for them. The vendor got so upset, that he set himself on fire. That country is now under different leadership.

In Egypt demonstrations began with non-violent civil resistance, and labour strikes. Thousands of people protested .President Hosni Mubarak was overthrown. At least 846 people were killed during their riots and approximately 6,000 people were injured. Mubarak then resigned his office and fled the country.

Food Price Crisis: In the U.S. food prices have been rising for the past year just like gasoline prices, but, food prices are rising across the entire globe. A scarcity of food that may continue will start a food crisis everywhere.

U.N. Warnings on Food Crisis: The U.N. leadership has warned against corporation control of large land masses. There are food crisis happening right now around the world. It is only a matter of time that keeps a food crisis away from America.

U.S. Food Contamination Concerns: Currently there have been fifteen confirmed deaths from eating cantaloupe produced by Jensen Farms in Colordo. The farm has recalled the seasons harvest due to the outbreaks and sickness. Listeria reports have turned up in aTexas produce plant as well.

CDC Listeria Crisis information: According to Dr. Freiden of the CDC,” Listeria is an unusual bacteria in a couple of ways.  One is that the -- what's called the incubation time, the time between which -- between when you consume it and when you get sick is longer than it is for many other bacteria.  It can be one to three weeks.  It can even be two months or more in some cases.”

According to a recent report Margaret Hamburg of the FDA: Well, first I think we have to be clear that we do not know the source this outbreak at the present time.  We know the organism that has contaminated the cantaloupes, but we don't know how that occurred.  And there are a number of ways in which it could have occurred.  So, you know, it's a little bit hard to speak with absolute specificity to answer your question.  But I think as you probably know, the Food Safety Modernization Act is asking us to put in place systems of preventive controls working with the food industry that identify the likely sources of contamination, the points of vulnerability in the life cycle of a food product, and then strategies to reduce those vulnerability.  And with respect to fresh fruit and produce, there are a number of sort of typical points of potential contamination.  And we are, as you recognize, putting together regulations to address issues about fruit and produce safety.

If your cantaloupe is from the Jensen Farms of Colorado throw it our. Ask if your local supermarket  carrys products from there. The best thing to do to keep your family safe from food born illness is to buy locally produced vegetables and fruits from farmers in your local area.This is just one example of how a diseased fruit can cause damage in large populations that could trigger larger problems. Controls of regulations for safer food production is what can keep us safer. Cell phones, computers, social media can help spread information quickly to the general public about outbreaks and safety issues. But, their still needs to be rules and safety regualtions and controls in the first place to keep us safer.

Remember, one thing leads to anolther in many preventable situations.

SEC More Oversight

9-14-2011 If small business is to save America from itself, then the SEC is providing a great new service to them. Washington, D.C., Sept. 13, 2011 — The Securities and Exchange Commission today announced the formation of the Advisory Committee on Small and Emerging Companies to focus on interests and priorities of small businesses and smaller public companies.

The committee is intended to provide a formal mechanism through which the Commission can receive advice and recommendations specifically related to privately held small businesses and publicly traded companies with less than $250 million in public market capitalization.

“Our capital markets are a critical source of funding for emerging companies and smaller public companies,” said SEC Chairman Mary Schapiro. “That is why a key component in our agency’s mission is to facilitate capital formation while at the same time protecting investors. This new advisory committee will increase the input we receive from the small business community.”

The advisory committee will advise and consult with the Commission on such issues as:

* Capital raising through private placements and public securities offerings.

* Trading in the securities of small and emerging and small publicly traded companies.

* Public reporting requirements of such companies.

The co-chairpersons of the committee are Stephen M. Graham, Partner at Fenwick & West LLP in Seattle, and M. Christine Jacobs, CEO and Chairman at Theragenics Corp. in Buford, Ga.

These new offerings will help to eliminate the funding and government interventions such as the push to help solar company Solyndra get into business with White House approval. We are now finding out that the tab on that to taxpayers is over 500 bilion dollars which we will never get paid back.

Red Cross Helps Disaster Victims

9-8-2011 Tornadoes spawned by remnants of Lee damaged homes and caused evacuations in Alabama, Georgia and Tennessee on Monday, leading the Red Cross to open shelters in all three states. Red Cross shelters were also opened in Louisiana and Mississippi as Lee dumped torrential rain on the Gulf Coast. Heavy rains and extensive flooding are expected to continue as Lee’s remnants expand northeast into the Tennessee Valley and central Appalachian mountains through Tuesday.

The Red Cross is also continuing to help people impacted by Hurricane Irene. To date, the Red Cross has served more than 1.6 million meals and snacks and provided approximately 58,000 overnight shelter stays since the storm made landfall on August 27. The Red Cross is also distributing supplies to help residents who are cleaning up homes damaged by Irene’s wind, rain and floods. So far, the Red Cross has given out more than 516,000 relief items such as hygiene kits, mops, brooms, tarps, work gloves and coolers.

“Right now our focus is making sure people forced from their homes by floods and wildfires have a safe place to stay and a good meal,” said Charley Shimanski, Red Cross senior vice president of disaster services. “The Red Cross works year-round to be prepared to help people affected by emergencies, and that’s why we’re able to respond to so many disasters at one time.”

The Red Cross currently has disaster relief operations active in more than a dozen states, and current estimates for Red Cross relief for Hurricane Irene alone are from $10 million to $15 million.

Those who want to help can make a donation to support American Red Cross Disaster Relief. This gift enables the Red Cross to prepare for and provide shelter, food, emotional support and other assistance in response to disasters. Visit www.redcross.org or call 1-800-RED-CROSS; you can also text the word “REDCROSS” to 90999 to make a $10 donation. Contributions may also be sent to local American Red Cross chapters or to the American Red Cross, P.O. Box 37243, Washington, DC 20013.

About the American Red Cross:The American Red Cross shelters, feeds and provides emotional support to victims of disasters; supplies nearly half of the nation's blood; teaches lifesaving skills; provides international humanitarian aid; and supports military members and their families. The Red Cross is a charitable organization — not a government agency — and depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to perform its mission. For more information, please visit www.redcross.org or join our blog at http://blog.redcross.org.

The American Red Cross provided food and shelterand safety for more than 1,000 people around the country Monday night from multiple disasters, including residents impacted by wildfires in Texas and Hurricane Irene and Tropical Storm Lee, which left severe weather in its wake over the Labor Day weekend.

In Texas, more than 450 residents spent Monday night in 10 Red Cross shelters as wildfires burned hundreds of homes and forced residents to safely evacuate. The Red Cross disaster response in Texas now joins multiple other Red Cross operations underway across the U.S. in response to floods, other wildfires and tornadoes.

Those who want to help can make a donation to support American Red Cross Disaster Relief. This gift enables the Red Cross to prepare for and provide shelter, food, emotional support and other assistance in response to disasters. Visit www.redcross.org or call 1-800-RED-CROSS; you can also text the word “REDCROSS” to 90999 to make a $10 donation. Contributions may also be sent to local American Red Cross chapters or to the American Red Cross, P.O. Box 37243, Washington, DC 20013.

Health Crises Counseling

Confidential Crisis Counseling Available to Flood Victims

BATON ROUGE (May 17, 2011) - Free, confidential crisis counseling is available to Louisianians who are suffering from stress, anxiety or depression as a result of the Mississippi River flooding. A toll-free 24-hour number, 866-310-7977, will connect residents in need to services in their community to help them through this difficult time.

"Property damage from the flooding in our state will be apparent," said Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals Secretary, Bruce D. Greenstein. "But disasters leave behind less visible effects, and we want people to know we're here to help them address those as well."

Louisiana's behavioral health community and DHH, through its Louisiana Spirit program, have led the nation in disaster response counseling and behavioral health interventions. The program, first developed in response to hurricanes Katrina and Rita, has been active for several different emergency incidents, including most recently the BP oil spill from last year.

The Crisis Hotline is being answered by crisis counselors who are prepared to offer:

Crisis intervention for those who are in emotional crisis

Educational information about identifying stress and its effects as well as how to avoid experiencing more severe stress in the future

Coping tips to help address signs and symptoms of serious distress

Resource information about supports available

Referral information for those who feel they may benefit from mental health services

Stress can surface in many forms and it often appears weeks or months after a traumatic event, mental health experts say. Stress reactions to a disaster may include anger, fatigue, loss of appetite, sleeplessness, nightmares, depression, inability to concentrate, hyperactivity and/or increased alcohol or drug use.

People of all ages may exhibit these symptoms, but children and older adults are of special concern in the aftermath of disasters. Children especially can be vulnerable to disaster-related stress effects from interruption of daily routines and loss of the stability the home environment provides. Symptoms of disaster trauma in children can include excessive fear of the dark, crying, fear of being alone and constant worry. Even second-hand exposure to the disaster through extensive media coverage can take an emotional toll.

North Carolina Extension Corp Offers Tips After Storms

5-3-2011 Cooperative Extension provides tips for dealing with the storm after the storm

For people who have sustained damage, weathering the aftermath of a hurricane or other disaster can be as daunting as dealing with the disaster. North Carolina Cooperative Extension specialists offer the following tips for dealing with damage from hurricanes or other disasters.

Take photos of all the damage you've suffered.

Do the best you can to prevent more damage and be sure to document your efforts.

Get in touch with your insurance agent as soon as possible.

If your county is declared a federal disaster area, call the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to apply for federal disaster assistance. Listings of toll-free 800 numbers will be widely publicized. County centers of the North Carolina Cooperative Extension will also have disaster assistance contact information.

When you call FEMA, have the following information ready: your name, permanent address, phone number, information on your insurance coverage and any other information that will help substantiate your loss.

If your county is declared a disaster area, assistance from FEMA in the form of temporary rental payments for residents who have lost their homes may be available. Grants from FEMA for repairs to make homes habitable and for other disaster-related needs not covered by insurance or other state or federal programs may also be available.

In addition, farmers, ranchers and aquaculture producers may be eligible for loans to cover production and property losses. Farmers should bear in mind that the federal Non-Insured Assistance Program may provide help for losses to crops that are uninsurable. Specialty crops such as herbs and some fruits are considered uninsurable. For all crop losses, whether insured or not, farmers should check with their local Farm Service Agency office for information on disaster relief program aid, which may vary from county to county. Even farmers without insurance may be eligible for emergency loans or other disaster aid.

Farmers who do have crop insurance should follow the same advice for reporting other losses: Document the loss and contact your insurance agent as soon as possible.

More information on disaster recovery is available from your county Cooperative Extension center or the Web site http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/disaster.

Red Cross Help

Wednesday, April 27, 2011 — There is no let-up in the deadly weather plaguing much of the country and the American Red Cross is responding all over the United States as floods, tornadoes and wildfires devastate communities.

More than 1,100 people spent Tuesday night in Red Cross shelters in Missouri, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Arkansas, North Carolina and Texas as violent weather ripped through the South and Midwest for the second straight night. There were 45 tornado warnings in Arkansas in 24 hours. In Missouri, 370 residents sought refuge in Red Cross shelters after about 1,000 homes were evacuated in the town of Poplar Bluff due to flooding from the Black River. Two weeks after tornadoes devastated parts of North Carolina, more than 200 people are still staying in Red Cross shelters, their homes destroyed and all their belongings scattered.

The Red Cross is responding to flooding and tornado damage across more than half of the country as the severe weather continues. Since April 8, the Red Cross has opened more than 40 shelters and provided more than 3,000 overnight stays. In addition, with community partners, the Red Cross has served nearly 250,000 meals and snacks and distributed more than 22,000 items like clean-up supplies and comfort kits to people in the affected areas. Red Cross mental health and health services workers have provided thousands of consultations to people coping with the aftermath of these disasters.

Weather experts reported the severe weather will continue Wednesday with showers and severe thunderstorms across the Tennessee and Ohio valleys. Western Texas, where wildfires have scorched over a million acres, is one of the few areas which won’t receive precipitation.

One woman who is lucky to have lived through a tornado is Cindy Busick of Sanford, NC, who flew the length of a football field in her bathtub when a tornado lifted her house and splintered it across her rural neighborhood.

“People have found our documents 70 miles away,” said Cindy. “When I landed, I thought I was in a different town. I was in the air for what seemed like forever and with my stuff flying 70 miles away, I thought I’d be with them.”

Her husband, Kevin, was working in Africa when the tornado hit Sanford. . Amazingly, among all of the debris, Kevin was able to find his wedding band. The only other salvageable belongings from their 4,500 square-foot house are now stored in a small storage pod.

After the tornado, Cindy only had one pair of jogging pants, a tee shirt, some underwear and a pair of slippers. She met with American Red Cross caseworkers who were able to provide emergency assistance for food and clothing. “Look at me… I’ve got shoes on!” she said.

The Busick’s neighbors pulled Cindy from the debris after the tornado. To repay their kindness, Cindy and Kevin gave them a car and a truck that were no longer primary vehicles for their family. “You just have to pay it forward,” Cindy said. “We’ve always given to this or that, and now look at us—we have nothing—and we are getting all this help from the Red Cross and other organizations,” she said. “We’ll give again once we’re able.”

The Red Cross depends on financial donations to help in times of disaster. Those who want to help people affected by disasters like wildfires, floods and tornadoes, as well as countless crises at home and around the world, can make a donation to support American Red Cross Disaster Relief. This gift enables the Red Cross to prepare for and provide shelter, food, emotional support and other assistance in response to disasters. Visit www.redcross.org or call 1-800-RED-CROSS. Contributions may also be sent to local American Red Cross chapters or to the American Red Cross, P.O. Box 37243, Washington, DC 20013.

Earthquake Awareness Safety Drills 

4-20-2011 Washington – Department of Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano and U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan today called on K-12 schools, colleges and universities across the central U.S. – and throughout the country – to help their students, faculty and communities prepare for earthquakes by participating in a public earthquake drill on Thursday, April 28, 2011. Eleven states in the New Madrid Seismic Zone are participating in the drill, the "Great Central U.S. ShakeOut," which takes place at 10:15 a.m. Central time. Anyone can register to participate, whether at school, at work, or at home; to date, over 2 million Americans have signed up.

While similar "ShakeOut" earthquake drills are frequently conducted by California and other states on an individual basis, this is the first multistate earthquake drill, and the first drill in the central U.S., where many states would be impacted if a major earthquake hit the New Madrid Seismic Zone. Secretaries Duncan and Napolitano made their call to K-12 schools, colleges and universities in a letter sent earlier today.

"As the recent earthquakes in American Samoa, Haiti, New Zealand, Chile and now Japan remind us, earthquakes can strike at any time," said Secretary Napolitano. "It's critical that all members of the nation's emergency management team – including the federal government, state, local and tribal officials, the private sector and the public – are prepared. Learning how to protect yourself and your loved ones in the event of an earthquake or other disaster is a vital life skill – and we look forward to working with schools, colleges and our other partners to strengthen the resiliency of communities across the central United States."

"As adults, it's our responsibility to make sure students are prepared, both at home and in school, for a possible emergency," said Secretary Duncan. "The ShakeOut drill is an important exercise for parents, students, teachers and schools leaders across the country, and I hope it encourages more schools to develop, implement and evaluate emergency plans."

As the Secretaries highlight in their letter, participating in the ShakeOut drill is simple – and anyone can participate. Schools and colleges can sign up at http://www.shakeout.org/centralus/index.html, which has instructions and resources to support educators, community groups and individuals interested in conducting the ShakeOut.

HHS Releases $311 Million to States to Help Low-income Households with Energy Costs

2-11-2011 Today U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius announced the release of $311 million to states to help low-income homeowners and renters meet home energy costs under the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP). The continuing resolution currently in place directs HHS to release these funds to states, territories, tribes and the District of Columbia.

“Many families are burdened with making difficult financial decisions when it comes to their home energy needs,” said Sebelius. “The release of these funds will help those low-income individuals and families pay their energy bills, reduce those high energy costs and get the basic essentials they need to sustain a healthy and quality standard of living.”

LIHEAP assists qualified families with their home energy needs such as heating in the winter, cooling their homes in the summer, and insulating their homes to make them more energy efficient. By doing so, families are able to pay for heating and electricity, make weather related improvements to their homes and prevent service interruptions.

The $311 million in block grant funds released today supplement the previous LIHEAP funding made available to states under the continuing resolutions since October 1, totaling $4.2 billion for Fiscal Year 2011.

“Countless families across the country continue to endure tough economic conditions,” said David A. Hansell, HHS acting assistant secretary for children and families. “These additional LIHEAP funds will provide assistance to individuals who face the troubles of paying their electric, natural gas or other energy bills while meeting other essential household expenses.”

Medicare Fraud

4-11-2011 HHS Assistant Secretary for Aging Kathy Greenlee recently announced a nationwide TV and radio campaign to educate consumers about Medicare fraud. Public service announcements (PSAs) aimed at seniors will emphasize the importance of protecting sensitive personal information such as Medicare numbers.

One of the PSAs premiered recently at a regional fraud prevention summit in Detroit sponsored by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the Department of Justice. In addition to teaching seniors how to recognize a common scam, the PSA serves to recruit volunteers for the Senior Medicare Patrol (SMP), a program administered by AoA designed to engage seniors in fraud prevention. SMP staff and volunteers conduct outreach to Medicare beneficiaries in their communities through group presentations, exhibiting at community events, answering calls to the SMP help lines and through one-on-one counseling.

"Empowering consumers to prevent fraud is essential in preserving the integrity of the Medicare and Medicaid programs" said Assistant Secretary Kathy Greenlee."The new Senior Medicare Patrol media and outreach campaign will protect seniors from fraud and scams. It will also increase the number of dedicated volunteers who are working around the country to protect the Medicare Trust Funds.

Although national in scope, the PSA campaign will focus intently on 18 states with high fraud rates, seven of which include Health Care Fraud Prevention and Enforcement Action Team (HEAT) Strike Forces: Detroit, Miami, Los Angeles, Houston, Brooklyn, Tampa Bay, Chicago, and Baton Rouge. The remaining 11 states are Arizona, Massachusetts, Maryland, North Carolina, New Jersey, Georgia, New Mexico, Nevada, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Virginia. Each state will receive a customized PSA with a localized call to action directing seniors to in-state SMP toll-free numbers. Additional national distribution will feature a national SMP toll-free number.

Your Money and Fraud

CFTC Charges Oregon-based System Capital, LLC and Joshua Wallace with Solicitation Fraud and Making False Statements to the National Futures Association

Washington, DC – The U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) today charged System Capital, LLC of Lake Oswego, Ore., a registered Commodity Trading Advisor, and its founder and principal, Joshua Wallace of Tigard, Ore., a registered Associated Person, with solicitation fraud and making false statements to the National Futures Association (NFA).

Specifically, the CFTC complaint alleges that the defendants represented to prospective and actual clients that Wallace had a successful 10-year history of trading the E-Mini S&P 500 futures contract in his proprietary account and that this successful trading continued after Wallace formed System Capital. The defendants also claimed that System Capital had assets of at least $28 million under management. However, none of this information was true, as it was fabricated by Wallace, and the defendants had no such trading history prior to their solicitations, according to the complaint.

As a result of these fraudulent solicitations, System Capital and Wallace allegedly retained at least 17 clients, managed approximately $3.5 million of client funds and directed the trading of client’s commodity futures accounts.

The complaint also alleges that Wallace knowingly provided false information and documents to the NFA. During an NFA audit in May 2010, Wallace is alleged to have repeatedly made false statements to NFA’s auditors regarding 1) System Capital’s promotional materials and other documents used to solicit clients and 2) a forged report purportedly authored by a major accounting firm regarding System Capital’s trading history.

In its continuing litigation, the CFTC seeks rescission of all contracts and agreements, full restitution to defrauded clients, a return of ill-gotten gains, civil monetary penalties, permanent registration and trading bans and a permanent injunction prohibiting further violations of the federal commodities laws.

Where Can I Get More Help for my Home Financing?

See http://www.freddiemac.com/avoidforeclosure/where_to_get_help.html

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