Bauer Notes Obama’s 100 Mistakes, Misstatements and Missteps in His First 100 Days
Former presidential candidate Gary Bauer on Wednesday, Barack Obama’s 100th day in office, noted a series of mistakes, misstatements and missteps for an administration which has received little comprehensive media coverage.
Bauer, chairman of the Campaign for Working Families, said that he released this list to provide a more balanced picture of the first 100 days of the Obama Administration. Bauer observed, “The media coverage has been so glowing from the Washington Press Corp that it is important to remind Americans about a number of bad decisions from policy to personnel from the most left-leaning administration in our nation’s history.”
The following is a top 100 list of Mistakes, Misstatements and Missteps for the Obama Administration, as released by the Campaign for Working Families.
Undermining Our Values
1. Calling for the repeal of the Defense of Marriage Act on the White House website.
2. Listing on the White House website a call for an expansion of the definition of federal hate crimes to include homosexual behavior.
3. Calling on the White House website for policies like the “Fairness Doctrine” that could silence conservative and Christian talk radio.
4. Repealing limitations on taxpayer-funding of human embryonic stem cell research.
5. Repealing limitations on taxpayer-funding of abortions overseas.
6. Pledging $50 million to the United Nation’s Population Fund, which supports China’s draconian one-child policy.
7. Proposing new rules to gut conscience clause protections for pro-life doctors and other medical personnel who don’t want to be forced to perform abortions or other procedures that violate their values.
8. Proposing increased funding for the nation’s largest abortion provider, Planned Parenthood.
9. Calling on the White House website for “a goal that all middle and high school students do 50 hours of community service a year,” (mandatory volunteerism).
10. Inviting homosexual families to the White House Easter Egg Roll.
11. Allowing his attorney general to call for the reinstatement of Clinton-era restrictions on the Second Amendment.
12. Breaking his promise not to appoint lobbyists to his administration. He hired 17 in his first two weeks.
13. Breaking his promise to sign legislation only after a five-day period of public comments.
14. Asking that the monogram for Jesus Christ be covered up during a televised speech at a Catholic university in which Obama quotes the Sermon on the Mount.
Undermining Our National Security
15. Apologizing for America in Europe and Latin America.
16. Bowing before the Muslim king of Saudi Arabia.
17. Pledging to base America’s foreign policy toward Iran on “mutual respect” in a video to the Iranian people and Iran’s Holocaust-denying dictator.
18. Returning the bust of Winston Churchill given to George Bush after 9/11 by our British allies.
19. Giving British Prime Minister Gordon Brown, the leader of America’s most loyal ally, a box of DVDs that don’t work in British DVD players.
20. Ordering Guantanamo Bay closed without any idea of where to send the terrorist suspects held there.
21. Suggesting that some of those terrorists now at GITMO may kill again, but may also be released onto U.S. soil and set up with welfare benefits.
22. Caving to communist Cuba by relaxing travel restrictions and remittances for Cuban Americans before any Cuban political prisoners have been released.
23. Shaking hands with Venezuelan dictator Hugo Chavez.
24. Sitting silently though a 50-minute anti-American diatribe by Nicaragua’s communist president, Daniel Ortega.
25. Releasing Abd al-Rahim al-Nashiri, the suspected mastermind the 2000 suicide bombing of the U.S.S. Cole.
26. Releasing classified CIA memos outlining our interrogation techniques.
27. Telling our CIA agents not to be discouraged when he acknowledges their “mistakes.”
28. Declaring a new openness to “truth commissions” and prosecuting intelligence officials involved in enhanced interrogations of terrorists.
29. Proposing to send a $900 million foreign aid package to Palestinians in Gaza.
30. Asking Congress to relax the law so that some of that money could go to the terrorist organization Hamas.
31. Calling for the U.S. to eliminate its nuclear weapons.
32. Telling Russian President Demitri Medvedev that America’s commitment to missile defense is negotiable.
33. Dropping the term “enemy combatants” for GITMO detainees.
34. Dropping the term “terrorism” for “man-made disaster.”
35. Dropping the term “Global War on Terror” for “overseas contingency operations.”
36. Giving his first interview as president to the Arab language network Al-Arabiya.
37. Telling the Muslim world that his “job” was to communicate “that the Americans are not your enemy,” when it’s Muslim extremists who have declared war on us.
38. Proposing that military veterans use private insurance for the cost of a service-related injury before they would be eligible for coverage through the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.
Undermining Free Enterprise
39. Signing the trillion-dollar plus so-called “stimulus” bill, which the Congressional Budget Office said would actually hurt long-term economic growth.
40. Saying Caterpillar wouldn’t lay off workers if his trillion-dollar stimulus bill passed Congress. Obama signed the bill on Feb. 17th. On March 17th, Caterpillar laid off nearly 2,500 workers.
41. Hosting a “Fiscal Responsibility Summit” one week after signing the trillion-dollar “stimulus” bill.
42. Railing against “outrageous recklessness and greed” of AIG bonuses that were legally protected in the so-called “stimulus” bill he signed four days after it passed, not five as he promised.
43. Breaking his promise on earmark reform by signing the $410 billion “omnibus” spending bill with billions in earmarks.
44. Proposing a $3.6 trillion budget that doubles the national debt in five years and triples it in ten years.
45. Proposing a “carbon cap and trade” scheme that will raise energy taxes by hundreds of billions, even trillions, of dollars.
46. Burning more than 9,000 gallons of jet fuel to fly to Iowa for Earth Day to promote “wind power.”
47. Proposing $634 billion in higher taxes for socialized health care.
48. Proposing to raise taxes on small business owners.
49. Saying the White House is open to the idea of taxing employer-sponsored health care benefits as income.
50. Signing a massive expansion of the State Children’s Health Insurance Program, calling it “a down payment on my commitment to cover every single American.”
51. Establishing the Federal Coordinating Council for Comparative Effectiveness Research to give bureaucrats the power to ration health care and tell your doctors what care you can and cannot have.
52. Signing the 2009 Omnibus Public Land Management Act, which the Sierra Club praised specifically because it “will safeguard millions of acres … from oil and gas leasing.”
53. Suggesting he has found $1.5 trillion in bogus “savings” by not spending money in Iraq that we were not planning to spend years from now.
54. Ordering his Cabinet to “cut” $100 million in spending in 90 days, after proposing nearly $5 trillion in spending in his first 90 days.
55. Proposing to limit tax deductions for home mortgage interest.
56. Proposing to limit tax deductions for charitable donations.
57. Refusing to allow banks to repay TARP money.
58. Bailing out AMTRAK with a 10% increase in its taxpayer subsidies.
59. Bailing out the United Auto Workers Union with billions of taxpayer dollars to GM and Chrysler.
60. Bailing out the United Auto Workers by giving it a majority ownership stake in Chrysler. Yes, the union will own the company.
61. Bailing out Big Labor by issuing an executive order mandating that infrastructure projects paid for with “stimulus” funds must use union labor, guaranteeing higher costs for the taxpayer.
62. Bailing out Big Labor again by repealing regulations requiring the disclosure of how union dues are spent. So much for “transparency.”
63. Saying, “The United States government has no interest in running GM,” then vowing that the government will back auto warranties.
64. Saying, “The United States government has no interest in running GM,” then firing the CEO of General Motors.
65. Allowing states to set their own fuel efficiency and emissions standards, making it harder for struggling auto makers to compete.
Personnel Is Policy
66. Nominating Timothy “The Turbo Tax Evader” Geithner as Treasury Secretary to oversee the IRS.
67. Nominating as attorney general Eric Holder, who urged Bill Clinton to pardon tax evader Marc Rich and 8 FALN terrorists.
68. Nominating David Ogden, a prominent attorney for the pornography industry, to be Deputy Attorney General.
69. Nominating Tom Daschle, who owed more than $140,000 in back taxes, as Health and Human Services Secretary.
70. Nominating Kathleen Sebelius, who is ardently pro-abortion and owed $8,000 in back taxes, to be HHS Secretary.
71. Nominating Janet Napolitano, who said, “crossing the border is not a crime per se,” as Homeland Security Secretary.
72. Nominating Steven Chu as Energy Secretary. Last September, Chu said, “Somehow, we have to figure out how to boost the price of gasoline to the levels in Europe,” which at that time were roughly $8.00 a gallon.
73. Nominating Ron Kirk, who owed more than $6,000 in back taxes, as Trade Representative.
74. Nominating Bill Richardson, who was embroiled in an ethics scandal, as Secretary of Commerce.
75. Nominating Nancy Killefer, who also owed back taxes, to be the government’s “Efficiency Czar.”
76. Nominating Rosa Brooks, a leftwing acolyte of George Soros, as an advisor to the Undersecretary of Defense for Policy.
77. Nominating Harold Koh, an ardent supporter of using international law in the interpretation of our Constitution, to be the top legal advisor to the State Department.
78. Nominating Carol Browner, who was a member of the Socialist International, to be “Climate and Energy Czar.”
79. Nominating John Holdren, an environmental extremist and advocate of population control, as the White House Science Advisor.
80. Nominating Dawn Johnsen, who is so pro-abortion she once compared pregnancy to slavery, to direct the Office of Legal Counsel at the Justice Department.
81. Nominating Charles Freeman, an anti-Israel, pro-Arab apologist, to be head of the National Intelligence Council.
82. Nominating Tony West, who represented American Taliban John Walker Lindh and exposed the Bush Administration’s terrorist surveillance program, to the Justice Department’s Civil Division.
83. Nominating Annette Nazareth to be Deputy Treasury Secretary, who withdrew after a month-long probe into her taxes.
84. Trying to nominate pro-abortion Catholics to be ambassador to the Vatican, a move even John Kerry opposed.
85. Appointing Ellen Moran of the pro-abortion group Emily’s List as his White House communications director.
86. Appointing Melody Barnes, a board member of Emily’s List and Planned Parenthood, as his director of the Domestic Policy Council.
87. Appointing Harry Knox of the Human Rights Campaign (the largest homosexual rights lobbying group) to the White House’s Faith Based Advisory Council.
88. Appointing Adolfo Carrion as Director of White House Office of Urban Affairs, even though he is under investigation for kickbacks in a scandal nearly identical to one that cost GOP Senator Ted Stevens his election.
89. Nominating David Hamilton as his first appointment to a federal appeals court. Judge Hamilton has issued a number of controversial rulings, including prohibiting the Indiana House of Representatives from opening sessions with prayers in the name of Jesus.
Other Obama Outrages
90. Telling congressional Republicans to stop listening to Rush Limbaugh.
91. Coordinating attacks on Rush Limbaugh, Rick Santelli and Jim Cramer out of the White House.
92. Hosting weekly parties at the White House, serving up $100-a-pound Waygu beef during what Obama called, “the worst financial crisis since the Great Depression.”
93. Laughing it up on 60 Minutes as the country is mired in a recession.
94. Allowing Air Force One to buzz the Statue of Liberty and lower Manhattan, creating panic in New York City.
95. Disparaging Special Olympians on the Tonight Show.
96. Allowing his Department of Homeland Security to issue a report accusing pro-life, smaller government conservatives and returning Iraq/Afghanistan veterans of being “rightwing extremists.”
97. Promising to push for comprehensive immigration reform, i.e., amnesty.
98. Killing the school voucher program in the District of Columbia, while sending his two daughters to an elite private school, rather than D.C.’s public schools.
99. Moving the Census out of the Department of Commerce and into the White House.
100. Relying too much on his teleprompter.
Source: Campaign for Working Families
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Combating Swine Flu: HTH Worldwide Offers Tips to Travelers
In the wake of media reports on the outbreak of swine flu, HTH Worldwide, a global health and safety services company, is offering advice to travelers who may already be in Mexico and are concerned about what steps to take.
Over one million American businesspeople, expatriates, students studying abroad and vacationers are already in Mexico. For those travelers, HTH Worldwide offers five basic tips:
1. Do your homework. Smart travelers should take time to understand the nature of Swine Flu, including its symptoms and transmission
(http://www.hthtravelinsurance.com/extras/swineFlu.cfm ).
2. Know the hospital emergency rooms in your destination. This is a step that people rarely take the time to consider, but understanding the local healthcare landscape in a city such as Mexico City can be important, especially in an emergency. HTH has identified reliable emergency rooms throughout Mexico and in Mexico City neighborhoods typically frequented by U.S. visitors. You don’t want to rely on the hotel concierge for a recommendation on a good doctor or hospital.
3. Understand what medications are needed. Tamiflu(R) or Relenza(R) are the drugs of choice. Tamiflu is not available commercially but has been stockpiled by the government in adequate supplies and is being dispensed via large hospitals. Relenza has been commercially available in Mexico but demand may exceed supply.
4. Know the language, at least a little bit. In an emergency situation, a language barrier can be tragic. If you don’t speak the local language, have a translation tool or resource with you.
5. Don’t panic. The outbreak of Swine Flu has garnered international media attention. Even though the Centers for Disease Control have advised
against non-essential travel to Mexico, stay informed and keep you perspective – you might not have to cancel that trip just yet.
“Knowledge is the great equalizer; everyone who is traveling to Mexico City should immerse themselves in facts and not simply listen to the rumors,” said Angelo Masciantonio, director and CEO, HTH Worldwide. “There are numerous technologies and tools that will help you remain informed about the true nature of this outbreak. If a traveler does encounter swine flu or other issues while abroad, it’s critical that they receive high quality healthcare, HTH offers its information and access to highly-qualified caregivers via the Internet and a mobile application called mPassport(R) (www.mpassport.com).”
HTH Worldwide has a global network of more than 5,000 hospitals and English-speaking doctors in 180 countries. This network includes twenty-one hospitals and 84 doctors in Mexico City.
Source: HTH Worldwide
National Trust For Historic Preservation Announces 2009 List of America’s 11 Most Endangered Historic Places
2009 List Includes Century Plaza Hotel, Los Angeles; The Manhattan Project’s Enola Gay Hangar at Wendover Airfield in Utah; Frank Lloyd Wright’s Unity Temple, Oak Park, Illinois; and Mount Taylor, New Mexico
The National Trust for Historic Preservation today unveiled the 2009 list of America’s 11 Most Endangered Historic Places(R), an annual list that highlights important examples of the nation’s architectural, cultural and natural heritage that are at risk of destruction or irreparable damage. The announcement was made adjacent to the Century Plaza Hotel in Los Angeles by Richard Moe, president of the National Trust for Historic Preservation, and Diane Keaton, an Academy Award-winning actress and a trustee of the organization.
The Century Plaza Hotel was chosen as the site of this year’s announcement to both highlight the threat to modernist architecture nationally and to focus attention on sustainability and the need to recycle existing infrastructure, rather than throw it away. Ironically, the hotel, a prominent Los Angeles landmark designed by Minoru Yamasaki (who also designed the World Trade Center’s twin towers), is slated to be razed to accommodate two 600-foot-tall “environmentally sensitive” towers.
Also on the 2009 list: the Manhattan Project’s Enola Gay Hangar at Wendover Airfield in Utah, which, along with other Manhattan Project-era sites, is in a critical state of disrepair; Frank Lloyd Wright’s innovative Unity Temple in Oak Park, Illinois, an architectural icon hobbled by structural deficiencies and a lack of restoration funding; and Mount Taylor in New Mexico, a sacred site for dozens of Native American tribes whose cultural and archaeological resources are threatened by uranium mining activity.
“The 22nd annual list of America’s 11 Most Endangered Historic Places reflects the extraordinary diversity and fragility of our shared heritage,” said Richard Moe. “These 11 sites highlight many critical issues, including the importance of preserving architectural icons of the recent past and preservation as one of the most effective forms of sustainable development. Places like these help tell all of our stories, and losing them not only erases a piece of our heritage, it also represents a threat to our planet.”
Speaking about the Century Plaza Hotel, Diane Keaton, a preservation activist concerned about safeguarding architectural landmarks in her hometown, added, “All over Los Angeles, too many of our great modern buildings have already fallen to the wrecking ball,” said Keaton. “We need to lead by example and show the rest of the country that buildings are renewable, and we shouldn’t be throwing them away. We should be recycling them just like we recycle newspapers.”
The 2009 list of America’s 11 Most Endangered Historic Places(R) was made possible, in part, by a grant from History(TM).
The public is invited to learn more about what they can do to support these and hundreds of other endangered sites, experience first-hand accounts of these places, and share stories and photos of their own at www.PreservationNation.org/11Most.
The 2009 list of America’s 11 Most Endangered Historic Places (in alphabetical order):
Ames Shovel Shops, Easton, Mass. — In southeastern Massachusetts, the Ames Shovel Shops complex, an intact 19th-century industrial village that resembles a picture-perfect New England college campus, is threatened by a plan to demolish several of the site’s historic buildings and radically alter others to pave the way for new mixed-use development.
Cast-Iron Architecture of Galveston, Texas — The assemblage of late-19th-century Greek Revival and Italianate buildings with elaborate cast-iron storefronts in Galveston’s 12-block Strand/Mechanic National Historic Landmark District is one of the largest collections of historic commercial buildings in the country. Unfortunately, the widespread flooding caused by Hurricane Ike in September 2008 caused extensive damage, leaving the district fighting to survive.
Century Plaza Hotel, Los Angeles, Calif. — Opened in 1966, the 19-story curved hotel, designed by renowned architect Minoru Yamasaki, who would later design New York’s World Trade Center twin towers, has been a prominent Los Angeles landmark for more than four decades. Despite a $36 million facelift just over a year ago, the hotel’s new owners now intend to raze the building and replace it with two 600-foot, “environmentally sensitive” towers.
Dorchester Academy, Midway, Ga. — Founded in 1868 as a school for freed slaves, Dorchester Academy started humbly in a one-room schoolhouse and later gained prominence as a center for voter registration drives during the civil rights movement. The academy’s last remaining building, a handsome 1934 Greek Revival dormitory, is deteriorating and structurally compromised.
Human Services Center, Yankton, S.D. — Founded in 1879 as the South Dakota Hospital for the Insane and once regarded as a model institution of its kind, this campus comprises a collection of neoclassical, Art Deco and Italianate buildings that have stood vacant for years. Despite the site’s potential for innovative reuse and appropriate redevelopment, the State is moving forward with plans to demolish 11 historic buildings on the Yankton campus.
Lana’i City, Hawai’i – One of Hawaii’s eight main islands, Lana’i, known as the “Pineapple Isle,” has lush tropical beaches, breathtaking natural beauty, lavish resorts and one attraction none of the other islands can claim: an intact plantation town. Lana’i City, built by pineapple baron James Dole in the 1920s, features plantation-style homes, a laundromat, jail, courthouse and police station, and is now threatened by a large-scale commercial development calling for the destruction or significant alteration of 15-20 historic buildings.
The Manhattan Project’s Enola Gay Hangar, Wendover Airfield, Utah – The hangar that housed the Enola Gay, the B-29 Superfortress that dropped the world’s first atomic bomb on Hiroshima, Japan, on August 6, 1945, is, along with other Manhattan Project sites, in a critical state of disrepair.
Memorial Bridge, Portsmouth, N.H. to Kittery, Maine — For more than 85 years, Memorial Bridge, the first major lift bridge in the eastern U.S., has been a sturdy and dramatic landmark, spanning the Piscataqua River and connecting two coastal towns steeped in history. But like so many others in the nation, the bridge has suffered from tight budgets and postponed maintenance. The states of Maine and New Hampshire have not yet agreed on a plan to save Memorial Bridge and are now considering their options, including its removal — a move that would be costly and in direct opposition to the desires of local residents in two communities.
Miami Marine Stadium, Virginia Key, Fla. – Completed in 1963, Miami Marine Stadium is both a South Florida landmark and an icon of modern design. Built entirely of poured concrete and featuring a dramatically cantilevered folded-plate roof, the stadium is a sentimental favorite of many Miami residents. After sustaining damage during Hurricane Andrew in 1992, the stadium, a prime target for developers, closed and has since suffered from years of deterioration, vandalism and neglect.
Mount Taylor, near Grants, N.M. — Located in the southwestern corner of New Mexico’s San Mateo Mountains, midway between Albuquerque and Gallup, Mount Taylor, with an elevation of nearly 12,000 feet, is startlingly beautiful and a sacred place for as many as 30 Native American tribes. Currently, the mountain is under threat from exploration and proposals for uranium mining, which, if allowed to proceed, would have a devastating impact on this cherished historic place.
Unity Temple, Oak Park, Ill. — Frank Lloyd Wright’s Unity Temple, designed for a Unitarian congregation in Oak Park, is widely acknowledged as a masterpiece of 20th-century architecture. Completed in 1908, the cubist, flat-roofed structure is also one of the earliest public buildings to feature exposed concrete, one of Wright’s signature design elements. Years of water infiltration have compromised the structure, prompting a multi-million-dollar rescue effort that the current congregation cannot afford.
America’s 11 Most Endangered Historic Places has identified more than 200 threatened one-of-a-kind historic treasures since 1988. Whether these sites are urban districts or rural landscapes, Native American landmarks or 20th-century sports arenas, entire communities or single buildings, the list spotlights historic places across America that are threatened by neglect, insufficient funds, inappropriate development or insensitive public policy. The designation has been a powerful tool for raising awareness and rallying resources to save endangered sites from every region of the country. At times, that attention has garnered public support to quickly rescue a treasured landmark; while in other instances, it has been the impetus of a long battle to save an important piece of our history. Learn more at www.PreservationNation.org/11Most.
Source: National Trust for Historic Preservation
IBHS Cautions Businesses to Prepare for Flu Pandemic; Provides Free Self-Assessment Tool to Rate Readiness
The Institute for Business & Home Safety (IBHS) is cautioning businesses and nonprofit organizations to examine their ability to operate in the event of a flu pandemic.
With the federal government declaring Swine Flu a public-health emergency, IBHS says it would be wise to prepare now for the possibility of closures or other impacts a pandemic could have on operations.
“Evaluating specific risks and planning well beforehand for a variety of potential emergencies that could disrupt day-to-day business is critical, no matter how big or small a company may be,” states IBHS President and CEO Julie Rochman. “Fortunately, most catastrophes can be managed with advance, effective preparation – and that means having a well-thought out action plan with specific, appropriate policies, resources and contingencies.”
The Top 5 IBHS pandemic preparedness steps include:
1. Determine when to curtail employee travel, domestically and internationally.
2. Develop business continuity policies that provide work-at-home options.
3. Address sick leave policies, since people with swine flu or those attending to relatives may need to be on leave longer that the current policy allows.
4. Consider the impact a shutdown of public transportation or the loss of basic utilities would have.
5. Determine at what point the organization would need to close its doors.
IBHS has created a self-assessment tool for business owners and managers who can rate their readiness for a flu pandemic by answering nine basic questions. http://www.disastersafety.org/resource/resmgr/pdfs/pandemic_flu.pdf
This tool was adapted from the IBHS Open for Business(R) planning and preparedness program and its suite of free resources. For more information visit the IBHS web site www.DisasterSafety.org.
IBHS is an independent, nonprofit, scientific and educational organization supported by the property insurance industry. The organization works to reduce the social and economic effects of natural disasters and other risks to residential and commercial property by conducting research and advocating improved construction, maintenance and preparation practices.
Source: Institute for Business & Home Safety
Swine Flu: Infection Control in Hospitals Will Be Critical
In response to confirmed cases of swine flu in Mexico, Canada, and the United States, European Union health officials are advising against travel to North America. At airports in Japan and several other Asian countries, thermal scanners are being used to identify fever among passengers from North America.
But in the U.S. the disease is already among us. The severity and extent are unknown. The SARS outbreak (severe acute respiratory syndrome) in 2003 teaches that rigorous infection control in hospitals may be key to limiting deaths from swine flu in the U.S. Much will depend on what hospitals do when the first seriously ill victims arrive.” If hospitals have effective infection controls in place, the disease can be prevented from spreading to visitors, healthcare workers and their families,” warns Betsy McCaughey, Ph.D., and Chairman of the Committee to Reduce Infection Deaths (RID), a national organization that educates the public and medical community about preventing infection. McCaughey explains that “77% of the people who contracted SARS in the Canadian outbreak were patients, visitors or workers in hospitals. SARS was almost entirely a hospital infection epidemic.”
SARS — four letters that filled the headlines in the spring of 2003, and then disappeared. “A report issued after the fact by the government of Ontario (The SARS Commission, Spring of Fear, December 2006) shows how hospitals in one city thwarted an epidemic while hospitals in another city made deadly mistakes” says McCaughey, an expert on preventing infection.
Many hospitals in the U.S. are under-prepared for a similar challenge. As many as ten percent of patients contract infections in the hospital, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Bacteria such as MRSA (methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus) and Clostridium difficile race through hospitals, spread by unwashed hands and unclean equipment. How can hospitals that are failing to prevent ordinary infections spread by touch contain a new, unknown virus that can spread whenever someone coughs or sneezes?
“The best defense against swine flu and other unknown pathogens is rigorous hospital hygiene and routine infection prevention. That is the lesson of SARS,” says McCaughey.
Dr. McCaughey is available to speak about the precautions that should be taken in hospitals, schools, day care centers, nursing homes and other places where the disease can spread easily.
Betsy McCaughey, Ph.D., is founder of the Committee to Reduce Infection Deaths and former Lt. Governor of New York State.
http://www.hospitalinfection.org/
Source: Betsy McCaughey, Ph.D.
Swine Flu Reinforces the Importance of Preparing for Emergencies, Says APHA
The American Public Health Association (APHA) urges the public to use the current swine flu outbreak as an opportunity to ensure that they and their families are prepared for potential pandemics, disasters or any other health emergencies that may arise.
“Although it is far too early to know the degree to which the current swine flu outbreak warrants alarm, the number of cases and the speed with which the virus has spread around the globe serves as an opportunity to spread the message of the critical nature of preparedness,” said Georges C. Benjamin, MD, FACP, FACEP (E), executive director of the APHA.
APHA’s Get Ready campaign helps all Americans prepare themselves, their families and their communities for all disasters and hazards, including pandemic flu, infectious disease, natural disasters and other emergencies. Along with a wealth of pandemic flu resources, visitors to the site will also find fact sheets, blog entries, handouts, podcasts, Q&As and a variety of other resources to help their families get ready for any type of emergency.
Some of the preparedness tips for a potential pandemic include:
- Staying healthy and keeping others from getting sick by washing your hands frequently, avoiding close contact with people who are sick, covering your nose and mouth when you sneeze and staying home from work or school if sick;
- Creating an emergency preparedness kit with food, water, medical supplies and anything else you might need if you had to stay at home for an extended period of time; and
- Talking to your employer about their contingency plan for a potential situation where many employees are unable to work or must work from home.
“While investing in our nation’s public health infrastructure is an essential component of pandemic preparedness, it is also up to each of us to take steps as individuals and as members of a family and community to ensure we are well prepared when a public health emergency occurs,” Benjamin said.
Visit the Get Ready Web site at www.aphagetready.org to learn more about how to prepare for a pandemic or other emergency.
Learn more about the American Public Health Association at www.apha.org/about/news/presskit/boilerplate.htm.
Nero Move It Gets 5-Fold Performance Boost From NVIDIA CUDA Architecture
Nero Move it Now Includes NVIDIA GeForce GPU-Accelerated Video Encoding for Faster Performance, Faster File Transfers, and Decreased CPU Usage
NVIDIA announced that NERO has released an update to its Nero Move it software that reduces video encoding time by up to five times by utilizing NVIDIA’s CUDA computing architecture built inside select NVIDIA Graphics Processing Units (GPUs). NVIDIA CUDA technology dramatically reduces the time it takes to transfer video files to portable devices, while freeing up the CPU to perform other tasks.
Nero Move it is designed to allow consumers to effortlessly convert and share digital media content among a variety of popular entertainment devices. It is a complete software solution for collecting, organizing, transferring, and publishing digital media files from one device to another, as well as for uploading digital content to online communities. By using CUDA technology to tap the massively parallel processing power of NVIDIA GPUs, Nero Move it converts videos in a fraction of the usual time, reducing the length of time to perform such tasks as customizing an HD video for an iPod, from hours to mere minutes.
“Nero Move it is all about easy, hassle-free management of your digital media,” said Kris Barton, executive vice president of global products, Nero AG. “NVIDIA CUDA allows you to move content between your mobile devices with incredible speed and convenience, so it’s a perfect complement to Nero Move it.”
Supporting all formats for music, videos and photos, Nero Move it lets you enjoy your multimedia files on the most popular portable and mobile devices, and take control of your digital media library.
“Applications that make our lives simpler rise to the top,” said Michael Steele, general manager of visual consumer solutions at NVIDIA. “Nero Move it clearly achieves that goal with its sleek interface and unmistakably fast file conversion for video, audio, and photos. We’re excited that NVIDIA GPUs and CUDA are enabling millions of consumers to enjoy this new Nero experience.”
CUDA is NVIDIA’s GPU computing architecture for massively parallel processing. The first CUDA GPU was introduced in November 2006 with the GeForce(R) 8800 and has been in every new GPU since, with more than 118 million CUDA-enabled GPUs in the market today.
Nero Move it is currently available worldwide with a suggested retail price of $49.99 USD and via online download from the Nero Online Shop. The version of Nero Move it with support for NVIDA CUDA is available today as a free update for current Nero Move it customers. For further information about Nero Move it and other Nero products, please visit www.nero.com.
Source: NVIDIA
Ground-Breaking Combination of All-Oral Agents Demonstrates Potential as Hepatitis C Treatment Regimen
Combination of R7227, protease inhibitor, and R7128, nucleoside polymerase inhibitor, shows significant potency in reducing viral load in patients with hepatitis C
Roche, InterMune, Inc. and Pharmasset announced the first results from their innovative, interferon-free regimen of direct acting antiviral (DAA) combination therapy for the treatment of patients chronically infected with the hepatitis C virus (HCV)(1). The study combined two oral DAAs, R7227 (also known as ITMN-191) and R7128, for the first time in patients. There were no serious adverse events reported during the 14 days of dosing, and the reductions in levels of HCV RNA were significant.
Results of the INFORM-1 study were presented today during the late-breaker session at the 44th Annual Meeting of the European Association for the Study of the Liver (EASL) in Copenhagen.
The trial, conducted in centers in New Zealand and Australia, is the first to investigate the combination of two oral antiviral medicines in the absence of interferon and ribavirin. The results demonstrated for the first time that the combination of an oral protease inhibitor and an oral nucleoside polymerase inhibitor resulted in significant HCV viral load reduction in patients with HCV. Roche is developing R7227, a protease inhibitor, with InterMune, and R7128, a nucleoside polymerase inhibitor, with Pharmasset.
Further studies will test the activity and safety of the combination of R7227 and R7128 with and without interferon and/or ribavirin. The current standard of care for HCV is a combination of pegylated interferon plus ribavirin, which delivers overall sustained virologic response rates (SVR) of 50-60 percent.
“These are exciting times in our fight against hepatitis C, and the investigation of the innovative oral treatment regimen in INFORM-1, if validated in further study, may radically change future treatment strategies in our patients with chronic HCV infection,” said Edward Gane, M.D., Associate Professor, University of Auckland and Director, Auckland Clinical Studies Limited. “The initial results from this study of the R7227/R7128 combination raise hopes of the possibility for an interferon-free treatment regimen, as well as the potential for a shorter, more potent interferon-based regimen.”
INFORM-1 Results in Brief
INFORM-1 is a randomized, double-blind, ascending dose Phase I trial which has enrolled a total of 57 patients.
Patients receiving the combination of R7227 and R7128 for 14 days — without pegylated interferon or ribavirin — experienced a median reduction in viral levels of -4.8 to -5.2 log(10) IU/mL in the highest doses tested. The addition of R7128 to R7227 resulted in sustained viral load reductions over the dosing period, with aproximately 63 percent of patients experiencing a decrease in viral levels below the quantification limit of the diagnostic assay (less than 40 IU/mL). Furthermore, 25 percent of patients in the highest dosage groups were below the limit of detection of the virus in their blood (less than 15 IU/mL) after 14 days.
In the early low-dose groups, after only three days of dosing, the mean reduction in viral load levels was 0.6 log(10) IU/mL greater with combination treatment (-2.9), compared to the performance of the individual compounds when administered as a single agent (-0.46 and -1.84 for R7128 and R7227, respectively). This suggests an additive effect for the combination.
No treatment-related serious adverse events (SAEs), no dose reductions and no discontinuations were reported in the study. Pharmacokinetic analysis confirmed that there were no drug-drug interactions between the compounds.
Next Steps in the Development Program
The companies are now exploring twice-daily dosing of R7227 and higher total daily doses (600 mg twice-daily and 900 mg twice-daily) than those explored in the first patient cohorts of INFORM-1. The companies also plan to explore the innovative DAA combination therapy in “treatment-experienced” patients with HCV, or those who did not achieve SVR with a previous interferon-based treatment.
Other Clinical Studies with R7227 and R7128
In addition to clinical studies of combination DAA regimens such as those studied in INFORM-1, R7227 and R7128 each are proceeding rapidly in development in combination with Roche’s PEGASYS(R) (peginterferon alfa-2a) and COPEGUS(R) (ribavirin). A Phase IIb study with R7128 has now begun, while a Phase IIb study with R7227 is slated to begin in the summer.
The Foundation and Future of HCV Treatment
Combination therapy of pegylated interferon and ribavirin is the current standard of care for HCV. PEGASYS is the leading treatment for HCV, and also is the pegylated interferon therapy of choice for most HCV antiviral agents in development — including those developed through collaborations with Roche, as well as those developed by other companies. The collaborations with InterMune and Pharmasset position Roche as a leader in developing innovative treatments for HCV.
Dial-In and Webcast Details
InterMune and Pharmasset hosted a live webcast of a discussion of the INFORM-1 results from the EASL conference today, Saturday, April 25, 2009, at 7:00 p.m. CEST (1:00 p.m. EDT). Participating in the discussion was be Dr. Ed Gane, principal investigator in the INFORM-1 trial. Members of management from Roche, InterMune and Pharmasset answered questions. A live webcast and slide presentation was available through the Investor Relations pages of both InterMune and Pharmasset at www.intermune.com or www.pharmasset.com, respectively. A webcast replay will be available approximately three hours after the call and will be archived at www.intermune.com and at http://www.pharmasset.com/.
The teleconference replay will be available for 10 business days following the call and can be accessed by dialing 800-642-1687 (U.S. and Canada) or 706-645-9291 (international), and entering conference ID # 95452531.
The companies recommend logging on at least 15 minutes prior to the start of the webcast to ensure adequate time for any software downloads that may be required.
R7227 (ITMN-191)
R7227 is a potent, macrocyclic inhibitor of HCV NS3/4A protease activity, and has produced multi-log(10) reductions in levels of HCV levels in chronic HCV patients, when administered for 14 days as monotherapy and when combined with PEGASYS and COPEGUS. R7227 was safe and well-tolerated in these studies.
R7128
R7128, a cytidine nucleoside analog inhibitor of HCV RNA polymerase, is being developed for the treatment of chronic HCV infection. R7128 has shown potent in vivo activity against all of the most common HCV genotypes (1, 2 and 3). R7128 was safe and well-tolerated when given with PEGASYS and COPEGUS for up to 28 days.
PEGASYS
PEGASYS, in combination with COPEGUS (ribavirin), is indicated for the treatment of adults with chronic HCV who have compensated liver disease and have not previously been treated with interferon alpha. Efficacy has been demonstrated in patients with compensated liver disease and histological evidence of cirrhosis (Child-Pugh class A) and patients with HIV disease that are clinically stable (e.g., antiretroviral therapy not required or receiving stable antiretroviral therapy). In addition, PEGASYS in combination with COPEGUS is the first and only FDA-approved regimen for the treatment of chronic HCV in patients coinfected with HCV and HIV. PEGASYS is the only pegylated interferon indicated for the treatment of adult patients with chronic hepatitis B (HBeAg positive and HBeAg negative chronic hepatitis B who have compensated liver disease and evidence of viral replication and liver inflammation).
PEGASYS is dosed at 180mcg as a subcutaneous injection taken once a week. COPEGUS is available as a 200mg tablet, and is administered orally two times a day as a split dose. Roche has backed PEGASYS with the most extensive clinical research program ever undertaken in HCV, with major studies initiated to advance treatment for HCV patients with unmet needs, including patients co-infected with HIV and HCV, African Americans, patients with cirrhosis, and patients who have failed to respond to previous therapy.
Important Safety Information About PEGASYS
PEGASYS, alone or in combination with COPEGUS, is indicated for the treatment of adults with chronic hepatitis C virus infection who have compensated liver disease and have not been previously treated with interferon alpha. Patients in whom efficacy was demonstrated included patients with compensated liver disease and histological evidence of cirrhosis (Child-Pugh class A).
Alpha interferons, including PEGASYS(R) (Peginterferon alfa-2a), may cause or aggravate fatal or life-threatening neuropsychiatric, autoimmune, ischemic, and infectious disorders. Patients should be monitored closely with periodic clinical and laboratory evaluations. Therapy should be withdrawn in patients with persistently severe or worsening signs or symptoms of these conditions. In many, but not all cases, these disorders resolve after stopping PEGASYS therapy (see CONTRAINDICATIONS, WARNINGS, PRECAUTIONS and ADVERSE REACTIONS in complete product information).
Use with Ribavirin. Ribavirin, including COPEGUS(R), may cause birth defects and/or death of the fetus. Extreme care must be taken to avoid pregnancy in female patients and in female partners of male patients. Ribavirin causes hemolytic anemia. The anemia associated with ribavirin therapy may result in a worsening of cardiac disease. Ribavirin is genotoxic and mutagenic and should be considered a potential carcinogen (see CONTRAINDICATIONS, WARNINGS, PRECAUTIONS and ADVERSE REACTIONS in complete product information).
PEGASYS is contraindicated in patients with hypersensitivity to PEGASYS or any of its components, autoimmune hepatitis, and hepatic decompensation (Child-Pugh score greater than 6; class B and C) in cirrhotic CHC monoinfected patients before or during treatment. PEGASYS is also contraindicated in hepatic decompensation with Child-Pugh score greater than or equal to 6 in cirrhotic CHC patients coinfected with HIV before or during treatment. PEGASYS is also contraindicated in neonates and infants because it contains benzyl alcohol. Benzyl alcohol is associated with an increased incidence of neurological and other complications in neonates and infants, which are sometimes fatal. PEGASYS and COPEGUS therapy is additionally contraindicated in patients with a hypersensitivity to COPEGUS or any of its components, in women who are pregnant, men whose female partners are pregnant, and patients with hemoglobinopathies (eg, thalassemia major, sickle-cell anemia).
COPEGUS THERAPY SHOULD NOT BE STARTED UNLESS A REPORT OF A NEGATIVE PREGNANCY TEST HAS BEEN OBTAINED IMMEDIATELY PRIOR TO INITIATION OF THERAPY. Women of childbearing potential and men must use two forms of effective contraception during treatment and during the 6 months after treatment has concluded. Routine monthly pregnancy tests must be performed during this time. If pregnancy should occur during treatment or during 6 months post-therapy, the patient must be advised of the significant teratogenic risk of COPEGUS therapy to the fetus. Healthcare providers and patients are strongly encouraged to immediately report any pregnancy in a patient or partner of a patient during treatment or during 6 months after treatment cessation to the Ribavirin Pregnancy Registry at 1-800-593-2214.
Chronic hepatitis C (CHC) patients with cirrhosis may be at risk of hepatic decompensation and death when treated with alpha interferons, including PEGASYS. During treatment, patients’ clinical status and hepatic function should be closely monitored, and PEGASYS treatment should be immediately discontinued if decompensation (Child-Pugh score greater than or equal to 6) is observed. Ischemic and hemorrhagic cerebrovascular events have been observed in patients treated with interferon alfa-based therapies, including PEGASYS. Events occurred in patients with few or no reported risk factors for stroke, including patients less than 45 years of age. Because these are spontaneous reports, estimates of frequency cannot be made and causal relationship between interferon alfa-based therapies and these events is difficult to establish.
The most common adverse events reported for PEGASYS and COPEGUS combination therapy observed in clinical trials were fatigue/asthenia (65 percent), headache (43 percent), pyrexia (41 percent), myalgia (40 percent), irritability/anxiety/nervousness (33 percent), insomnia (30 percent), alopecia (28 percent), neutropenia (27 percent), nausea/vomiting (25 percent), rigors (25 percent), anorexia (24 percent), injection site reaction (23 percent), arthralgia (22 percent), depression (20 percent), pruritus (19 percent) and dermatitis (16 percent).
Serious adverse events in hepatitis C trials included neuropsychiatric disorders (homicidal ideation, suicidal ideation, suicide attempt, suicide, psychotic disorder and hallucinations), serious and severe bacterial infections (sepsis), bone marrow toxicity (cytopenia and rarely, aplastic anemia), cardiovascular disorders (hypertension, supraventricular arrhythmias and myocardial infarction), hypersensitivity (including anaphylaxis), endocrine disorders (including thyroid disorders and diabetes mellitus), autoimmune disorders (including idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura, thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura, psoriasis, lupus, rheumatoid arthritis and interstitial nephritis), pulmonary disorders (dyspnea, pneumonia, bronchiolitis obliterans, interstitial pneumonitis and sarcoidosis), colitis (ulcerative and hemorrhagic/ischemic colitis), pancreatitis, and ophthalmologic disorders (decrease or loss of vision, retinopathy including macular edema and retinal thrombosis/hemorrhages, optic neuritis and papilledema).
Adverse reactions reported during post-approval use of PEGASYS therapy, with and without ribavirin, include hearing impairment, hearing loss, serious skin reactions, including erythema multiforme major, and infections (bacterial, viral and fungal).
Source: Roche; InterMune; Pharmasset
Apple’s Revolutionary App Store Downloads Top One Billion in Just Nine Months
Apple(R) announced that customers have downloaded one billion applications from its revolutionary App Store, the largest applications store in the world. The one billionth app, Bump created by Bump Technologies, was downloaded by Connor Mulcahey, age 13, of Weston, CT. As the grand prize winner of Apple’s one billion app countdown contest, Connor will receive a $10,000 iTunes(R) gift card, an iPod(R) touch, a Time Capsule(R) and a MacBook(R) Pro.
“The revolutionary App Store has been a phenomenal hit with iPhone and iPod touch users around the world, and we’d like to thank our customers and developers for helping us achieve the astonishing milestone of one billion apps downloaded,” said Philip Schiller, Apple’s senior vice president of Worldwide Product Marketing. “In nine months, the App Store has completely revolutionized the mobile industry and this is only the beginning.”
Today, the groundbreaking App Store has more than 35,000 applications available to consumers in 77 countries, allowing developers to reach tens of millions of iPhone(TM) and iPod touch users around the world. This summer the iPhone OS 3.0 software update will provide developers with over 1,000 new developer APIs enabling In-App Purchases, Peer-to-Peer connections, App control of accessories, and Push Notifications. The iPhone OS 3.0 release will also add over 100 customer features including cut, copy and paste; Spotlight(TM) search; landscape keyboard and view for all key iPhone apps; MMS* support; and expanded parental controls for apps, TV shows, and movies from the App Store.
*MMS messaging is available only on iPhone 3G; fees may apply. MMS may not be available in all areas.
Apple ignited the personal computer revolution in the 1970s with the Apple II and reinvented the personal computer in the 1980s with the Macintosh. Today, Apple continues to lead the industry in innovation with its award-winning computers, OS X operating system and iLife and professional applications. Apple is also spearheading the digital media revolution with its iPod portable music and video players and iTunes online store, and has entered the mobile phone market with its revolutionary iPhone.
Source: Apple
Americans Pledge to Drink a Million Less Disposable Bottles of Water
Eco-conscious citizens around the country embrace “Drinking Clean & Going Green” with Clear2Go(TM)
Clear2Go(TM), a new water bottle brand with its own replaceable filter, recently challenged Americans to take a pledge to reduce their use of disposable plastic water bottles.
As a result, America has enthusiastically risen to the occasion. After just three weeks, eco-enthusiasts from every part of the country have pledged to keep over 1,000,000 disposable plastic water bottles out of the nation’s landfills.
To get the word out last week, Clear2Go(TM) partnered with the Green Apple Festival on volunteer events in five cities (San Francisco, Los Angeles, Austin, Denver, Chicago, Washington D.C.).
This weekend Clear2Go(TM) will be sponsoring the Earth Day New York Festival at Grand Central and Miami Goin’ Green at Bayfront Park in Miami. Visitors who stop by the Clear2Go(TM) booths will be able to take the pledge and create their own electronic PSA explaining why alternatives to bottled water are important to them. In New York, Clear2Go(TM) will unveil a 20-foot scale that shows the disposable water bottle equivalent to two Clear2Go(TM) bottles.
Those who can not attend this weekend’s events but want to take the pledge can visit: www.drinkcleangogreen.com. To see a real time update on the amount of bottles pledged and the corresponding amount of money saved by not using bottled water, visit http://www.drinkcleangogreen.com/widget.
Event Listing:
- New York City, Grand Central Station, Friday, April 24 & Saturday, April 25 (12:00-7:00 pm/11:00 am-5:00 pm)
- Miami, Bayfront Park: Saturday, April 25 (10:00 am – 7:00 pm)
Clear2Go(TM) Product Benefits
Clear2Go(TM) water bottle, with its own replaceable filter, can be filled from any tap water source, providing a convenient solution for clean water on the go. It removes up to 99% of microbial cysts and filters up to 100 gallons of water: the equivalent of using 757 half-liter disposable plastic water bottles. The average cost of drinking the recommended amount of water using bottled water is $1,400 annually(1), whereas one Clear2Go(TM) water bottle costs between $14.99 and $17.99 and one filter can last up to three months. Clear2Go(TM) can be purchased at select Whole Foods Markets, Walmarts, Amazon.com and BuyClear2Go.com.
Source: Applica