UGA Extension Implements New Delivery System

In mid-October, administrators with University of Georgia Cooperative Extension announced a new system for delivering its educational programs. That new system uses set criteria to assign each of Georgia’s 159 counties to one of six service tiers. Each tier represents what kinds and levels of service counties will receive from UGA Extension.

Implementation of the system is underway and is expected take 12 to 18 months to complete.
“Our aim with this new plan was to do all we can to ensure Georgians have access to the education and information they need from us,” said Beverly Sparks, associate dean for Extension with the UGA College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences. “It was clear with our new budget reality we had to redesign how that education was delivered.”

UGA Extension is the public service and outreach branch of the UGA colleges of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences and Family and Consumer Sciences. For more than 100 years, it has delivered research-based education from the university to agricultural producers, families and, through Georgia 4-H, children.

“Cooperative Extension may take on a new look and feel in your county, but we will do our best to continue delivering the reliable service and education across the state that you know and trust,” Sparks said.

New look and feel

Over the past two years, all Georgia state agencies have suffered budget reductions. UGA Extension’s cut has grown to 23 percent. “When you have eliminated 88 county agent, 19 state specialist and seven administrator positions, you can no longer continue to do more with less,” Sparks said. “The time has come that we have to do what we can with what we have. We have chosen to focus on what we do best.”

Under the new system, every county will have access to a 4-H program. Most counties will have a county Extension office where residents can go for help. Support varies by tier.

Tier 1 counties include Chattahoochee and Taliaferro. These counties will have no local Extension office but will have a basic 4-H program offered in the school system through an employee supervised by an agent in another county.

Tier 2 counties include Brantley, Charlton, Clay, Crawford, Dade, Hancock, Heard, Long, Pickens, Quitman, Talbot, Towns, Twiggs and Wilkinson. These counties will have a core 4-H program and a county Extension office with an office manager to help residents access diagnostic services (soil, water and forage samples) and Extension resources. A county extension coordinator from another county will serve as administrator. Agents will be assigned as resources but will not generally offer programs or make client visits.

Tier 3 counties include Atkinson, Clinch, Dawson, Fannin, Franklin, Glascock, Jones, Lincoln, Pike, Marion, Meriwether, Rabun, Schley, Stewart, Taylor, Webster and White. These counties will have a core 4-H program, a county office staffed with an office manager and a shared agent from a surrounding county who spends time in the office.

Tier 4 counties include Baker, Baldwin, Barrow, Ben Hill, Brooks, Bryan, Butts, Catoosa, Chattooga, Cook, Dooly, Echols, Emanuel, Greene, Haralson, Harris, Irwin, Jefferson, Jenkins, Johnson, Lamar, Lee, Liberty, McIntosh, Macon, Miller, Montgomery, Murray, Newton, Peach, Polk, Terrell, Treutlen, Troup, Upson, Warren, Wilcox and Worth. These counties will have a 4-H program, a county office with a secretary, one county-based agent who may be agriculture, family and consumer science, 4-H or split between these program areas.

Tier 5 counties include Bacon, Banks, Bartow, Berrien, Bleckley, Calhoun, Camden, Candler, Carroll, Cherokee, Clarke, Columbia, Coweta, Crisp, Decatur, Dodge, Douglas, Early, Effingham, Evans, Fayette, Floyd, Gilmer, Gordon, Grady, Habersham, Hall, Hart, Jackson, Jasper, Jeff Davis, Lanier, Lowndes, Lumpkin, McDuffie, Madison, Mitchell, Monroe, Morgan, Oconee, Oglethorpe, Paulding, Pierce, Pulaski, Putnam, Randolph, Screven, Seminole, Spalding, Stephens, Tattnall, Telfair, Thomas, Toombs, Turner, Union, Walker, Walton, Ware, Wayne, Wheeler, Whitfield and Wilkes. These counties will have a 4-H program, a county office staffed with at least one support position and two or more agents – one a county coordinator -- to provide educational programs.

Tier 6 counties include Appling, Bibb, Bulloch, Burke, Chatham, Clayton, Cobb, Coffee, Colquitt, DeKalb, Dougherty, Elbert, Forsyth, Fulton, Glynn, Gwinnett, Henry, Houston, Laurens, Muscogee, Richmond, Rockdale, Tift, Sumter and Washington. These counties will have a full-time coordinator with multiple agents.

The tier rankings were determined by district Extension leadership teams, Sparks said. Under the new tier system, 126 Georgia counties are classified in Tiers 4-6, which means they will have county offices, agents and 4-H programs.

“I think our stakeholders understand the very difficult situation we’re dealing with, with the state budget, and I think they understand that we have very limited resources,” Sparks said. “Now if you’re in one of those Tier 1, 2 or 3 counties you may not be as pleased with us as if you’re in a Tier 4, 5 or 6 county. But, again, I think this plan is flexible and allows us, as resources return, to build back and bring those 1, 2 and 3 tiers up to a higher tier.”



By J Faith Peppers
University of Georgia


Image credit: Angela Rowell/ UGA.

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Georgia summer sets record

Georgia summers are notoriously hot. But this one has been a record-setter, with August capping a string of months with temperatures significantly above average.

For June, July and August, several airport locations recorded their warmest summer in history, including Savannah, Athens, Columbus and Alma. Other locations, like Atlanta, Macon, Augusta and Brunswick, recorded their second or third hottest summer ever. Nighttime minimum temperatures were especially high, contributing to the warm and muggy feel.

Temperatures were warmer than normal everywhere in Georgia in August. In Atlanta, the monthly average temperature was 82.8 degrees F (3.9 degrees above normal), in Athens 82.2 degrees (3.8 degrees above normal), Columbus 85.4 degrees (4.1 degrees above normal), Macon 83.8 degrees (3.8 degrees above normal), Savannah 84.2 degrees (3.4 degrees above normal), Brunswick 84.1 degrees (2.8 degrees above normal), Alma 83.8 degrees (2.7 degrees above normal), Valdosta 84.1 degrees (4.3 degrees above normal), and Augusta 82.3 degrees (3 degrees above normal).

Despite the unrelenting heat, there were no daily temperature records broken in August, although several record high temperatures and high minimum temperatures were tied. Rainfall across the state was highly variable. Some areas received more than 200 percent of normal and other areas received less than 50 percent of normal rain.

The highest monthly total from National Weather Service reporting stations was 7.62 inches in Athens (3.84 inches above normal). The lowest was Columbus at 2.45 inches (1.33 inches below normal). Valdosta received 3.48 inches (1.95 inches below normal), Alma 2.72 inches (2.78 inches below normal), Brunswick 4.94 inches (1.22 inches below normal), Atlanta 3.32 inches (.35 inch below normal), Macon 3.57 inches (.22 inch below normal), Savannah 5.30 inches (1.90 inches below normal), and Augusta 2.04 inches (2.44 inches below normal).

Record daily rainfall was set Aug. 21 in Brunswick, where 1.15 inches fell, breaking the old record of 1.04 inches set in 2009. Savannah also set a daily rainfall record of 3.21 inches Aug. 22, breaking the old record of 2.78 inches set in 1929.

The highest single-day rainfall from Community Collaborative Rain, Hail and Snow Network stations was 4.69 inches at Tybee Island Aug. 17. An observer in White County received 4.22 inches Aug. 22. The highest monthly rainfall total in August was 16.82 inches near Midway in Liberty County, followed by 14.55 inches from an observer near Sylvania in Screven County.

Scattered wind damage hit somewhere in Georgia on nine days during the month. Small hail was reported near Atlanta Aug. 28. No tornadoes were reported in August.

Weather conditions fueled the development of armyworms, which some agricultural agents listed as the worst they had seen in 25 years. They devastated pastures and hayfields in locations across the state.



By Pam Knox
University of Georgia




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New Mailing Rules for Tobacco Products Set for Summer

/PRNewswire/ -- To comply with legislation passed by Congress and signed into law by the President, cigarettes and smokeless tobacco products will be subject to new mailing regulations effective June 29, 2010. The law, Prevent All Cigarette Trafficking Act, Public Law No. 111-154, was signed into law March 31.

With only a few limited exceptions, the Postal Service will no longer be allowed to accept or transport packages containing cigarettes or smokeless tobacco products. The general mailability ban will extend to cigarettes, roll-your-own tobacco and smokeless tobacco. The prohibition does not include cigars.

Shipments entirely within Alaska and Hawaii will continue, subject to certain labeling and acceptance requirements.

The law does permit infrequent lightweight shipments by age-verified adults to recipients who are at least the age of majority for purchase of tobacco. Shipments between businesses in the tobacco industry will also be permitted, as well as cigarettes sent to consumers age 21 and above for testing or public health purposes.

Most shipments will require photo identification and age verification consistent with the minimum age requirements in the locality of destination.

With the exception of shipments entirely within Alaska and Hawaii, shipments are permitted only via Express Mail and, with the exception of shipments from the United States to APO/FPO/DPO destinations, will be delivered using "hold for pickup" service at the destination Post Office.

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The Numbers Are in: 72 Percent of Nation's Households Mail Back 2010 Census Forms

/PRNewswire/ -- Slightly more than 72 percent of U.S. households believed to be occupied mailed back their 2010 Census forms, the same rate that was achieved in 2000, the U.S. Census Bureau announced today. In the fall of 2010, the Census Bureau will release a final "mail return rate" after census workers double-check the occupancy status of all households that didn't return a census form.

"This is a significant achievement; the nation has stepped up to the challenge of participating in this once-a-decade civic event," said Census Bureau Director Robert Groves. "We knew the job would be more difficult in 2010 than in 2000, yet the nation responded tremendously."

America responded despite trends over the past decade toward declining survey participation, a more diverse population, a difficult economic environment and a growing distrust of government.

To motivate increased mail participation, the Census Bureau challenged communities nationwide to work to improve the participation rates they achieved in the 2000 Census. Twenty-eight states met or exceeded their 2000 Census rates, and 11 more were within one point of matching their rates (see separate news release). Numerous cities and counties also matched or exceeded their rates. (See the "Take 10 Challenge Map" for detailed results, or results from the largest cities and counties on the news conference press kit page: http://2010.census.gov/news/press-kits/operational-press-briefing/april-28-201 0.html)

States with the highest mail participation rates include: Wisconsin (81 percent), Minnesota (80 percent), Iowa (78 percent) and Indiana (78 percent). North Carolina and South Carolina achieved the greatest percentage point increase among all states, both increasing by 9 percentage points (North Carolina jumped from 66 to 74 percent; South Carolina from 65 to 73 percent).

Cities with populations of 50,000 or more with the highest rates were Livonia, Mich. (87 percent), Rochester, Minn. (82 percent) and Sterling Heights, Mich. (82 percent). Charleston, S.C., achieved the greatest point increase (jumping 9 percentage points from 64 to 73 percent). Three cities increased by 8 percentage points: Minneapolis (from 68 to 76 percent); Miramar, Fla. (from 65 to 73 percent) and Surprise, Ariz. (from 63 to 71 percent).

The rates for all states, counties, cities, towns and neighborhoods are on the Census Bureau's interactive mail participation rate map at http://2010.census.gov/2010census/take10map/.

The nation's response helps pave the way for the next phase of the 2010 Census: the deployment of 635,000 census takers across the country who will go door to door to obtain census responses from all remaining households. The temporary census workers are in training this week and will begin obtaining census responses this weekend. The Census Bureau is urging households to open their doors to their local census taker and will provide more information on this operation at a news briefing May 3.

ABOUT THE 2010 CENSUS

The 2010 Census is a count of everyone living in the United States and is mandated by the U.S. Constitution. Census data are used to apportion congressional seats to states, to distribute more than $400 billion in federal funds to tribal, state and local governments each year and to make decisions about what community services to provide. The 2010 Census form is one of the shortest in U.S. history, consisting of 10 questions, taking about 10 minutes to complete. Strict confidentiality laws protect the respondents and the information they provide.

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Help Reverse Slide in Tax Checkoff Funding for Georgia Wildlife

A convenient but critical way to support Georgia’s wildlife needs your help this tax season.

State income tax checkoff contributions to the Georgia Wildlife Conservation Fund have declined in recent years. While not an all-time low, contributions for the most recent fiscal year fell another 20 percent, or nearly $60,000 from the previous year.

Yet, the checkoff is a key fundraiser for the Wildlife Conservation Fund. The fund is administered by the Georgia Department of Natural Resources’ Nongame Conservation Section and dedicated to the conservation of nongame and endangered animals and plants statewide.

The Nongame Conservation Section receives no state funding for its mission to conserve nongame wildlife. Nongame includes native Georgia animals not legally hunted, fished for or trapped, as well as native plants, from sea turtles to songbirds and pitcherplants.

Jon Ambrose, assistant chief of the Nongame Conservation Section, said the Wildlife Conservation Fund is also used to attract federal and private research and conservation funding to Georgia. By using the fund as match, DNR gained $1 for every 25 cents spent from the fund over the past two years. The Nongame Conservation Section has averaged about $1.5 million a year in federal State Wildlife Grants over the past decade, Ambrose said.

The checkoff “is critical in terms of providing the match we need to get this funding from other sources,” he said.

The Give Wildlife a Chance checkoff has been a success since its creation in 1989. Thanks to the generosity of Georgians, more than $6 million has been raised. Contributions played a part in many conservation achievements, varying from the restoration of bald eagle populations to land acquisitions such as the prized Silver Lake Wildlife Management Area near Bainbridge.

That success story can continue with the help of conservation-minded Georgians.

This year, even in the midst of a recession, citizens can reverse the decline in checkoff contributions by filling in any amount more than $1 on line 27 of the state’s long tax form (Form 500) or line 10 of the short form (Form 500EZ). Contributions can be deducted from refunds or added to payments.

For more information, go to www.georgiawildlife.com/node/338, or call Nongame Conservation Section offices in Social Circle (770-761-3035), Forsyth (478-994-1438) or Brunswick (912-264-7218). State income tax forms are available online at https://etax.dor.ga.gov/.

The Nongame Conservation Section also benefits from sales of the bald eagle and ruby-throated hummingbird license plates, an annual fundraiser called Weekend for Wildlife, and donations. Details at www.georgiawildlife.com.

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Special Olympics Georgia: Officers Are 'Cuffed for a Cause' April 10

/PRNewswire/ -- Local police officers brave moving treadmills for EIGHT hours straight... On April 10th, Special Olympics Georgia and Georgia police officers join forces to raise money for the Law Enforcement Torch Run®.

WHO: Special Olympics Georgia and Georgia Law Enforcement Officers

WHAT: Georgia Law Enforcement officers are once again teaming up with Special Olympics Georgia to raise money for the Law Enforcement Torch Run® of Special Olympics Georgia. Officers will be handcuffed to moving treadmills for EIGHT hours (or until they reach their fundraising goal) for Georgia's third annual "Cuffed for a Cause" Saturday, April 10th. They will collect donations from customers as they walk, walk, walk and walk some more.

WHEN: The officers will start their treadmills across the state at various locations on Saturday, April 10th.

Dunwoody Police Department: Perimeter Mall; 4400 Ashford Dunwoody Road

Gwinnett County Police Department: Wal-Mart; 3795 Buford Drive, Buford

Milton Police Department: Wal-Mart; 5200 Windward Parkway, Milton

Paulding County Marshal Bureau: Wal-Mart; 4166 Jimmy Lee Smith Parkway, Hiram

For more information about Cuffed for a Cause and the Law Enforcement Torch Run®, visit www.SpecialOlympicsGA.org

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It's Not Too Late to Return Your 2010 Census - Communities Plan 'March to the Mailbox'

/PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- With just over one week left for households to mail back their 2010 Census forms, thousands of volunteers in more than 6,000 neighborhoods plan to participate in "March to the Mailbox" parades, marches, walks, rallies and motorcades on Sat., April 10 -- hoping to remind people that it's not too late to mail back their forms and be counted.

The grassroots outreach, led by census partners, volunteers and local residents, is being held nationwide in neighborhoods with low mail participation rates -- from Miami to Seattle and Detroit to Houston. During the events, volunteers will come together in high traffic areas to remind residents that it is not too late to mail back their Census forms and encourage those who have delayed to "March to the Mailbox" and mail it back today.

"This is a great example of neighbors working together to ensure their community gets its fair share of federal resources for roads, schools and other important community services as well as congressional representation," U.S. Census Bureau Director Robert Groves said. "For those who have not yet responded, we ask that you join your neighbors and mail back your easy-to-complete, 10 question census form today."

The "March to the Mailbox" is one final effort to boost mail back rates in hard-to-count communities before personal visits to non-responding households start May 1. Households have until April 16 to mail back their form, as the Census Bureau must begin preparing to train temporary census workers to obtain census responses in person from households that did not send back their forms.

The Census Bureau saves about $85 million in operational costs for every percentage point increase in the nation's participation rate by mail. If every household completed and mailed back their census form, taxpayers could reduce the cost of taking the census and save $1.5 billion. In 2000, the nation reversed a three-decade decline in mail response rates and saved $305 million.

Nationwide, currently 65 percent of households have mailed back their census forms. In 2000, the mail participation rate was 72 percent. For the first time, the Census Bureau has mailed replacement forms to areas with historically low mail response rates. Research shows that the replacement forms will help increase mail response in those areas, which significantly reduces the cost of taking the census.

The Census Bureau has created tools to help communities track their census participation through a campaign that is urging everyone to "Take 10" minutes to fill out and mail back their form. The Take 10 Challenge Map on the 2010 Census Web site shows the latest daily participation rates, giving users the option to download and embed a local rate tracker "widget" on their own Web site.

All census responses are confidential. Answers are protected by law and cannot be shared with anyone. Extreme measures are taken to protect the identity of individuals and businesses. By law, the Census Bureau cannot share respondents' individually identifiable answers with anyone, including tribal housing authorities, other federal agencies and law enforcement entities.

If you did not receive a Census form or cannot locate it, visit: http://2010.census.gov/2010census/take10map/ to find a "Be Counted" site in your neighborhood, where forms are available. Or, call the Telephone Questionnaire Assistance Center at 1-866-872-6868 for help.

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Georgia Child Welfare Reforms Endangered by New Litigation

/PRNewswire/ -- Legal action by a group that calls itself "Children's Rights" (CR) threatens child welfare reforms that have made Georgia's children safer, a national child advocacy group said Tuesday.

CR issued an inflammatory press release alleging that Georgia "may" be endangering thousands of children by keeping them out of foster care. "They rely largely on horror story cases from the state's Office of Child Advocate (OCA)," said Richard Wexler, executive director of the National Coalition for Child Protection Reform. "But when you try to make policy based on horror stories the results for children are horrible.

"In fact, since Georgia instituted its 'diversion' program, child safety has significantly improved. That's clear from the reduction in re-abuse of children known to the child welfare agency - a reduction seen both in formally-opened cases and in cases where families are helped through a process known in Georgia as 'diversion.'

"In contrast, independent court-appointed monitors overseeing a consent decree negotiated by CR concerning foster care in Atlanta found that there is a huge problem of abuse in foster care itself. Just two months ago, CR's own Associate Director, Ira Lustbader declared that 'We are extremely concerned that children in the Atlanta foster care system are simply not safe. ...' Yet now, CR is back in court, initiating a process apparently designed to shovel more children into this unsafe system."

At the moment, Wexler said, CR is seeking only further information - information even the court monitors refuse to help them get. "As a matter of principle, we believe almost every record maintained by a child welfare agency should be public. So we believe that even though CR may misuse the information, they should get it."

In addition, Wexler said, though diversion has made Georgia's children safer, OCA found real problems in the process, including a lack of statewide standards.

"Georgia has contracted with an outside expert to design a statewide system based on best practice in other states. OCA should monitor the process and make sure it's implemented. That's a far better approach than the one taken by CR, which seems intent on scaring Georgians away from a safe, proven alternative to needless foster care," Wexler said.

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Georgia Baptist College of Nursing to Host Conference on End-of-Life Care

Mercer University’s Georgia Baptist College of Nursing will host a research conference on end-of-life care Friday, March 26, in the Trustees Dining Room on the University’s Atlanta campus.  The conference, titled “Perspectives and Reflections from the Gloaming of Life:  Palliative Care and End-of-Life Challenges,” is open to all members of the nursing, theology, pharmacy and medical professions. In addition, nurses who attend may receive 4.5 contact hours on palliative care from the Georgia Nurses Association.

“As more of our health care is provided outside of hospitals, the care of patients with life-limiting illness is increasingly provided in the community by families and informal caregivers,” said Dr. Janet Timms, professor of nursing and one of the conference’s organizers.  “There is no right way to live or die as a result of these life-limiting diseases. Each disease presents its own set of challenges for patients and for their caregivers. The conference will provide updated knowledge about palliative care for health professionals, caregivers and individuals facing life-limiting illnesses and equip health professionals and informal caregivers to provide high-quality, compassionate end-of-life care.”

The Rev. Dr. Julie Pennington-Russell, senior pastor of First Baptist Church of Decatur and a Mercer Trustee, will be speak at the opening session. Dr. Pennington-Russell’s presentation is titled “Spiritual Dimensions/Care of Those in the Final Stages of Life.”

The conference is scheduled to run from 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., and consists of five sessions in addition to Pennington-Russell’s opening presentation.  The morning sessions include: Dr. Robyn Mowery, assistant professor of family therapy in Mercer’s School of Medicine, presenting “Grieving with Hope:  Anticipatory Loss through Bereavement” and Dr. Susan S. Gunby, professor of nursing, presenting ‘“Being There’ and ‘Being Here’ During the Phases of Suffering.”

The three afternoon sessions include: Dawn Keller, staff nurse in a cardiovascular intensive care unit for Wellstar Health Systems, presenting “It's a Roller-Coaster Ride:  The Lived Experience of Critical Care Nurses Caring for Patients during the Dying Process;” Dr. Denise Massey, associate professor in the James and Carolyn McAfee School of Theology, presenting “How Pastoral Care Giver can Contribute to Palliative Care;” and Elaine Harris, associate professor of nursing, and Ann Keeley, associate professor of nursing, co-presenting ‘“Can You Help Me Find My Bus Ticket?’ Understanding the Communications of Those Who Are Dying.”

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The new love rules: Even love letters have gone digital

(ARA) - For centuries, people have expressed their words of love and affection through love letters, a meaningful tradition that continues to this day. Though much has changed since the days of Shakespearean sonnets, love letters are still a personal and inexpensive way to show someone special you care this Valentine's Day. Today, jobs, family and jam-packed schedules mean that not everyone has time to sit down and pen the perfect sonnet - which helps explain the recent trend of love letters going digital.

A recent survey of busy young professionals (ages 22-35) conducted by Microsoft indicates that more people are trading in calligraphy and scented stationery for e-mail and even text messages. In fact, 79 percent of busy young professionals surveyed have sent or received an e-mail love letter within the past two years, with more than 77 percent reporting that they love receiving e-mail love letters, since e-mail is their primary means of communication.

Sending a love letter online doesn't mean that it's less sincere or romantic than a handwritten note. In fact, there are major advantages to sending or receiving a love letter via e-mail, including the ability to refer back to it easily, and from anywhere. Eighty-six percent of people surveyed who have received an e-mail love letter say they saved them in their inbox. With very large storage limits available through free e-mail providers like Windows Live Hotmail, it's especially simple to access an old love letter from any computer, a Web-equipped mobile phone, or print them out as a permanent keepsake, as one survey respondent did. "I saved all of the [e-mail] love notes that my boyfriend-at-the-time wrote while we were in a long-distance relationship - now he's my husband. I printed them out and have them in a binder that I look at on occasion."

A love letter doesn't necessarily have to be a lengthy soliloquy professing your eternal love - it can be a simple "I love you" - in fact, more than 27 percent of people surveyed report that they've been told "I love you" for the first time over e-mail or instant messenger programs like Windows Live Messenger - or a short note recalling a fond memory you share. Another survey respondent recalled a particularly sentimental love note she received: "The day after my husband asked me to marry him, he sent me a beautiful e-mail saying how great he felt asking me, seeing the ring on my finger on the way in to work the next morning, watching how excited I was to show it off to everyone and how excited he was to spend the rest of his life with me."

Thanks to the convenience of e-mail, you don't have to be Casanova to send a memorable love letter that will make someone's day. With the recent trend of love letters going digital, these five simple tips will have you well on your way to sending a memorable e-mail love note that your significant other will cherish for years to come.

1. Set the mood: Find a quiet place and a dedicated time to write your love letter. Be sure to minimize distractions so you can focus your thoughts on your loved one and put your emotions into words.

2. Be your most romantic self: A well-written love letter should make your beloved fall more in love with you, so think personal. Focus on the other person and express your emotions, dreams and vulnerability. Never be negative, but try to avoid being too funny. A love letter shares deep and often difficult-to-express feelings and should always sound like it comes from you.

3. Be specific and sincere: Highlight unique quirks or characteristics you love about the person, recall special memories you've shared, or write about the reasons why you fell in love with him or her in the first place. Don't be too casual and don't be afraid to let your true feelings show.

4. Spice up the presentation: Try adding color, special photos of the two of you or graphics. Using e-mail features like Hotmail Quick Add, you can easily search for and add images without leaving your inbox. If your relationship is long distance, or if you're looking to add some more creativity to your letter, you can make and edit a short movie of yourself, a recent trip, or a favorite outdoor spot using free movie-making programs like Windows Live Movie Maker, available at download.live.com.

5. Double-check details before hitting "send": Don't let writing errors distract from the meaning of your words. Read over your letter to make sure it conveys what you really mean and check for spelling and grammar errors. Most importantly, before sending an e-mail love letter, double-check that the "to" line is correct - 1 out of 10 people surveyed have sent love letters to the wrong person by mistake!

Courtesy of ARAcontent

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Toyota Dealers Nationwide Have Begun Fixing Accelerator Pedals on Recalled Vehicles

/PRNewswire/ -- Toyota Motor Sales (TMS), U.S.A., Inc. today announced that Toyota dealers nationwide have received the parts, information and training they need to fix accelerator pedals in recalled Toyota Division vehicles, and that repairs on involved vehicles have begun. The actual repair requires about 30 minutes of work.

The company also announced that it has begun mailing letters to owners of recalled vehicles to let them know when to bring their vehicles into a dealership. Owners will only receive a letter if their vehicle is involved in the recall. Upon receipt of a notification letter, owners will be asked to contact a local Toyota dealership to schedule an appointment to have their vehicle fixed.

"Nothing is more important to us than the safety and reliability of the vehicles our customers drive, and we are determined to live up to the high standards people have come to expect from Toyota over the past 50 years," said Jim Lentz, president and Chief Operating Officer, TMS. "Everyone at Toyota is focused on making this recall simple and trouble-free for our customers," he said.

"We're working hard to ensure that our dealers have the resources and support they need to make sure our customers get their cars fixed quickly," Lentz added. "The parts have been shipped, the dealers are trained, and they are already making the repairs. Many of our dealers are working extended hours - some 24/7- and adding service technicians and other staff to complete the recall campaign as conveniently as possible. I appreciate the efforts that our dealers are making to take care of Toyota owners."

Toyota's engineers developed and rigorously tested a solution to address the potential for sticking accelerator pedals that is both effective and simple. A precision-cut steel reinforcement bar will be installed into the accelerator pedal assembly on affected vehicles, thereby eliminating the excess friction that has caused pedals to stick in rare instances.

Toyota Dealers Going Above and Beyond to Take Care of Customers, Rebuild Confidence and Trust

Toyota dealers across the country are taking extra steps to support customers during this recall.

Many Toyota dealers will offer extended service hours, and some are planning to stay open 24 hours a day until all customer vehicles have been fixed. Others are adding greeters to their service drives, dedicating body shop capacity to expedite repairs, providing free car washes and oil changes, increasing owner communication and providing complimentary maintenance service, among other customer-focused activities.

To support these efforts, Toyota is sending checks of between $7,500 and $75,000 to its dealers in acknowledgement of the additional costs they are assuming to make it easier for customers to have the necessary repairs done quickly and conveniently.

About the Recall to Address Sticking Accelerator Pedals

On January 21, Toyota announced its intention to recall approximately 2.3 million select Toyota Division vehicles equipped with certain accelerator pedal mechanisms that may, in rare instances, mechanically stick in a partially depressed position or return slowly to the idle position. Toyota vehicles affected by the recall include:

-- Certain 2009-2010 RAV4
-- Certain 2009-2010 Corolla
-- 2009-2010 Matrix
-- 2005-2010 Avalon
-- Certain 2007-2010 Camry
-- Certain 2010 Highlander
-- 2007-2010 Tundra
-- 2008-2010 Sequoia


No Lexus Division or Scion vehicles are involved in these actions. Also not involved are Toyota Prius, Tacoma, Sienna, Venza, Solara, Yaris, 4Runner, FJ Cruiser, Land Cruiser, Highlander hybrids and certain Camry models, including Camry hybrids, all of which remain for sale.

Further, Camry, RAV4, Corolla and Highlander vehicles with Vehicle Identification Numbers (VIN) that begin with "J" are not affected by the accelerator pedal recall.

In the event that a driver experiences an accelerator pedal that sticks in a partial open throttle position or returns slowly to idle position, the vehicle can be controlled with firm and steady application of the brakes. The brakes should not be pumped repeatedly because it could deplete vacuum assist, requiring stronger brake pedal pressure. The vehicle should be driven to the nearest safe location, the engine shut off and a Toyota dealer contacted for assistance.

Separately from the recall for sticking accelerator pedals, Toyota is in the process of recalling vehicles to address rare instances in which floor mats have trapped the accelerator pedal in certain Toyota and Lexus models (announced November 25, 2009), and is already notifying customers about how it will fix this issue. In the case of vehicles covered by both recalls, it is Toyota's intention to remedy both at the same time.

Detailed information and answers to questions about issues related to these recalls are available to customers at www.toyota.com/recall and at the Toyota Customer Experience Center at 1-800-331-4331.

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Justice Department Obtains $160,000 Settlement in Discrimination Lawsuit Against Atlanta Area Realtors

/PRNewswire/ -- Atlanta real estate firms Coldwell Banker Joe T. Lane Realty Inc., Coldwell Banker Bullard Realty Company Inc. and Rodney Lee Foreman, one of their former real estate agents, have agreed to pay $160,000 to settle allegations that they illegally steered prospective homebuyers toward and away from certain neighborhoods based on race and color, the Justice Department announced today.

The agreement, subject to approval by a federal court in Atlanta, resolves the Justice Department's Jan. 25, 2009, lawsuit which originated from a complaint filed by the National Fair Housing Alliance (NFHA) with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). Testing conducted by NFHA of Coldwell Banker Joe T. Lane Realty Inc. in 2003 and 2004 revealed that Foreman had steered white testers towards areas that are predominately white and away from areas that are predominately African-American because of race or color, in violation of the Fair Housing Act.

According to the complaint, before showing the tester any homes, Foreman told the tester that he did not know where to take the tester because he could not tell from talking on the telephone whether the tester was white. Foreman said words to the effect that "I didn't know if you were a Caucasian or not over the phone." After an investigation, HUD found reasonable cause to believe that unlawful discrimination had occurred and referred the matter to the Justice Department.

"People have the right to make fully informed housing choices. Unlawful steering by real estate agents frustrates this right and perpetuates segregated communities," said Thomas E. Perez, Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Rights Division. "The work undertaken by NFHA and HUD is critical to our efforts to eliminate such discrimination. Real estate agents nationwide should take note that the Department of Justice works vigilantly to combat this type of discrimination."

"This case demonstrates that racial steering is not a relic of the past. Effective civil rights law enforcement, including testing, can and must put an end to housing discrimination," said John Trasvina, HUD's Assistant Secretary for Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity.

Fighting illegal housing discrimination is a top priority of the Justice Department. The Federal Fair Housing Act prohibits discrimination in housing on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, familial status, national origin and disability.

More information about the Civil Rights Division and the laws it enforces is available at http://www.justice.gov/crt. Persons who believe they have experienced or witnessed unlawful housing discrimination may call the Housing Discrimination Tip Line at 1-800-896-7743, e-mail the Justice Department at fairhousing@usdoj.gov, or contact HUD at 1-800-669-9777. More information about the Fair Housing Act can also be found at www.justice.gov/fairhousing or www.hud.gov/fairhousing.

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FedEx to Transport Giant Pandas from United States to China Onboard Its New 777F Aircraft

(BUSINESS WIRE)--FedEx Express, a subsidiary of FedEx Corp. (NYSE: FDX) and the world’s largest express transportation company, is donating its logistical services to transport two giant pandas from the United States to China on February 4, 2010. Working in conjunction with the Smithsonian’s National Zoo in Washington, D.C. and Zoo Atlanta, FedEx Express will fly the pandas non-stop from Washington’s Dulles International Airport to Chengdu, China.

“FedEx is uniquely qualified to make this special delivery given our long history connecting the U.S. to China and our extensive global experience in shipping precious cargo, from packages to pandas”

Tai Shan, a 4-and-a-half-year-old male panda born at the National Zoo, and Mei Lan, a 3-year-old female panda born at Zoo Atlanta, will travel onboard a custom-decaled FedEx Express 777 Freighter (777F) – known as the “FedEx Panda Express.”

“FedEx is uniquely qualified to make this special delivery given our long history connecting the U.S. to China and our extensive global experience in shipping precious cargo, from packages to pandas,” said David J. Bronczek, president and CEO, FedEx Express. “It is a privilege to serve as the trusted carrier of these rare pandas, and we are proud to support the preservation efforts of this endangered species.”

Currently, conservationists estimate that only 1,600 pandas remain in the wild. Both Tai Shan and Mei Lan are part of global, giant panda conservation programs.

FedEx Express will fly Mei Lan from Atlanta to Washington, D.C., where she will join Tai Shan in preparation for the trans-Atlantic flight. Onboard the 777F aircraft – which is solely dedicated to the pandas’ journey – Tai Shan and Mei Lan will travel in two custom-built transport containers provided by FedEx Express. The pandas will depart Washington, D.C. late morning on February 4 and arrive in Chengdu late afternoon on February 5, approximately 14 ½ hours between take-off and landing.

The pandas’ flight will be shorter than ever before possible as a result of the fuel-efficient 777F aircraft, the world’s largest twin-engine cargo aircraft and the newest addition to the FedEx global fleet. In early January 2010, FedEx launched the 777F into international service with a direct connection from Shanghai to the U.S.

In addition to donating all the necessary air transportation, FedEx Express is also providing ground and logistical support in Washington, D.C. and Atlanta. In both cities, caravans of FedEx vehicles will deliver the pandas to the airport. Local law enforcement will be on hand to ensure a smooth ride for the pandas. FedEx pilots and drivers selected to transport the pandas are some of the company’s most seasoned team members.

FedEx Express, the National Zoo, Zoo Atlanta and the China organizers in Chengdu have worked collaboratively to ensure all necessary precautions have been taken to provide a safe and comfortable flight for the pandas. Animal care experts from both zoos have been granted special flight privileges to accompany the pandas onboard the aircraft.

Upon arriving in Chengdu, Tai Shan will be received by the China Wildlife Conservation Association and the Chinese Association of Zoological Gardens will take delivery of Mei Lan. Tai Shan will reside at the China Conservation and Research Center’s Wolong Nature Reserve in Sichuan, China and Mei Lan will reside at the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding.

Due to security regulations, the departure and arrival events for both pandas will be closed to the general public. However, FedEx will provide updates about the pandas’ journey online at news.fedex.com/pandas.

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New Research Reveals Georgia Companies Lack Social Media Engagement

/PRNewswire/ -- Georgia's top public and private companies scored a D for social media engagement in 2009, according to a new study by Wunderkind Public Relations, an Atlanta-based communications strategy and services company. The Social Media Engagement (SME) scorecard reflects the activity of corporations and their chief executives in social media channels for Georgia's top 25 public and top 25 private companies, as determined by revenue and published in the Atlanta Business Chronicle 2009 Book of Lists. Wunderkind Public Relations established a company's score based on its use of Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, LinkedIn, and a corporate blog.

"Clearly, there are corporations in the study that are effectively using social media marketing and networking on a daily basis, but the data shows the large majority of companies in Georgia are still evaluating social media as a business tool," said Steve McAbee, president and founder, Wunderkind Public Relations. "We expect this to change in 2010 as more companies seek to employ tools and technology to further extend their marketing budgets including social media, which provides businesses with an affordable content distribution option to supplement higher-cost initiatives."

Companies received a point for each of the five social media tools they employ, for a maximum score of five, where a perfect score is equivalent to an A grade. Data from the Georgia SME scorecard shows business-to-consumer (B2C) companies are more than twice as engaged with customers and prospects online than their business-to-business (B2B) counterparts. Private B2C companies had the highest SME score (3.2), followed by public B2C companies (3.0), public B2B companies (1.76), and finally private B2B companies (1.6). Omitting LinkedIn, a popular professional networking service, less than 20 percent of the companies researched appear to have an ongoing social media effort, though data was insufficient to conclude whether or not the channels were utilized with any frequency or as part of an integrated marketing plan.

Four Georgia companies received perfect scores: AGCO Corp., the Coca-Cola Company, Delta Airlines, and Infor Global Solutions. These companies utilize a variety of channels to create an interactive dialogue with customers, prospects and employees. On the other hand, thirty-one companies received a score of 2 or less, and all but one company is using some channel of social media. Data also concluded that public companies as a whole, whether B2C or B2B, are more engaged (2.36) than private companies (1.92).

Worldwide, companies are utilizing the emerging medium to strategically and methodically establish or reinforce their influence, reputation and brand within communities of existing and potential customers, prospects and other supporters. Most effective when integrated with more established marketing channels, social media is being embraced by companies of all sizes for its low-cost content distribution model and as a powerful catalyst for viral marketing. On social media sites, groups of individuals with different points of views are empowered to collectively determine the value or importance of content disseminated throughout the community. In most cases, users are given the editorial power to influence the visibility of content, providing significant insight to companies regarding their brand, products and services.

Highlights of the Georgia Social Media Engagement Scorecard:
-- LinkedIn is the most popular social networking service; 96% of all
companies have a LinkedIn page, followed by Facebook (42%) and Twitter
(38%)
-- Only 9 companies received a SME score of 4 or better
-- CEOs lack engagement with an average SME score of .26
-- 12 companies have a dedicated YouTube channel while only 7 have a blog
-- Only 1 CEO contributes to the company blog

Georgia CEOs Use LinkedIn More Than Other Channels

Among the chief executives of Georgia's top companies, data showed CEOs of private companies are more engaged than those of public companies, though almost all of that is attributed to their LinkedIn profiles. Thirty-two percent of private CEOs maintain a profile on LinkedIn, compared to only 16 percent of their counterparts in public enterprise. None of Georgia's top CEOs maintains a public-facing Facebook account.

Outside of Georgia, some CEO early-adopters, like Tony Hseih of Zappos, Virgin Group's Richard Branson, Guy Kawasaki of Garage Technology Ventures and AllTop, and Jonathan Schwartz of Sun Microsystems, are engaged with the public through a wide spectrum of social media tools from Twitter to blogs.

A new generation of corporate leadership is emerging and the C-suite is being occupied by an increasingly more digitally connected network. For B2C companies this means another touchpoint to the customer--a personal connection between company leadership and the consumer. In B2B circles, the rise of the social CEO means their customers, the executives who make purchasing decisions, will be dramatically more engaged and will seek to connect with vendors or research the brand's reputation through online channels.

"We certainly aren't advocating that all CEOs jump on the social media bandwagon - there are too many variables for social media to be one-size-fits-all - but the extremely low adoption rate among CEOs in Georgia is interesting given the explosive growth of social media in 2009," said McAbee. "This medium can provide CEOs an open line of communication with customers, investors and partners to start a constructive, long-term and transparent dialogue. However, before the CEO becomes involved with social media, the brand itself should get it right."

In the wake of a worldwide recession, many companies have recognized how the broad use of online tools can help attract and retain customers and have embraced social media out of an appreciation for the power online customers wield over brands, corporate reputations and public opinion. Additionally, younger generations of workers and college students are well connected and digitally engaged, making social media an effective tool for talent recruiting. These factors, combined with social media's low cost of entry, demonstrate social media's growing importance and are among the reasons analyst firms predict social media marketing budgets will quadruple over the next five years.

"The Georgia study found the majority of companies are participating in one-way conversations where they have complete control," said McAbee. "The real impact social media can have on an organization will only be fully realized when a company engages with its audiences by monitoring and managing the online conversation and participating in two-way communication. We look forward to following the progress of social media usage among Georgia's businesses and updating the results in next year's study."

Additional Information:
-- Wunderkind Public Relations' Georgia Social Media Engagement Scorecard
SlideShare
-- Georgia Social Media Engagement Scorecard Methodology
-- Georgia Social Media Engagement Company Index
-- Whitepaper: Is Social Media Right for B2B Companies?

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Consumers Use Over $3.5 Billion in Coupons, Drive 27% Increase in Redemption for 2009

(BUSINESS WIRE)--Inmar, the nation’s leading promotion transaction settlement provider, reported today that annual coupon use is on the rise for the first time since 1992 and coupon distribution hit the highest level recorded since the company began tracking trends in 1988. For the first time in 17 years, consumers used more coupons than they did the year before, with 3.3 billion consumer packaged goods coupons redeemed, an explosive 27% increase over the 2.6 billion redeemed in 2008.

“Brands saw coupons as a key to maintaining brand strength”

The rise in coupon use started in October of 2008, coinciding with news of the U.S. financial crisis. That has led to five consecutive quarters of double-digit growth (based on percentage change from the same period of the previous year).

The increase in redemption goes hand-in-hand with an increase in distribution. Despite the tight economy, marketers invested heavily in coupons, boosting the number available to the highest level in over 30 years. Brands issued 367 billion coupons, at an average face value of $1.44, indicating that they were committed to promotions in 2009.

News America Marketing, the company behind the SmartSource Magazine coupon inserts and consumer coupon site www.smartsource.com, says the data supports what they saw last year.

“There has been a noticeable increase in page count over the past year,” said News America Marketing EVP of Marketing, Jesse Aversano. “Manufacturers understand that in a tough economy, coupons are an effective and efficient way to spend their advertising dollar.”

“Brands saw coupons as a key to maintaining brand strength,” adds Matthew Tilley, Director of Marketing for Inmar’s promotion services division. “If they reduced their promotional presence, they stood to lose sales to lower priced competitors and store brands – so they doubled down hoping to create brand loyalty once the economic dust settles.”

News America Marketing also reported an increase in retailer promotion pages in its free-standing insert (FSI), driven primarily by the shift in advertising and promotion dollars to Shopper Marketing initiatives, according to Aversano.

Online coupons also contributed to the rise in coupon distribution and redemption, with Internet distribution up 92% and consumer redemption of these coupons up over 360%.

“The weekly prints from SmartSource.com are more than double what we saw a year ago, which was double what our 2007 numbers were,” said Aversano. “However, in spite of the meteoric rise in online and digital couponing, the traditional newspaper-distributed FSI still accounts for 89% of all coupons distributed and over half of the coupons redeemed. Consumers expect to find coupons in their Sunday papers, and we’ll continue to be there for them. But they’ll also find us online, in stores, on cell phones and anywhere else that they want to find them.”

As coupon numbers across the board were on the rise in 2009, brands were forced to mitigate the cost of increased redemption by maintaining face values and keeping expiration periods in check. In 2009, face values declined by a penny, reversing a multi-year trend of increasing values. Expiration periods were shortened by 10% last year, despite years of virtually no change.

“This is an exciting time to be in the coupon business,” said Tilley. “Of course, we don’t know how long this upward trend will continue, but it is evident that coupons are back on shoppers’ radar; the economic downturn has instilled a drive to be smart and frugal about spending and coupons definitely have a role in fulfilling it.”

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When to Take Social Security: Questions to Consider

/PRNewswire/ -- Monthly benefits will be higher for the rest of your life and you can get as much as a 76% boost in monthly retirement benefits if you delay claiming Social Security benefits, according to a new National Academy of Social Insurance (NASI) brief released today. "When to Take Social Security Benefits" asks (and answers) questions that people should consider while deciding when to claim Social Security benefits.

"When to stop working and when to take Social Security are two of the most important financial decisions that people make," said Virginia Reno, co-author of the brief and Vice President for Income Security and the National Academy of Social Insurance. "Conventional wisdom often favors taking Social Security at the earliest opportunity. Yet waiting to claim benefits can bring the greatest financial security to a retiree over the long-term."

The brief addresses the following questions:

Q: How much difference does it make to wait?

A: Your benefit will be about 76 percent greater if you wait until age 70 to claim Social Security than if you had claimed benefits at age 62.

Q: What should I consider in deciding when to take Social Security?
A: Consider that:
-- Social Security is one of the few sources of retirement income that is
guaranteed to last for as long as you live;
-- Social Security is automatically adjusted to keep up with the cost of
living; and
-- Social Security does not put individual recipients at risk of
volatility in stock market returns.

Q: Is there a risk in waiting? Will Social Security still be there?

A: There is no risk in waiting. Social Security's finances are much stronger than many people fear. Small changes will ensure that benefits will be paid on time for the next 75 years and beyond.

Social Security is the safest and most secure source of retirement income most people have and it grows more important at older ages. According to the brief, nearly six in ten elders get half or more of their income from Social Security. "An important principle in deciding when to take benefits is to avoid unnecessary financial hardship caused by reducing the secure income one has available in the final years of one's life," said Janice Gregory, President of the National Academy of Social Insurance. "Delaying receipt of Social Security benefits recognizes the value of Social Security as insurance against the common financial risks retirees face."

To download the brief, visit the NASI website at www.nasi.org. Financial support was provided by The Actuarial Foundation in Schaumburg, Illinois.

The National Academy of Social Insurance (NASI) is a non-profit, nonpartisan organization made up of the nation's leading experts on social insurance. Its mission is to promote understanding of how social insurance contributes to economic security and a vibrant economy.

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Mystery/Secret Shopper Schemes

The IC3 has been alerted to an increase in employment schemes pertaining to mystery/secret shopper positions. Many retail and service corporations hire evaluators to perform secret or random checks on themselves or their competitors, and fraudsters are capitalizing on this employment opportunity.

Victims have reported to the IC3 they were contacted via e-mail and U.S. mail to apply to be a mystery shopper. Applicants are asked to send a resume and are purportedly subject to an extensive background check before being accepted as a mystery shopper. The employees are sent a check with instructions to shop at a specified retailer for a specific length of time and spend a specific amount on merchandise from the store. The employees receive instructions to take note of the store's environment, color, payment procedures, gift items, and shopping/carrier bags and report back to the employer. The second evaluation is the ease and accuracy of wiring money from the retail location. The money to be wired is also included in the check sent to the employee. The remaining balance is the employee's payment for the completion of the assignment. After merchandise is purchased and money is wired, the employees are advised by the bank the check cashed was counterfeit, and they are responsible for the money lost in addition to bank fees incurred.

In other versions of the scheme, applicants are requested to provide bank account information to have money directly deposited into their accounts. The fraudster then has acquired access to these victims' accounts and can withdraw money, which makes the applicant a victim of identity theft.

Tips

Here are some tips you can use to avoid becoming a victim of employment schemes associated with mystery/secret shopping:

*
Do not respond to unsolicited (spam) e-mail.
*
Do not click on links contained within an unsolicited e-mail.
*
Be cautious of e-mail claiming to contain pictures in attached files, as the files may contain viruses. Only open attachments from known senders. Virus scan all attachments, if possible.
*
Avoid filling out forms contained in e-mail messages that ask for personal information.
*
Always compare the link in the e-mail to the link you are actually directed to and determine if they match and will lead you to a legitimate site.
*
There are legitimate mystery/secret shopper programs available. Research the legitimacy on companies hiring mystery shoppers. Legitimate companies will not charge an application fee and will accept applications online.
*
No legitimate mystery/secret shopper program will send payment in advance and ask the employee to send a portion of it back.

Individuals who believe they have information pertaining to mystery/secret shopper schemes are encouraged to file a complaint at www.IC3.gov.

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President Obama Tasks Former Presidents Bush and Clinton with Fundraising for Haiti Recovery

/PRNewswire-/ -- The U.S. Fund for UNICEF today applauded the joint efforts of President Obama and Former Presidents Bill Clinton and George W. Bush in ensuring that the American response to the crisis in Haiti is sustained over the long-term.

"On behalf of Haiti's children, we applaud the joint initiative of President Obama and Former Presidents Bill Clinton and George W. Bush to provide leadership, resources and visibility to the long term recovery effort," said Caryl Stern, President and CEO of the U.S. Fund for UNICEF.

"When the media spotlight fades from the initial disaster relief, UNICEF and its partners will still be on the ground, working to build Haiti back and this cannot be accomplished with out sustained support. Though we cannot undo the damage of Tuesday's earthquake, we can decide to make Haiti's children a priority and work to ensure their childhoods are not irrevocably destroyed by its aftermath."

Efforts are underway to unload and deliver UNICEF emergency supplies and equipment that arrived in Port-au-Prince by plane in the early hours this morning. This first UNICEF shipment included water tanks, water purification tablets and rehydration salts. Clean water and sanitation are amongst the most important emergency relief needs following most emergencies, in particular to protect against the serious health risks posed by diarrheal infections and diseases.

Two more planes loaded with relief are planned for the weekend, carrying some 70 metric tons of tents, tarpaulin, and medicine.

Many of Haiti's public buildings and utilities have been destroyed. There is severe damage to hospitals, schools and the city's two seaports. This infrastructure damage has resulted in large scale displacement of people from their homes, into makeshift and overcrowded shelters.

As communications systems and infrastructure damaged by the earthquake that hit near Port au Prince on January 12 are slowly being repaired, precise information about the damage is still not available. According to the UN's Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) some 3.5 million people are estimated to be in the areas affected by the earthquake and its aftershocks. Thousands are feared dead, many more injured and unknown numbers still buried under the rubble.

UNICEF efforts to assist with life-saving and recovery operations in Haiti will focus on clean water and sanitation, therapeutic food for infants and small children, medical supplies and temporary shelter.

To donate to the ongoing emergency relief efforts in Haiti and the Caribbean region, please visit: www.unicefusa.org/haitiquake or call 1-800-4UNICEF.

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Georgia Power's Martin Luther King Jr. Day Volunteer Service Projects Focus on Energy Efficiency

/PRNewswire/ -- Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. said, "Life's most persistent and urgent question is: What are you doing for others?"

For the past 10 years, Georgia Power and Southern Company (NYSE:SO) have urged their employees to honor Dr. King's legacy by volunteering on Martin Luther King Jr. Day. Since beginning the volunteer service endeavor several years ago, hundreds of employees have participated in activities statewide to beautify neighborhoods and support community programs.

This year, in addition to the company's traditional volunteer activities, Georgia Power and Southern Company are teaming up with the city of Atlanta and the King Center to focus on energy-efficiency projects.

"Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. had a vision to do everything possible to help those less fortunate in our community improve their standard of living," said Georgia Power President and CEO Mike Garrett. "This is a golden opportunity to make good on his vision by helping people save money, and use energy more efficiently."

One project involves replacing the shower heads and faucet aerators at all city of Atlanta natatoriums with new, efficient ones that save water and energy. Additionally, an energy-audit assessment and improvements will be made to the MLK natatorium.

"Georgia Power is one of the city's most valued corporate partners, and we appreciate their continued efforts to honor the legacy of Dr. King," said Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed. "This effort to improve energy efficiency in city facilities and in the Atlanta community is not only symbolic of King's vision, but represents a real contribution to people's livelihoods."

Georgia Power employees also will be giving away 6,000 compact fluorescent bulbs (CFLs) and staffing interactive displays at the King Center on Monday to educate attendees on energy efficiency.

"Taking the small step of replacing incandescent light bulbs with energy efficient CFLs can make a large impact on preserving the environment," Garrett continued. "It's also a smart and easy way for consumers to save money and energy at the same time."

Upon taking the ENERGY STAR® Change the World, Start with ENERGY STAR pledge, which asks each recipient to replace at least one incandescent light bulb with an ENERGY STAR-qualified CFL, visitors will receive a free CFL. Georgia Power leads the nation in generating these pledges.

"Dr. King made such a remarkable impact on our nation through his service, it is only fitting that we honor his legacy with our own service," said David Ratcliffe, President and CEO of Southern Company. "Dr. King once said, 'Everybody can be great, because everybody can serve.' The King Holiday affords the ideal opportunity to remember the legacy of a great American by being one yourself."

In addition to the displays and give-a way's at the King Center, the company has coordinated with volunteers from the King Center and Ebenezer Baptist Church to distribute or change out inefficient light bulbs in a low-income housing development and to residents in Atlanta's Fourth Ward.

Georgia Power employees and their family members also will volunteer at the Atlanta Community Food Bank, Lutheran Towers, Mary Ann Manley House, South Bend Park and Bellwood Boys & Girls Club.

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NASA Caught in Climate Data Manipulation; New Revelations Headlined on KUSI-TV Climate Special

/PRNewswire/ -- Climate researchers have discovered that NASA researchers improperly manipulated data in order to claim 2005 as "THE WARMEST YEAR ON RECORD." KUSI-TV meteorologist, Weather Channel founder, and iconic weatherman John Coleman will present these findings in a one-hour special airing on KUSI-TV on Jan.14 at 9 p.m. A related report will be made available on the Internet at 6 p.m. EST on January 14th at www.kusi.com.

In a new report, computer expert E. Michael Smith and Certified Consulting Meteorologist Joseph D'Aleo discovered extensive manipulation of the temperature data by the U.S. Government's two primary climate centers: the National Climate Data Center (NCDC) in Ashville, North Carolina and the NASA Goddard Institute for Space Studies (GISS) at Columbia University in New York City. Smith and D'Aleo accuse these centers of manipulating temperature data to give the appearance of warmer temperatures than actually occurred by trimming the number and location of weather observation stations. The report is available online at http://icecap.us/images/uploads/NOAAroleinclimategate.pdf.

The report reveals that there were no actual temperatures left in the computer database when NASA/NCDC proclaimed 2005 as "THE WARMEST YEAR ON RECORD." The NCDC deleted actual temperatures at thousands of locations throughout the world as it changed to a system of global grid points, each of which is determined by averaging the temperatures of two or more adjacent weather observation stations. So the NCDC grid map contains only averaged, not real temperatures, giving rise to significant doubt that the result is a valid representation of Earth temperatures.

The number of actual weather observation points used as a starting point for world average temperatures was reduced from about 6,000 in the 1970s to about 1,000 now. "That leaves much of the world unaccounted for," says D'Aleo.

The NCDC data are regularly used by the National Weather Service to declare a given month or year as setting a record for warmth. Such pronouncements are typically made in support of the global warming alarmism agenda. Researchers who support the UN's Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) also regularly use the NASA/NCDC data, including researchers associated with the Climate Research Unit at the University of East Anglia that is now at the center of the "Climategate" controversy.

This problem is only the tip of the iceberg with NCDC data. "For one thing, it is clear that comparing data from previous years, when the final figure was produced by averaging a large number of temperatures, with those of later years, produced from a small temperature base and the grid method, is like comparing apples and oranges," says Smith. "When the differences between the warmest year in history and the tenth warmest year is less than three quarters of a degree, it becomes silly to rely on such comparisons," added D'Aleo who asserts that the data manipulation is "scientific travesty" that was committed by activist scientists to advance the global warming agenda.

Smith and D'Aleo are both interviewed as part of a report on this study on the television special, "Global Warming: The Other Side" seen at 9 PM on January 14th on KUSI-TV, channel 9/51, San Diego, California. That program can now be viewed via computer at the website http://www.kusi.com/. The detailed report is available at http://icecap.us/images/uploads/NOAAroleinclimategate.pdf.

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