Friday, July 31, 2015


News Clips For The Day


http://www.cbsnews.com/news/watch-officers-rescue-toddler-from-hot-car-in-new-jersey-parking-lot/

Watch: Officers rescue sobbing toddler from hot car in N.J.
CBS/AP
July 31, 2015

HACKENSACK, N.J. -- A video taken by a good Samaritan in the parking lot of a Hackensack, New Jersey Costco shows a dramatic rescue of a toddler from a hot car.

As CBS New York reports, inside of the Toyota minivan surrounded by police officers was a sweating 2-year-old girl, who sheriffs said was left behind by her mother.

An officer smashed the window to free the crying child.

The video was shot by Arislyeda Pena, while her fiance, Rafael Rodriguez tried to reach in through a slightly opened back window.

"I was trying to put my hand through, but only from my wrist to elbow. I wasn't able to get it open," Rodriguez said.

That's when he noticed officers racing over to the minivan.

"He approached the vehicle and quickly reacted, broke the window open on the other side," Rodriguez said, "She was totally sweaty, very drenched. She was very red and crying."

The mother then arrived with another child and a shopping cart full of groceries.

"She just said, 'I'm sorry,' it looks like she didn't speak English," Rodriguez said, "The police officer told her: 'How can you say you're sorry? Your child could've been dead.'"

An officer told Rodriguez's fiancee to stop taking video. The mother was taken into custody and charged with child endangerment. Both of her children were released to the custody of their father.

Workers collecting carts in the parking lot said they have seen some strange things, but never a child unattended in the car. Until this case.

Shoppers were shocked when they saw the video.

"It's beyond me. I never forget my kids," Michael Vinar said. "They always come with me, and there was my primary concern."

Rodriguez said he hopes the video travels far and wide as a warning to everyone.




I am sympathetic with this mother, she had another kid and needed groceries for her home, but adults need to be ever mindful of where their children are and who is taking care of them. Maybe she needs a baby sitter?? I think punishing parents in an appropriate fashion should be done, because these events are happening frequently as evidenced by news reports, and a child can be killed every time. The recent case when a father was supposed to take his kid to the daycare and just forgot to do that, going instead to his office and working half a day or longer. His child was dead when he was found. THINK!!




http://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/nazi-built-venue-1936-berlin-olympics-host-all-jewish-games-n397036

Nazi-Built Venues for 1936 Berlin Olympics Host All-Jewish Games
By ANDY ECKARDT
NEWS JUL 26 2015

Photograph -- From right to left: the Fuhrer Adolf Hitler, King Boris III of Bulgaria, Marshal August Von
Image: Jesse Owens in 1936 -- American athlete Jesse Owens at the finish line of the 1936 Olympics. He broke the 100-meter world record during the Games. Gamma Keystone via Getty Images


MAINZ, Germany — Nearly eight decades after Adolf Hitler hosted the 1936 Olympics in Berlin, the all-Jewish European Maccabi Games will take place in the same city — including events at venues built by the Nazis.

More than 2,100 Jewish athletes from 39 countries will compete in Europe's biggest Jewish sports event at the so-called Olympic Park, a site constructed for the XI Olympiad at which Hitler aimed to camouflage his racist, anti-Semitic ideology to present Germany as a tolerant nation.

But the Nazis continued to exclude German Jews from all major sporting events.

Two weeks before the Games, German officials told Gretel Bergmann, a Jewish athlete who was a favorite in the high jump, that she had been denied a place on the German team. In the end, only part-Jewish fencer Helene Mayer was allowed to represent Germany in 1936.

"I would have been a loser, either way," said former high jumper Margaret Lambert, known by her maiden name Gretel Bergmann, who had been denied a spot on Germany's 1936 team because of her Jewish heritage.

"Had I won, there would have been such an insult against the German psyche — how can a Jew be good enough to win the Olympics? — then I would have had to be afraid of my life, I am sure," Lambert said in a 2008 documentary. "And had I lost, I would have been ... a joke."

The colorful Jewish event, which begins Monday, is scheduled to include a Guinness Book world record attempt for the largest Friday evening Shabat ceremony.

"Holding the Maccabi Games in Berlin is a very important sign," said 61-year old German Jew Leo Friedman, who hopes to win a medal with the country's golf team. "We will be able to highlight that Jewish life is part of German society and that Jews have not been chased away."

Friedman's parents survived the Holocaust and were liberated from a Nazi concentration camp after the end of World War II, but chose to stay in Germany.

"My parents taught me to look forward, to be tolerant, but also to be proud of my Jewish heritage," said Friedman, who participated for the first time in Maccabi Games aged 18.

The Games aims to "spread a sense of equality and fairness and showcase the newfound Jewish confidence to the German and European public," according to an announcement for the event, which will also be supported by many non-Jewish volunteers.

While advocates of this year's location believe that the historic and sociopolitical importance of the European Maccabi Games is enormous for Germany, organizers admit that not all Jewish officials were in favor of hosting it at the historic location.

"There were some critical voices in the Jewish community in Europe, who did not support Berlin as an event site," Oren Osterer, the director of the organization committee told NBC News. "But I would say that the younger generation was able to convince the older generation that it is right, and the time is right to hold the European Maccabi Games in Berlin, without forgetting the past," Osterer said.

The official opening ceremony on Tuesday will be held at the so-called Waldbuehne, which was the event site for the gymnastics competition in 1936. And, the fencing championship will take place at the Kuppelsaal, where Jewish athlete Endre Kabos from Hungary won the gold medal in individual and team saber at the Berlin Olympics.

"During the last two Maccabi Games, we saw a huge increase in popularity of our outfits that read Deutschland, or Germany. People always asked us to swap clothes after the Games," said 28-year old Ben Lesegeld, who will be competing in the soccer tournament.

"At first I was a bit ambivalent about the location because we should not forget the past, but it also shows the development process in German society and our positive future," the Berlin resident said.

On the sidelines of the sporting event, organizers have also set up an education program for young visitors between age 14 and 18, which will include a visit to the former Nazi concentration camp of Sachsenhausen.

Amid a 25 percent increase in anti-Semitic crimes compared to last year and a rise in neo-Nazi violence, Berlin will face increased security measures during the event, which runs until August 5.

"As long as we have increased police presence and special security measures, we cannot speak of normality," Friedman said. "But all the athletes I have talked to are looking forward to the Games."




“More than 2,100 Jewish athletes from 39 countries will compete in Europe's biggest Jewish sports event at the so-called Olympic Park, a site constructed for the XI Olympiad at which Hitler aimed to camouflage his racist, anti-Semitic ideology to present Germany as a tolerant nation. …. "Holding the Maccabi Games in Berlin is a very important sign," said 61-year old German Jew Leo Friedman, who hopes to win a medal with the country's golf team. "We will be able to highlight that Jewish life is part of German society and that Jews have not been chased away." Friedman's parents survived the Holocaust and were liberated from a Nazi concentration camp after the end of World War II, but chose to stay in Germany. "My parents taught me to look forward, to be tolerant, but also to be proud of my Jewish heritage," said Friedman, who participated for the first time in Maccabi Games aged 18. The Games aims to "spread a sense of equality and fairness and showcase the newfound Jewish confidence to the German and European public," according to an announcement for the event, which will also be supported by many non-Jewish volunteers. …. "There were some critical voices in the Jewish community in Europe, who did not support Berlin as an event site," Oren Osterer, the director of the organization committee told NBC News. "But I would say that the younger generation was able to convince the older generation that it is right, and the time is right to hold the European Maccabi Games in Berlin, without forgetting the past," Osterer said.”

“Amid a 25 percent increase in anti-Semitic crimes compared to last year and a rise in neo-Nazi violence, Berlin will face increased security measures during the event, which runs until August 5. "As long as we have increased police presence and special security measures, we cannot speak of normality," Friedman said. "But all the athletes I have talked to are looking forward to the Games." The promise of any group may be their young people. They are more flexible and hopeful in most cases. In this time period there has been a rise of rightwing anti-other thinking from the US to Europe, but these games are an exercise in tolerance, which has to be good. I wonder what differences there would be between Jewish games and the Olympics in general to the viewer. The writer of this article refers to the games as “colorful.” Anyone who has ever watched the Scottish Games – usually a local affair – with the clever and athletic border collies and the very husky men “tossing the caber,” it is very different from anything modern and ordinary. I hope this event turns out to be popular with the citizens of Germany and free from hate crimes of any kind.





http://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/afghanistan-legacy-taliban-ready-reenter-political-mainstream-n387866

U.S. Legacy in Afghanistan: Taliban Seeks Return to Mainstream
by FAZUL RAHIM , F. BRINLEY BRUTON and MUSHTAQ YUSUFZAI
JUL 26 2015

Photograph -- An Afghan man walks past a tank cemetery from the former Soviet Union era in Jabal Seraj district, in Afghanistan's Parwan province. Hundreds of destroyed tanks and unused artillery have been piled outside Jabal Seraj town. Zabihullah Tamanna / for NBC News
Photograph -- Image: Mohammed Rustam
Mohammed Rustam Zabihullah Tamanna / for NBC News

Related: ISIS-Linked Fighters Tighten Grip in Afghanistan
Image: Afghan farmers harvest potatoes


KADULA, Afghanistan — Fourteen years after being toppled by U.S.-backed forces, senior members of the extremist group that sheltered Osama bin Laden before and after he plotted the 9/11 attacks are negotiating to end the insurgency.

The Taliban's attempt to return to the political mainstream fills Afghans like farmer Mohammed Rustam with despair.

"My life has been wasted in wars and destruction, displacement and misery," the father of five said. "I am worried for my children and grandchildren. We Afghans do want peace, we do want to advance and live in a better place, but it is simply not possible to impose peace on those who do not want it, who are against education and against prosperity."

Like many other Afghans, Rustam worries that instead of bringing peace, giving the Taliban a place at the political table will only breed more violence.

Rustam's fear is borne from experience. His village of Kadula — a settlement of some 100 homes about 45 minutes by car from Kabul — was twice razed by the Taliban. Before that and like so much else in the Shomali Plain, once famous as the fruit basket of Afghanistan, Kadula was badly bombed during the Soviet occupation of the 1980s.

"HOW MUCH LONGER CAN THIS CYCLE OF REVENGE GO ON?"

Kadula's troubles only worsened when the Soviets withdrew from the country in 1989. The government in Kabul eventually fell and the country descended into a vicious civil war as fighters who had battled the Russians turned on each other. In the 1990s, a group of black-turbaned "Talibs," or students, swept through the country promising order and a pure form of Islam.

Instead of peace, the Taliban brought more violence and death as they imposed their extreme version of Islam coupled with strict ethnic Pashtun tribal codes. In the Shomali Plain, fighters uprooted the famous and ancient vineyards, and burned down orchards that for decades supplied the country with apples, apricots, peaches, peas and all kinds of berries. Houses were destroyed, sheep and goats stolen or killed and families driven from their homes.

Afghans harvest potatoes at Kadola,Afghanistan. The onetime vineyards are now used as farmlands. Zabihullah Tamanna / for NBC News

Kadula began coming back to life after the Taliban was driven from power in 2001, although the contrasts between destruction and construction linger. A newly built concrete family compound sits next to a bombed-out mud house. A fledgling orchard springs up alongside a parched and barren yellow patch of earth.

Not everybody in Kadula holds Rustam's hard line on the Taliban's comeback. Neighbor Mohammad Aman believes peace with the group is not only possible but essential.

"My home was also burned, but with all due respect to Rustam, I think we need to stop at some point — how much longer can this cycle of revenge go on?" said the villager who believes he is around 72 years old.

"I will forgive those who killed my nephews and burned our family home if they really feel remorse," he added. "I would be willing to host them at my home and serve them with grapes that I planted in the past 15 years, even though they burned all we had."

Aman reflects a broadly-held belief that the government must accommodate the Taliban to bring some sort of peace and stability to the country, according to Emily Winterbotham, a fellow with London's Royal United Services Institute (RUSI) defense think tank.

"The Afghan people do not want a never-ending war," said Winterbotham, who spent years as an analyst in Afghanistan. "We need to be realistic over the fact that the Taliban will come back in some degree in certain areas and we have to look at what that means in terms of government power sharing and political deals."

President Ashraf Ghani appears to have come to the same conclusion.

"Although it is very difficult to ensure peace in the country after a long war and lack of trust, as a nation, we have the consensus to bring peace to our country and will not allow history to be repeated," he said on February 19.

The U.S., along with China, officially observed the talks, which would have been unthinkable a few short years ago. In spite of a willingness to negotiate, militants have pressed on with their deadly attacks throughout the country, killing about 478 civilians and injuring 843 in the first quarter of 2015, according to the United Nations.

And after years of declaring they would not negotiate with the government until all foreign troops left the country — the almost 10,000 remaining American troops are due out by the end of 2016 — a letter allegedly from the Afghan Taliban's elusive leader Mullah Omar strongly hinted that the movement's top brass endorsed the talks.

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FROM DEC. 28, 2014: Afghan War Officially Ends 2:29

"It is our legitimate right to utilize all legal pathways" to achieve a peace, according to the letter released on July 14. It charged the movement's political office in Qatar with "conducting all political activities."

That practically everything is up for discussion with the group that not only razed Kadula but oppressed and slaughtered religious and ethnic minorities throughout the country while also stripping women and girls of their rights, is deeply upsetting to Fawzia Kofi, a female member of parliament.

Kofi says she does not trust the Taliban to negotiate in good faith and refused to attend informal talks with the group in Oslo, Norway, earlier this year.

"I was invited and went there but refrained from attending," she said. "I did not think they are honest in what they are talking about," she said, referring to statements by senior members of the group hinting that they would respect the rights of women and girls. "I have seen no real change in them."

Related: As U.S. Draws Back, Afghan Women's Future in Doubt

Mullah Omar's most recent message to the faithful also said the movement sought to protect the private sector, an indication that some of the Taliban's leadership may have changed or modernized.

"The Islamic Emirate realizes the value and importance of modern sciences," it added.

But even if certain parts of the Taliban have curbed their most extreme views, the movement is riven by internal rivalries and a peace deal may not spell an end to the insurgency. Many members oppose talks with the government and several hundred at least have defected to ISIS, commanders have told NBC News.

"We are currently having many internal issues. I am afraid this meeting in Pakistan between our people and Kabul would aggravate differences between different commanders," a senior member of the Taliban told NBC News on condition of anonymity.

According to Taliban sources, the delegations that have held talks with the Kabul government only represented one part of the movement. There are also huge questions as to whether the Taliban's leader, Mullah Omar, is even alive.

Despite doubts about who is running the talks and whether those who are attending negotiations represent the majority of fighters on the ground, more meetings are expected later this month.

Rustam greets this news with despair.

"Every time I look at my home and our vineyard that has been turned into a desert I feel angry," he said. "I never want to forgive those who did this to us."




“Fourteen years after being toppled by U.S.-backed forces, senior members of the extremist group that sheltered Osama bin Laden before and after he plotted the 9/11 attacks are negotiating to end the insurgency. …. "My life has been wasted in wars and destruction, displacement and misery," the father of five said. "I am worried for my children and grandchildren. We Afghans do want peace, we do want to advance and live in a better place, but it is simply not possible to impose peace on those who do not want it, who are against education and against prosperity." …. Kadula's troubles only worsened when the Soviets withdrew from the country in 1989. The government in Kabul eventually fell and the country descended into a vicious civil war as fighters who had battled the Russians turned on each other. In the 1990s, a group of black-turbaned "Talibs," or students, swept through the country promising order and a pure form of Islam. Instead of peace, the Taliban brought more violence and death as they imposed their extreme version of Islam coupled with strict ethnic Pashtun tribal codes. …. Not everybody in Kadula holds Rustam's hard line on the Taliban's comeback. Neighbor Mohammad Aman believes peace with the group is not only possible but essential. "My home was also burned, but with all due respect to Rustam, I think we need to stop at some point — how much longer can this cycle of revenge go on?" said the villager who believes he is around 72 years old. "I will forgive those who killed my nephews and burned our family home if they really feel remorse," he added. "I would be willing to host them at my home and serve them with grapes that I planted in the past 15 years, even though they burned all we had." …. "We need to be realistic over the fact that the Taliban will come back in some degree in certain areas and we have to look at what that means in terms of government power sharing and political deals." President Ashraf Ghani appears to have come to the same conclusion. …. "I was invited and went there but refrained from attending," she said. "I did not think they are honest in what they are talking about," she said, referring to statements by senior members of the group hinting that they would respect the rights of women and girls. "I have seen no real change in them."

So the internal conflict goes on in Afghanistan, as it did before the Russians came and went. The locally approved opinions on religion and women’s issues dominates over the desire for peace, at least so far. Ghani and some individuals in the country believe strongly that the quest for peace is necessary, as do I. I would hate to see the country fall apart over these issues after we spent years and lives there. I also hope to see farmers be able to till their crops in safety, and women become free of abuse from their men and the cultural taboos of society.

In the US we have internal conflicts still over the same issues, but our government and laws do not enforce such abuse on the great scale. There are some cases that put the lie to that statement – see this article: http://news.yahoo.com/trial-florida-woman-jailed-firing-warning-shot-husband-203017167.html. The good news in this case is that she has been given a new trial, and there was a public uproar when she was convicted in a situation of clearcut self-defense, while men have failed to be convicted similarly. This was a matter of both racism and sexism, in my opinion. We have only advanced so far, but I am glad to say that the Boomers and the Millennials are in general more “liberal” than those of the 1940s and 50s. I have hopes for better in this country, and in Afghanistan too, in that President Ashraf Ghani is speaking above in terms of power sharing and political compromise, and those are clearly necessary. One farmer is quoted as being willing to forgive the Taliban. I am like the woman, however, who said that she sees no evidence that they have changed. I think there will be the need for watchfulness during this peace process. I hope these Afghani men will stand up for universal women’s human rights. Heaven help them all.





http://www.cbsnews.com/news/zimbabwe-seeks-extradition-of-american-dentist-walter-palmer-hunted-cecil-the-lion/

Zimbabwe trying to get U.S. trophy hunter extradited
CBS NEWS
July 31, 2015

Play VIDEO -- American dentist faces outrage over death of Cecil the lion

Zimbabwe announced Friday that it would seek the extradition of American dentist Walter Palmer to hold him "accountable" for killing a famous lion, Cecil.

"Unfortunately it was too late to apprehend the foreign poacher as he had already absconded to his country of origin," a Zimbabwean government minister said Friday, adding that authorities there were "appealing to the responsible authorities for his extradition to Zimbabwe so that he be made accountable."

Zimbabwean environment minister Oppah Muchinguri said Palmer was accused of financing an illegal hunt to kill Cecil.

"Police should take the first step to approach the prosecutor general who will approach the Americans. The processes have already started," Muchinguri said at a news conference Friday.

Backlash from the hunting trip has shut down Palmer's practice in Minnesota and U.S. law enforcement is trying to reach him. But some believe the outrage toward him has gone too far.

CBS News correspondent Vinita Nair reports Palmer has been hounded online and off -- with some people calling for his death. His actions have unleashed anger that seems to cut across all demographic groups. Even fellow hunters are keeping their distance.

His personal information has been released on social media, his dental practice shuttered, ravaged in on-line reviews and its website shut down, and now over 150,000 people have petitioned the White House calling for his extradition.

Nick Pinizzotto, CEO of pro-hunting group Sportsmen's Alliance, is troubled by the reaction.

"You see many people putting the lives of human beings behind the lives of animals, and that's a scary proposition for anybody," Pinizzotto said.

He said Palmer's explanation -- that local guides told him the hunt was legal -- seemed plausible.

"You do have to put your trust in these people that are there to get you to the right locations and you have to trust them certainly to guide you towards the animals safely," Pinizzotto said.

Palmer is now in seclusion. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, which is investigating the case, said it can't reach him.

"We ask that Dr. Palmer or his representative contact us immediately," the agency said.

Reputation Management Consultants CEO Eric Schiffer said his firm was contacted this week about helping Palmer, but declined.

"He did the unthinkable. He killed an icon that so many around the world looked to... for no good reason, for no reason at all," Schiffer said.

Even while warning against rushing to judgment, many hunters were disturbed by the allegations against Palmer.

"You hear that animals are lured out of protected areas, if that is the case, obviously we wouldn't stand behind something like that. We believe in what would be an ethical hunt," Pinizzotto said.

Big game hunting group Safari Club International has suspended Palmer's membership. Police in his home town in Minnesota said they were keeping a very close eye on his neighborhood to ensure the safety of all residents there.




"Unfortunately it was too late to apprehend the foreign poacher as he had already absconded to his country of origin," a Zimbabwean government minister said Friday, adding that authorities there were "appealing to the responsible authorities for his extradition to Zimbabwe so that he be made accountable." Zimbabwean environment minister Oppah Muchinguri said Palmer was accused of financing an illegal hunt to kill Cecil. …. "You see many people putting the lives of human beings behind the lives of animals, and that's a scary proposition for anybody," Pinizzotto said. He said Palmer's explanation -- that local guides told him the hunt was legal -- seemed plausible. …. Palmer is now in seclusion. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, which is investigating the case, said it can't reach him. "We ask that Dr. Palmer or his representative contact us immediately," the agency said. Reputation Management Consultants CEO Eric Schiffer said his firm was contacted this week about helping Palmer, but declined. "He did the unthinkable. He killed an icon that so many around the world looked to... for no good reason, for no reason at all," Schiffer said. …. Big game hunting group Safari Club International has suspended Palmer's membership. Police in his home town in Minnesota said they were keeping a very close eye on his neighborhood to ensure the safety of all residents there. Even while warning against rushing to judgment, many hunters were disturbed by the allegations against Palmer.”

It would be interesting if all trophy hunting were illegal. Killing to eat the meat (because you’re hungry and not because it’s a delicacy or a proof of your wealth) is sensible as long as it is done humanely and not in large numbers. The horrid buffalo hunters in the US killed thousands of them and didn’t even use all the carcasses. That was the food source for the American Indians who lived in the Great Plains at that time, and the hides were used for their tents.

It is true that the ethic of educated people in this country and abroad has come to be much more humane than when I was young. I think that’s a good thing, and not “scary,” and I don’t believe that is “people putting the lives of human beings behind the lives of animals.” Human beings have an unfortunate tendency to take more than they need and without the slightest care for the overall environment. We are a greedy and violent creature. That to me is evil, especially now when the rainforests -- which automatically remove the CO2 from the atmosphere – are being cut down for the exotic woods that grow there and simply to make more open land for farmers. Ideas like more efficient land use by farmers have not been explored. The Chinese invented a system of terracing the hillsides into small agricultural plots in order to use that space. It was a stroke of genius. The human creature in general has proven to be much more destructive than any other, partly because they think the Bible is saying that’s okay. The Bible, after all, said that mankind was responsible for “dressing” the Garden of Eden. To me that means take care of it, and to me that also means caring for the animals that live in the Garden. What kind of person wants to kill a beautiful animal in order to make a “beautiful” rug for his floor? My sister is fond of saying “Humans are not very high on the evolutionary scale.” Maybe another way of saying it would be that we are “sick with sin,” to quote Jesus. Whatever the case, I am delighted to see that many, many people have voiced their opinion against this wealthy, self-centered and heartless dentist. Maybe it’s right that he should lose his practice.





http://www.cbsnews.com/news/who-ebola-vaccine-trial-in-guinea-a-game-changer/

World "on the verge of an effective Ebola vaccine"
CBS/AP
July 31, 2015

Photograph -- A microscopic image of the Ebola virus.
Statistics Graphic -- The above statistics are provided by the CDC. Counts include confirmed, probable, and suspected cases.

An experimental vaccine tested on thousands of people in Guinea exposed to Ebola seems to work and might help shut down the ongoing epidemic in West Africa, according to interim results from a study published Friday.

The vaccine showed "100 percent protection against Ebola after roughly one week," in the trial, researcher Sven Trelle from the University of Bern said, according to French news agency AFP.

Hailing the results of the trial, the World Health Organization (WHO) said the international community is "on the verge of an effective Ebola vaccine," AFP reported.

The WHO sponsored trial of the vaccine, called VSV-ZEBOV, was the first such study carried out in an area deemed high-risk for Ebola.

There is currently no licensed treatment or vaccine for Ebola, which has so far killed more than 11,000 people since the world's biggest outbreak began last year.

If proven effective, the vaccine could be "a game-changer," said Dr. Margaret Chan, Director-General of the World Health Organization, which sponsored the trial.

In some 4,000 people who received the vaccine within 10 days of being identified as an Ebola contact, there were no cases of the disease. That compared with 16 cases in more than 3,500 people who only got the shot after 10 days.

"Before the trial started, in most clusters there had been a series of Ebola cases over the weeks prior to randomisation," Dr. Marie Paule Kieny, one of the co-authors of the WHO study into the vaccine, told medical journal The Lancet. "Since the trial started, we have seen no new cases in vaccinated volunteers within 10 days of vaccination, regardless of whether vaccination was immediate or delayed."




“An experimental vaccine tested on thousands of people in Guinea exposed to Ebola seems to work and might help shut down the ongoing epidemic in West Africa, according to interim results from a study published Friday. The vaccine showed "100 percent protection against Ebola after roughly one week," in the trial, researcher Sven Trelle from the University of Bern said, according to French news agency AFP. Hailing the results of the trial, the World Health Organization (WHO) said the international community is "on the verge of an effective Ebola vaccine," AFP reported. …. "Before the trial started, in most clusters there had been a series of Ebola cases over the weeks prior to randomisation," Dr. Marie Paule Kieny, one of the co-authors of the WHO study into the vaccine, told medical journal The Lancet. "Since the trial started, we have seen no new cases in vaccinated volunteers within 10 days of vaccination, regardless of whether vaccination was immediate or delayed."

I hope this is the breakthrough that is being touted in the scientific evaluation, and won’t prove to be problematic. Ebola, pneumonic plague, rabies and a few others are diseases which have symptoms that only fit in a horror story, are spread so fast that it’s impossible to contain them, and have a nearly total death rate. I thought we were going to have a real panic in this country when the Ebola cases were being treated here in several city hospitals. There was a great deal of new information about successful treatments found during that time period, with lots of interesting news article on the subject. Now this one is the best of all. I’m so glad to see it.





http://www.npr.org/sections/ed/2015/07/31/427741914/measuring-the-power-of-a-prison-education

Measuring The Power Of A Prison Education
Eric Westervelt
July 31, 2015

Photograph -- White House staff walk into the El Reno Federal Correctional Institution in El Reno, Okla.
Evan Vucci/AP

The Obama administration Friday is taking a small step toward expanding adult prisoners' access to federal Pell grants. The money would help pay for college-level classes behind bars.

Federal and state prisoners have been ineligible for the grants since Congress banned the practice two decades ago. But the Education and Justice Departments today will announce a limited pilot program that gets around the ban — at least on a temporary, experimental basis.

The goal is to test the effectiveness of higher education programs for a U.S. prison population that has grown dramatically — by nearly 50 percent since the initial ban. Today, America's state and federal prisons hold some 1.6 million people.

There's strong evidence that a range of prison education programs help reduce recidivism and improve a prisoner's chances of thriving once released. To help unpack the research, I reached out to Lois Davis. She studies the issue as a senior policy researcher at the RAND Corporation.

Is there any data on what impact the federal ban on Pell grant funding has had on recidivism and other outcomes after prisoners are released?

After that 1994 inmate exclusion, we saw a dramatic drop in the number of inmates participating in college programming. Today, we see — looking across the 50 states — about 32 states offer some type of college or post-secondary courses to adult inmates. Unfortunately, these programs are substantially underused because many inmates lack a means to pay for them. That's why the potential for Pell grants to improve access to college is great. It removes a key barrier: a lack of funding. Some states provide state funds for college programs or maybe by individual donations or foundations. But currently, for the most part, it's up to the inmate and their families to pay for these programs.

The Obama administration is set to restore Pell grant access on a limited, pilot basis. Is this move overdue in your view?

I do feel that it's overdue. This population is one with low education attainment. About 40 percent of [prisoners] lack a high school education. Sixteen percent of state prisoners have a high school diploma. Education can have a huge effect in really helping them to gain the skills they need and prepare them to be employed. So as we look at the larger picture of how we reduce mass incarceration and investments in correctional budgets, part of that discussion needs to be what programs have the potential to really help us reduce those high costs we are currently paying as a society.

Mandatory minimums and harsh sentences for drug offenses have helped fill U.S. prisons, including with many nonviolent drug offenders. Prison education programs — is this money well-spent?

When I go around and talk to different audiences about the work we're doing in this area I will invariably have someone from the audience come up to me after and say, "The reason why I'm here is because my son, or cousin or brother is incarcerated." And invariably it's for drug-related crimes. So it's not the typical picture people may have of these hardened, career criminals.

Mass incarceration has touched so many segments of society now and our drug policies have been an important factor in that. Just being able to ensure that they have the basic skills and education that will give them a shot at staying out of trouble when they get released is a big benefit to society.

Education as the centerpiece of an effective re-entry strategy?

That's exactly right. When we think about the school to prison pipeline story — about the failure of the educational attainment for many of these individuals — when they get to prison it is a chance to address those deficits.

You did a thorough literature review — a meta-analysis — of prison education programs in America. What did you find in terms of employment and the chance a released prisoner might return to prison?

We looked at 30 years of research, to look at what we know about the effectiveness of prison education for inmates. What we found was that, if an individual participates in any type of correctional education program — whether it be adult basic ed, GED preparation, college education or vocational training — they had a 13 percentage point reduction in their risk of being re-incarcerated. That's an enormous reduction in the risk. And for those that participated in post-secondary education programs — college programs — their reduction in risk of reincarceration was 16 percentage points. A substantial reduction.

Some taxpayers say, "Don't spend my tax money on educating criminals. It's better used helping law-abiding citizens." What did you find about the overall cost-effectiveness of these programs?

Education is a relatively low-cost program you can provide to inmates. But, when you look simply at direct costs, we find that for every dollar invested in a prison education program it will ultimately save taxpayers between $4 and $5 in reincarceration costs. That's an enormous savings.

Just to break even, you'd only have to reduce the risk of reincarceration by one to two percentage points. But, the fact that there is a 13-point reduction in risk means you really are achieving substantial cost savings. And this is a conservative estimate of savings because we are not taking into account the indirect costs both to crime victims and the criminal justice system.

But is anyone tracking the effectiveness of these programs nationally and across state lines?

There is a need to get a much stronger evidence base for these programs. We know they are cost-effective. But we don't know how much dosage matters.

If an inmate spends, say, five hours a week on education, is that sufficient? Is 10 hours? Are adult basic education programs more effective than vocational programs or college programming? To what degree can you rely on self-taught or computer programs to provide educational programs to inmates? Those are the types of questions that we'd like to understand — so that governors as well as correction education directors, prison administrators and others can make good decisions on how to allocate scarce resources.

There is a three-state demonstration project going on right now that holds a lot of promise of getting at those questions with respect to college programming. It's called Pathways From Prison To Postsecondary Education. We are evaluating that. It's a five-year study being conducted in New Jersey, North Carolina and Michigan. This national study has real promise to start answering the kind of questions policymakers need to know to make those trade-offs and how much to invest.




“The Obama administration Friday is taking a small step toward expanding adult prisoners' access to federal Pell grants. The money would help pay for college-level classes behind bars. Federal and state prisoners have been ineligible for the grants since Congress banned the practice two decades ago. But the Education and Justice Departments today will announce a limited pilot program that gets around the ban — at least on a temporary, experimental basis.” Fascinating doing something that is a positive GOOD has been banned. That slipped past me. Looking it up, however, it was during the George W. Bush administration – the self-styled “compassionate conservative.” Is it possible that the term is simply an oxymoron?

Below are excerpts on the subject of why this law was enacted in 1994, and Obama's modification of it is being opposed by Republicans now. The result is predictable if you’re cynical enough – shocking if not. It took me several minutes to track down any material from 1994 on the subject, but I found it, and in enlightening detail. The way some police treat citizens for whatever reason is linked to the 1994 legislation. Some people are simply expendable. Read on.



http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_PELL_GRANTS_PRISONERS?SITE=INKEN&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT

Obama to start pilot program that gives Pell grants for college to some prisoners
By JENNIFER C. KERR
Associated
Jul 31, 2015

. . . .

“Pell grants are for low-income people and do not have to be repaid.

Republicans were quick to criticize the program, saying it rewards people who break the law at the expense of hard-working Americans and that the administration doesn't have authority to act without an OK from Congress.

GOP Rep. Chris Collins of New York introduced legislation to block Pell money from being used in the experimental program, saying it will "put the cost of a free college education for criminals on the backs of the taxpayers."

A Republican committee chairman, Sen. Lamar Alexander, R-Tenn., said the idea may be worthwhile for some prisoners, "but the administration absolutely does not have the authority to do this without approval from Congress, because the Higher Education Act prohibits prisoners from receiving Pell Grants." Alexander, chairman of the Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions and an education secretary under President George H.W. Bush, said the administration should focus on existing job training and re-entry programs.

Congress passed legislation in 1994 banning government student aid to prisoners in federal or state institutions. But the Education Department said it can set up the temporary pilot program because of the experimental sites section of the Higher Education Act of 1965. It gives federal officials flexibility to test the effectiveness of temporary changes to the way federal student aid is distributed.

Undersecretary of Education Ted Mitchell said the ban is over 20 years old, and "we think that a lot has changed" since then. He said the pilot program will help provide data to see if the ban should still stay in place. Mitchell said the program will "not compromise or displace any Pell grant eligibility for any other populations."

. . . .

Supporters of the administration's Pell pilot program point to a 2013 Rand study that found incarcerated people who took part in prison education programs were 43 percent less likely to return to prison within three years than prisoners who didn't participate in any correctional education. For every dollar invested in correctional education programs, Rand estimates that four to five dollars are saved on three year re-incarceration costs.”




http://eric.ed.gov/?id=EJ495025

Ban on Pell Grants to Inmates Crushes Prison-Education Efforts.
Zook, Jim
Chronicle of Higher Education, v41 n11 pA32-33 Nov 9 1994

Educators in many state prisons feel the Congressional ban on awarding of federal Pell grants to prisoners has denied prisoner access to college education and to significant rehabilitation opportunities. Most prisoners cannot afford tuition without this primary source of financial aid. (MSE)




http://articles.baltimoresun.com/1994-05-22/news/1994142052_1_pell-grants-prisoners-receive-grants

Federal aid to inmates for college tuition imperiled in Congress
May 22, 1994|By Thomas W. Waldron | Thomas W. Waldron,Sun Staff Writer


Edwin Downs is a hard-working college freshman. He's also a convicted murderer serving a sentence of life plus 20 years in a maximum-security Jessup prison.

It's a combination that doesn't sit well with Congress, which appears poised to stop paying for college tuition for Downs and other inmates.

One provision of the anti-crime bill under final consideration in Washington would prohibit inmates from receiving federally funded scholarships known as Pell grants.

Prisoners should not be getting college scholarships when many middle-class taxpayers can't afford tuition, proponents of the ban say.

Others say a ban would be a short-sighted abandonment of the concept of rehabilitation.

Downs said policy-makers should recognize that most convicts get out someday.

"Do they want to deal with an uneducated convict on their hands or a person who's educated and had the opportunity to change?" said Downs, who is enrolled in Coppin State College courses at the Maryland House of Correction Annex. "In my mind, this ought to be forced on us."

Downs is one of about 900 prisoners in Maryland taking college courses. Nearly all of them receive Pell grants, said David Jenkins, the Division of Correction's liaison with the colleges offering the courses.

Nationally, an estimated 25,000 inmates had received about $35 million in Pell grants this year as of last month, according to the U.S. Department of Education. That was about two-thirds of 1 percent of the total $5.3 billion in grants awarded this year, according to a federal tally.

Rep. Bart Gordon, a Tennessee Democrat who led the fight to ban federal grants to prisoners, calls it a common-sense budget issue.

"Do we need to be giving a college education to prisoners?" he said. "We don't have unlimited dollars, and we have to set priorities."

Every dollar spent on prisoners is one that can't be spent on law-abiding citizens, he said.

Rep. Albert R. Wynn, a Democrat from Maryland's 4th District, said that "at first blush it sounds bad" to pay for inmates to take college courses.

"The fact is, they are going to come out," said Mr. Wynn, who has led the effort in the House to maintain Pell grants for prisoners.

"They either come out with some skills and in a position to move into society and be productive, or they come out with no skills and they have no choice but to return to a life in crime," he said.

Pell grants go to low- and moderate-income students. The maximum grant for a student this year is $2,300. Inmates who receive grants do not take them away from other students, who are eligible for the scholarships if they or their families meet the income requirements. But making grants to inmates does cut the total available, which slightly reduces the size of each award.

Two years ago, Congress banned Pell grants for inmates on death row or those serving life sentences with no chance for parole. Now both the House and Senate have voted to ban grants for all prisoners.

Mr. Wynn said supporters of the inmate grants will try to salvage something in the House-Senate conference committee that is expected to produce a final bill in the coming weeks.

He is proposing phasing out the program unless states could prove that the college courses reduce recidivism, for example.

One study in Maryland compared inmates of similar age, race and criminal background after they got out of prison. More than half of the group who had taken no college courses returned to crime, compared with more than one-third of those who had studied while in prison.

"Based on this study, it appears that participation in a college program tends to reduce recidivism," said Fredrick S. Blackburn, a professor at Louisiana State University in Eunice. He tracked the inmates for his doctoral dissertation in 1979 while a professor at Hagerstown Junior College.

One supporter of the Pell grants is Baltimore actor Charles Dutton, who has starred in the television series "Roc." He received Pell money to earn his associate's degree while incarcerated at the Maryland Correctional Institution in Hagerstown.

After his release at age 26, Mr. Dutton earned a bachelor's degree from Towson State University and a master's degree from Yale University.

"If you sit an inmate in the penitentiary and don't allow them the chance to change themselves, how else are they going to change their souls and existence if it's not through books and education?" he said. "They're not going to get it running through the damn courtyard.

"I'm a living example of that. In prison, I picked up a book and it changed my life forever."

Coppin has Maryland's largest prisoner education program. Others that offer college degrees for prisoners include Essex Community College, Hagerstown Junior College and the University of Maryland Eastern Shore. Hagerstown, which was the first to offer a college program for inmates, celebrated the 25th anniversary of its program last week.