UGA Researchers Could Help Restore Devastated American Chestnut with Genetic Engineering

In their prime, the American chestnut trees stood a hundred feet tall and six feet wide. Now, they’re typically no bigger than shrubs, thanks to a fungal disease that spread down the East Coast decades ago, virtually wiping out the hardwood tree.

But researchers in the University of Georgia Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, with support from ArborGen LLC, a leader in tree improvement and commercial production of trees, have developed a method for inserting anti-fungal genes into the tree’s DNA. They hope the new genes will fight off the fungal disease and help restore the American chestnut to its former glory. The results of Scott Merkle’s 20-year effort are detailed in a new paper published in the journal Plant Cell Reports, where he and associates Gisele Andrade and Joe Nairn describe the system they developed to insert new genes into the tree’s DNA and to propagate trees that carry the genes.

“The gene transfer system described in the new paper has already been used to produce some trees with genes that may confer resistance to the fungal disease,” said Merkle, “and ultimately could be used to help restore the tree to our eastern forests.”

The American chestnut used to grow from New England down the East Coast, abundantly through the Appalachians. It was a valuable resource for the U.S., Merkle explained, as it was a fast-growing tree that was used in construction, leather-making and as a dependable nut crop. But in the 1880s, people began to import Asian chestnuts to plant in their yards and with these trees came the fungus that attacked the American trees. The first documented instance of what became a widespread blight was in what is now the Bronx Zoo. A forester noticed the American chestnuts planted along the streets were dying. By 1904, the fungus had been identified as Endothia parasitica (eventually renamed Cryphonectria parasitica), but it was too late: The fungal disease spread rapidly, infecting Georgian trees by the 1940s.

“It happened amazingly fast,” Merkle explained. “They were actually stunned at how fast it spread.”

Merkle began researching the American chestnut blight in 1989, and has published several papers on the subject. In the past 20 years, he and his team of research associates and graduate students have been studying ways to get the chestnut trees to fight off the fungus. The disease works by attacking the chestnut after the bark has been injured, fanning out and killing the inner bark layer, eventually girdling the tree so that food and water cannot move up or down the stem.

So while the American chestnut used to grow more than a hundred feet tall, now they are usually no more than six feet tall before they are killed by the fungus, Merkle said. Most are just shrubs before they die, although larger surviving chestnuts have been found in isolated areas.

Merkle hopes to change that. After years of research, he and Andrade devised a way to grow chestnut trees from single cells and then found an effective way to separate the genetically engineered cells from the cells that did not have the inserted genes. Now, they’ve used their system to insert an anti-fungal gene, obtained from collaborator William Powell at SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry, into chestnut trees that are being grown in a Warnell greenhouse in preparation for testing the ability of that inserted gene to fight off the fungus.

"The way they’ll do that," Merkle said, "is by infecting the tree with the fungus and measuring how well it fights it off. It’ll be at least two years before they can take that next step in the research, however, since the trees have to grow to a certain size before they can be screened."

“It’s been a real challenge working with it,” he said. “But the potential is there.”

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Pence: "We are a Nation of Prayer"

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Range Research, Genetic Work Spell Hope For Chestnut Comeback

Location, location, location. It’s the mantra of Realtors everywhere. But it may also be the reason a mighty tree long since gone from most of the Georgia landscape may get another chance to thrive.

Georgia Department of Natural Resources biologist Nathan Klaus made national headlines in 2006 after discovering a stand of American chestnut trees near President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s Little White House at Warm Springs, Ga. Once a fairly dominant species, the majestic chestnut was virtually wiped out by a fast-spreading fungal blight that swept through Georgia in the 1920s.

A long-time supporter of efforts to bring back the nearly extinct tree, Klaus recently began working on research that could continue to help restore the chestnut to its native range.

A few months ago, Klaus began looking at land lottery maps and using GIS (Geographic Information Systems) to plug in historic locations of American chestnuts. He hoped to develop a map showing the range and density of the trees in Georgia before the blight.

Researchers with The American Chestnut Foundation are working to develop blight-resistant chestnut sprouts, using an established program known as backcross breeding to create American chestnuts that are 1/16th Chinese chestnut, a hardier cousin. The goal is to have a tree that has enough of the Chinese species genes to resist blight but mostly is the tall, hardy American species once known and loved in the U.S.

Klaus’ research is important in helping determine the best place to plant the genetically strengthened trees. Old land lottery maps show where chestnut trees once were. Klaus scanned the paper maps into a computer-modeling program and has been able to determine which areas had a higher density of chestnuts trees and what species occurred with them.

The Georgia chapter of the American Chestnut Foundation has been working for 25 years with the national organization’s backcross-breeding program. The chapter is now using pollen found in the wild to pollinate orchard-grown chestnuts. The hope is that using the information from Klaus’ work, the American chestnut will have a higher degree of success as the seeds or seedlings are brought back to the South for planting.

Pollinating trees in the wild can be a difficult process, according to Martin Cipollini, the chapter’s breeding program coordinator.

“It relatively easy to collect the pollen from wild trees in Georgia and use it to pollinate hybrid trees in orchards. This ‘father tree’ approach is easier than trying to pollinate flowers on wild trees that are often in rather inaccessible locations on steep slopes,” Cipollini said.

“In the past 25 years, The American Chestnut Foundation has made considerable progress toward breeding blight-resistant trees. But, its ultimate goal of reintroducing these trees to the wild in large numbers requires knowledge of proper habitat requirements and planting techniques.”

The American Chestnut Foundation, working with its state chapters, has created hundreds of lines of trees that are well advanced through the backcross-breeding process. In the next few years, thousands of “final” generation nuts will be ready for testing in the wild.

So far, the Georgia chapter has created three lines using surviving Georgia trees as “fathers.” These lines are in orchard test sites. This past summer, the chapter produced four more lines using Georgia trees. These will go into test orchards next spring. The chapter wants to produce at least 20 lines using different Georgia chestnuts and including genetic diversity from throughout the tree’s historical range in the state.

But the question remains, just where is that range?

“Where do they belong and where will they thrive today? What was their true historical range? Did they grow near creeks or up on ridges, and if so, in what type of soils? These are answers we need before we begin to restore this species,” said Klaus, a senior wildlife biologist with the DNR’s Wildlife Resources Division.

Klaus is using property line records from the early 1800s to develop mathematical models that look at factors such as slope, soil composition, landforms, geology and aspect and elevation. An accurate description of the tree’s native range is needed as most institutional knowledge has been gone for several generations and the anecdotal knowledge available is not always accurate or reliable. The hope is that these new models can be applied to modern maps to show the actual historic range for the trees.

For instance, Klaus says chestnuts were not everywhere in the mountains, although anecdotally it has been suggested the trees were dominant in the Blue Ridge. An elevation map will show where best to plant the trees since they have different relationships to elevation depending on the region.

“There was definitely a well-defined niche in the world for these trees,” Klaus said. “The tree’s range extended well down into the Coastal Pain. Many people do not realize that the trees were in the Piedmont and Coastal Plain regions of Georgia.”

Hybrid trees for blight resistance testing are being planted in orchard sites around the state, including Berry College and the Georgia Mountain Research & Education Center, operated by the University of Georgia.

Georgians can help conserve rare plants such as the American chestnut as well as animals not legally hunted, fished for or trapped and their habitats, through buying wildlife license plates featuring a bald eagle or a ruby-throated hummingbird. They can also donate to the Give Wildlife a Chance state income tax checkoff. Both programs are vital to the Nongame Conservation Section, which receives no state funds.

Visit www.georgiawildlife.com for more information, or call Nongame Conservation offices in Social Circle (770-761-3035), Forsyth (478-994-1438) or Brunswick (912-264-7218).

To find out more about the Georgia chapter of The American Chestnut Foundation, visit www.gatacf.org
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National Urban League Brings The Economic Empowerment Tour to Atlanta December 9th

/PRNewswire/ -- The National Urban League Economic Empowerment Tour heads to Atlanta on Tuesday, December 9th from 4pm - 9pm at the Atlanta Marriott Marquis, 265 Peachtree Center Avenue. Presented by the National Urban League and the Atlanta Urban League, the tour features empowering workshops and a lively town hall meeting entitled The Path to Empowerment.

The tour focuses on job attainment and growth, home ownership, and economic stability, particularly in this time of government transition and economic down-fall. In these troubling economic times, the tour seeks to heighten awareness of economic disparities that exist between minorities and whites and connect people with real tools and resources that will help improve their financial situation on all fronts - from landing a better-paying job to avoiding foreclosure. The event opens at 4pm with a career and resource fair and concludes with a town hall meeting starting at 7:00pm.

The Path to Empowerment town hall meeting will address some of the important issues that face all Americans and features National Urban League President and CEO Marc H. Morial; Hip Hop Summit Action Network CEO and Co-Chairman Dr. Benjamin Chavis; Atlanta's famed V-103 FM radio personality Frank Ski; Atlanta Urban League President Nancy Flake Johnson; CEO of the Douglin Group and foreclosure expert, author, and spokesperson for the American Homeowner's Association, Carla Douglin; President & CEO of the Atlanta Business League Leona Davenport and nationally-syndicated radio personality Warren Ballantine. The panel will be moderated by award winning journalist Ed Gordon.

The Career & Resource Fair will provide actionable information to attendees interested in employment, personal finances, home ownership, entrepreneurship and education/job training. Exhibitors will include banks, homeownership organizations, educational institutions/job training programs, entrepreneurship/small business resources and others who will be available to cover topics ranging from understanding credit to how to manage home mortgage loans to securing employment, upgrading education and job skills and entrepreneurship.

"The need for economic empowerment is not exclusive to the African American community. Americans of all walks of life, colors, religions and economic background are feeling the pinch of the ever-widening gap between the haves and have-nots in this nation," said Marc H. Morial, President and CEO of the National Urban League. "In light of this competitive yet uncertain global economy, we owe it to future generations to stand as role models of economic empowerment, especially during these times, and encourage them to prepare themselves for a more prosperous future."

On the thresh-hold of the inauguration of the country's first African-American president, new leadership preparing to be installed on Capitol Hill, and the current financial crisis causing uncertainty in the financial markets, the Economic Empowerment Tour is also designed to provoke U.S. decision-makers to put the issue of economic inequality on the national agenda.

"There is no doubt that economic empowerment is at the core of the 21st century civil rights movement. In the 1950s and 1960s, African Americans made great strides on numerous fronts. The Civil Rights Act and the Voting Rights Act paved the way for greater political and civic participation. Affirmative Action opened the doors of the nation's educational institutions and corporations," said Marc H. Morial.

"The final challenge our community faces in achieving equality in the United States is improving our bottom line. We need to equip ourselves with the tools and skills needed to raise our standard of living and close the economic divide existing between us and mainstream America," he added.

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Consumer Reports Survey: 56 Percent of Americans Think U.S. Needs to Help Citizens More in Tough Economy

/PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Consumer Reports' latest national survey finds that more than half (56%) of respondents think that government hasn't done enough for them in these tough economic times.

Only 17 percent of those polled said the government needs to do more for banks and financial institutions. In the poll, 29 percent said the government went too far in bailing out the financial industry. Thirty-nine percent were unsure.

The Consumer Reports National Research center calculated results based on a nationally representative telephone survey of 2000 adults, conducted in late October 2008. The full report is available in the January issue of Consumer Reports on sale December 2 or at www.ConsumerReports.org.

"The results show that people largely think the bailout won't help average citizens," said Noreen Perrotta, Consumer Reports money editor. "We took a look at the responses and came up with dos and don'ts for consumers dealing with financial distress."

When asked which reforms could help Main Street the most, respondents to CR's poll cited these top actions:

-- Ensuring the financial health of the Social Security system. (88 %)
-- Reducing the national debt. (87%)
-- Protecting pensions and other retirement accounts when companies or
financial institutions go under. (85%)
-- Increase spending on energy exploration, energy efficiency, and
alternative energy sources. (84%)
-- Ensure affordable health care for all Americans. (82%)
-- Increase regulation of financial institutions to ensure responsible
practices. (78%)
-- Extend federal insurance to all deposits in savings and money market
accounts. (78%)
-- Cut taxes for working Americans. (77%)


The rescue plan enacted in October gave broad authority to the Secretary of the Treasury to use as much as $700 billion to shore up the ailing financial industry. Economists say that it will ultimately help millions of people of who are falling victim to the souring economy.

But back on Main Street, the rescue plan may seem like a bitter pill because the money is going to the financial institutions that many see as the cause of the problem. The people CR polled blamed several factors for the economic crisis, including poor lending practices by banks and mortgage companies (27 percent), lack of government oversight (26 percent), Wall Street greed (19 percent), and excessive borrowing by consumers (15 percent).

Lost jobs, lost health care

The top worry of poll respondents was the health of Social Security; 88 percent called the issue important or very important. It most likely looms large because of the increasing fragility of other sources of retirement income. Only about half of working Americans are enrolled in a pension or 401(k) plan. Americans have lost as much as $2 trillion in retirement savings over the past year and a half.

While retirees cope with diminished nest eggs, younger workers worry about unemployment increasing. It could reach 8 percent nationally, according to some estimates. With the loss of jobs comes the loss of health-care coverage. Twenty percent of respondents in CR's survey said they're unable to afford medical bills or drugs; 15 percent said they lost coverage or their benefits were reduced because of the downturn.

Seventy percent of poll respondents would like to see government regulation of mortgage lenders. Only 4 percent said they've missed a mortgage payment, but families stuck with subprime loans are at risk of falling behind.

Some economists fear that the credit-card defaults could be the next shoe to drop in the economy, as overextended borrowers can't meet their payments. Defaults are expected to reach record highs as unemployment increases. Fifty-seven percent of poll respondents said they've reduced their credit-card spending; Eighteen percent said they have had their interest rates increased, been hit with penalty fees, or had their credit lines reduced.

CR's Dos and Don'ts of Dealing with Financial Distress

DO contact your lender immediately if you can't pay your mortgage. You might be able to restructure your loan or get your lender to agree to a lesser amount to pay it off.

DON'T borrow against your 401(k). You'll probably need to repay the loan within five years or it will count as a withdrawal. If you leave your job before then, you'll owe federal and state income taxes on the outstanding loan, plus a ten percent penalty if you're younger than 59 1/2.

DO take advantage of your employer contribution to your 401(k). Put away at least as much as you need to get the maximum matching amount.

DON'T take a refund anticipation loan. They are short-term loans that you pay back with your tax refund. Interest rates can run into the triple digits on an annualized basis. Filing your taxes online and having the refund direct-deposited can get cash to you almost as fast.

DO consider raising your insurance deductibles. That will reduce your premiums. Home-insurance policies, for instance, typically carry a $250 deductible. If you're willing to bear more risk, you can save upward of 15 percent per year in premiums with a $500 deductible.

DON'T take cash advances. Credit-card advances can come with up-front charges of 2 to 4 percent and have a higher interest rate than regular card purchases. Payday loans, which are cash advances on your wages, can cost you $15 to $30 for every $100 you borrow.

DO cut what you can from your budget. You can save a lot on groceries by taking advantage of sales and buying less-expensive store brands. Look at your other monthly expenses to see what you can trim, including premium cable service or pricey coffee drinks.

The Consumer Reports National Research Center calculated results based on a telephone survey of a nationally representative probability of 2,000 adults, 18 years or older in the month of October 2008. The margin of error is +/- 2.2% among a 95% confidence level.

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Retired CNN Executive to Address 'Why Network News is Down the Tube' November 12

In the aftermath of an historic presidential election, a 40-year veteran of broadcast news will speak at Emory University about the current state of television news. Former CNN Headline News President V.R. "Bob" Furnad will address “Why Network News is Down the Tube” in a Nov. 12 lecture hosted by the Emory Center for Myth and Ritual in American Life (MARIAL). The talk is free and open to the public. It is at 4 p.m. at the MARIAL Center, 1256 Briarcliff Road, Suite 413E.

Furnad has covered seven presidents and 13 political conventions since 1972. He spent 18 years at ABC, and 17 years at CNN. His last position at ABC was senior producer for Good Morning America news. Furnad joined CNN in 1983 as its first political director and rose to the position of executive vice president and senior executive producer. He produced all live special event coverage including the first Gulf War, the explosion of the space shuttle Challenger, the fall of the Berlin Wall, the Moscow revolt, the Moscow coup, Tiananmen Square and the Oklahoma City bombing. In his last three years at CNN, Furnad was president of CNN Headline News, CNN Radio, CNN Airport Network and CNN Newsource. Furnad reorganized CNN Headline News to utilize the latest technologies, reduce costs, and make more resources available to gather news and create production elements.

Furnad retired in January 2001, and joined the Henry W. Grady School of Journalism at the University of Georgia as a visiting associate professor. He retired from UGA in May 2006. In 2001, Furnad worked on a television news project for the Kuwaiti government and, as part of Intelligent Media Consultants, worked with executives at the NDTV networks in India. Furnad also delivers a video exercise on ethics for broadcast news majors at journalism colleges across the country.

He has received two George Foster Peabody Awards, two Emmys and the DuPont-Columbia Award, and is chairman of FaithWorks, a ministry in Covington that provides emergency financial aid to help people pay electric bills and rent.

The Emory Center for Myth and Ritual in American Life (MARIAL) is one of five Sloan Centers on Working Families, supported by the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation. The Emory Center focuses its research on the functions and significance of ritual and myth in dual wage-earner middle-class families in the American South.

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Several Members of the “South Side Myfas” Street Gang Indicted for Cocaine Trafficking

RICARDO LARIOS-TRUJILLO, a/k/a “Rico,” 33, of Lawrenceville, Georgia; RIGOBERTO DELGADO-OROZCO, a/k/a “Chapparo,” 30, of Buford, Georgia; RAMON CORTEZ, a/k/a “Toro,” 20, of Lawrenceville, Georgia; HOMER LARIOS, a/k/a “Hummer,” 34, of Lawrenceville, Georgia, and ALEXANDER I. ACHER, 29, of Southborough, Massachusetts, have been indicted by a federal grand jury on charges of conspiring to possess with intent to distribute, and possession with intent to distribute, more than five kilograms of cocaine. Their initial court appearances have not yet been scheduled, but are expected within a week before a United States Magistrate Judge.

United States Attorney David E. Nahmias said of today’s indictment, “Metro Atlanta unfortunately continues to be a major drug distribution center for gangs in the Southeast and beyond. The South Side Myfas street gang, which originated near Bakersfield, California, and has organized drug distribution organizations in various parts of the country, is a sub-set of the notorious Surenos gang – one of the oldest, largest, and most violent of the Mexican-American street gangs active in the United States. Today’s indictment is a warning to all South Side Myfas and other gang members in our community that we will fight to eliminate their presence.”

“ICE is committed to partnering with other law enforcement agencies to target the transnational street gangs that terrorize our community through their involvement with drugs and violence,” said Kenneth A. Smith, Special Agent in Charge of the ICE Office of Investigations in Atlanta. “By combining our resources and enforcement authorities, we can impact these gang and drug cells on multiple levels by seeking both criminal prosecution and removal from the country after their debt to society has been paid.”

According to United States Attorney Nahmias, and other information presented in court: Between 2007 and 2008, LARIOS-TRUJILLO, DELGADO-OROZCO, CORTEZ and LARIOS, members of an Hispanic street gang called “South Side Myfas,” along with ACHER, allegedly utilized “Monster Car Audio,” a audio installation business belonging to LARIOS-TRUJILLO and located at 134 South Clayton Street in Lawrenceville, Georgia, to store and distribute cocaine. After a lengthy investigation, on November 3, 2008, FBI and ICE agents conducted a joint undercover operation at the “Monster Car Audio” business, during which the defendants allegedly purchased more than five kilograms of cocaine from an undercover FBI agent. On November 3, 2008, at the times of the arrests, FBI agents also seized $130,000 in cash from the defendants.

LARIOS-TRUJILLO, DELGADO-OROZCO, CORTEZ, LARIOS and ACHER are charged in a two-count indictment with conspiring to possess with intent to distribute in excess of five kilograms of cocaine, and possession with intent to distribute in excess of five kilograms of cocaine. The indictment also includes a forfeiture count in which the United States seeks the forfeiture of all proceeds from the alleged criminal scheme. The charges carry a maximum sentence of life in prison and a fine of up to $8,000,000.

This case is being investigated by Special Agents of the FBI and ICE.

Assistant United States Attorney Richard S. Moultrie, Jr. is prosecuting the case.

Members of the public are reminded that the indictment contains only allegations. A defendant is presumed innocent of the charges and it will be the government's burden to prove a defendant's guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial.

The U.S. Attorney's Office in Atlanta recommends parents and children learn about the dangers of drugs at the following web site: www.justthinktwice.com.

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Governor Perdue Proclaims November as American Indian Heritage Month

Governor Sonny Perdue recently signed a proclamation declaring November as American Indian Heritage Month in Georgia. On hand to witness the proclamation were Georgia State Society Daughters of the American Revolution State Anerican Indian Chairman Carolyn Balog (l) and Georgia State Society Daughters of the American Revolution Regent, Barbara Chastain (r).


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European, Arabic Media United in Intense Interest in U.S. Election

Cherribi, former member of the Dutch Parliament and head of the Emory Development Institute, has been busy the last several weeks giving interviews on Al Jazeera as well as media outlets throughout the Middle East and Europe. One thing he says that European and Arabic media outlets have in common is their intense interest in the Nov. 4 presidential election.

"They talk in a very stigmatizing and negative way about the current administration,” says Cherribi, who, as a fluent speaker of French, Dutch, English and Arabic, has been an in-demand interview. Cherribi says he's seen the transatlantic divide between Europe and America grow in recent years and notes, "European-American relations has to be high on the political agenda of anyone who is elected."

Although Cherribi was not surprised by results of the recent Gallup poll in 70 countries showing Barak Obama favored 4 to 1 over John McCain, he notes that Obama has not been above criticism overseas. "A lot of people were favoring an Obama-Hillary Clinton ticket and were disappointed," he says.

Nor has reaction to a possible McCain presidency been totally negative. "People recognize that McCain was a war hero; he is a good man; he was against bad policies of the administration," says Cherribi. But McCain's choice of Sarah Palin on the ticket did not go over well. "The interpretation was that McCain wants to reach out to the far right."

Whatever the outcome of the election, says Cherribi, the next president must send a message that a new day is dawning in American relations abroad. "Europe knows that it's an economic superpower, but when it comes to defense, Europe and the Arab world are regional powers," says Cherribi. "Europe knows it cannot function without an adequate American defense program. Europe and the rest of the world are looking to America for leadership."

Cherribi was a member of Parliament (MP) in The Netherlands from 1994-2002, representing his hometown of Amsterdam. As a Dutch MP he served as a member of the Council of Europe (an assembly focused primarily on human rights), the West European Union (focused on defense and security) and twice served as a member of the Dutch delegation to the United Nations.

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Americans' Confidence in Their Leaders Declines Sharply

PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- 80% of Americans believe that the U.S. faces a leadership crisis today -- up from 77% in 2007 and 65% in 2005 -- according to poll results just released by the Center for Public Leadership at the Harvard Kennedy School and the Merriman River Group.

Many Americans also agree that they are not getting the leadership they need from President Bush and his advisers. 60% say they have not much or no confidence in the leadership of the executive branch, up from 49% last year.

Despite this lack of confidence in presidential leadership, the poll results reveal important points of agreement on how the next president should lead. Moreover, Americans place great importance on the 2008 election: 77% believe it matters a great deal for the future of the country, up from 65% a year ago.

"We hear a lot about deep political divides in this country, but this poll shows that Americans have clear ideas about the kind of leadership they expect from their presidents," said David Gergen, Director of the Center for Public Leadership.

The poll asked a demographically representative sample of 997 U.S. citizens (margin of error +/- 3.1%) to choose between alternate conceptions of good presidential leadership. Many basic aspects of presidential leadership, such as building alliances and preserving checks and balances, are favored by a majority of Americans. For example:

-- 72% say presidents should use the military only to defend America and
react to enemy attacks
-- 71% say presidents should share power equally with Congress and the
Supreme Court
-- 64% say presidents should make decisions based on fairness
-- 56% say foreign policy should focus on building alliances
-- 55% say they prefer presidents who are never willing to be unethical
or bend the rules.

The poll also revealed some key differences in the facets of presidential leadership favored by supporters of John McCain and Barack Obama. "These core debates about presidential leadership give us some clues about how the candidates' leadership profiles attract supporters," notes the study's lead author, Seth Rosenthal.

"McCain supporters have a general preference for presidents who act as independent moral agents and focus on the country's safety and strength," noted Rosenthal. "In contrast, Obama supporters seem to prefer practical presidents whose decisions are more directly responsive to Americans' opinions and needs." For instance, when asked to choose between alternate conceptions of presidential leadership:

-- 62% of McCain supporters say presidents should be willing to offend
people and make enemies when necessary, while 61% of Obama supporters
prefer that presidents always be respectful and diplomatic
-- 60% of McCain supporters say presidents should lead based on moral
beliefs about what is right and wrong, while 52% of Obama supporters
counter that presidential leadership based on practical beliefs about
what works and doesn't work is more important.
-- 58% of McCain supporters say presidents should protect the public's
safety, even if it infringes on their freedom, while 49% of Obama
supporters believe that presidents should protect the public's
freedom, even if it infringes on their safety
-- 40% of McCain supporters want presidents to reduce the government's
power to allow Americans to succeed and fail on their own, a sentiment
with which only 15% of Obama supporters agree

Moreover,
-- 70% of Obama supporters want presidents to keep religious faith a
personal or private matter, while 54% of McCain supporters prefer that
presidents express their religious faith in public
-- 64% of Obama supporters say presidents should do what the American
people think is right, while 50% of McCain supporters want presidents
to do what they themselves think is right
-- 63% of Obama supporters want presidents to ensure that America is
respected for its fairness, while 53% of McCain supporters say it's
more important for presidents to ensure that America is respected for
its strength
-- 63% of Obama supporters say that presidents should focus on uniting
people, while McCain supporters are about equally split on whether a
president should focus on uniting people or on accomplishing goals,
even if it divides people.

Crisis in Confidence

The crisis in confidence in America's leaders is clearly reflected in the National Leadership Index 2008, which presents the public's confidence in the leaders of multiple sectors of society. From 2007 to 2008, many sectors experienced their steepest annual declines in confidence since the inception of the National Leadership Index in 2005. Among the survey's key findings:

-- Confidence in the leaders of seven sectors -- business, the Executive
Branch, Congress, religious, educational, the Supreme Court, and state
government -- fell more sharply in the past year than ever before
-- Confidence in business leaders dropped further than did confidence in
leaders of any other sector
-- Confidence in the Executive Branch and educational leaders has
declined for three years in a row
-- The only sectors in which Americans have more than a moderate amount
of confidence are military and medical leadership
-- Confidence held steady from 2007 for military, medical, nonprofit &
charitable, and local government leaders
-- For the third year in a row, confidence in leaders has not increased
for any sector.

However, Americans may see some light at the end of the tunnel. A plurality, 39%, believe that things will be better after the 2008 election, while only 7% believe things will be worse.

"The American people are experiencing tremendous anxiety at the uncertain state of the nation, and they're holding those at the top responsible," said Todd Pittinsky, Research Director at the Center for Public Leadership. "The next president will face significant challenges. And one of the most important will be to take the lead in restoring Americans' confidence."

For the complete survey and report visit: http://content.ksg.harvard.edu/leadership/images/CPLpdf/nli%20report.pdf.

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New Poll Shows American's Stress Levels Rising

PRNewswire/ -- Americans are feeling more stress today than they did six months ago, according to a new national stress study. The survey of 1,000 men and women, ages 18 and older, revealed that 47 percent of respondents currently feel more stress than they did six months ago. And no surprise, the #1 source of stress reported is personal finance concerns, the top response for almost half (49%) of those surveyed. Surprisingly, international unrest, the war and the presidential election were reported significantly lower as primary causes of stress, registering only 2 percent each.

The stress survey, conducted by Booth Research and sponsored by The Ester-C Company, focused primarily on American's self-reported sources of stress and methods for coping with stress. Additionally, the study sheds light on the effects of stress, and the correlation between stress and physical health. 85 percent of respondents reported that they believe stress weakens their body's immune system. According to the survey, females are more likely than men to be aware of the connection that stress can have on immune health.

"Recognition of where stress originates and how it manifests, with regard to health, is an important first step that individuals can take to develop strategies for coping," says noted immune health expert Mark Moyad, M.D., University of Michigan. "Stress can take a serious toll on the human body if unmanaged, and is a contributing factor to the cold and flu season, which takes place in the United States during the months where extreme weather conditions provide an additional layer of stress to manage."

Young and Stressed, Older and Mellower

Young people report higher levels of stress than their older counterparts. Nearly six in ten respondents, in the 35-44 years of age category, reported high or very high levels of stress (58%), while less than one quarter (23%) of respondents in the 55 plus age group reported experiencing the same upper levels of stress. The youngest age group surveyed, those 18-24 years of age, registered the highest response (64%) indicating they are more stressed now than 6 months ago.

Stress Leads to Lack of Z-Z-Z-Z's

The majority (55%) of survey respondents asked about stress effects cited "ability to get a good night's sleep" as the top response. Another one-third reported that stress is impacting their physical health, and nearly as many reported that stress affects their personal relationships (32%).

Americans Adapt New Age Approaches for Handling Stress

When asked about stress coping strategies, more respondents cited "meditation and breathing techniques" (28%) than the more traditional approach of "taking a vacation" (25%), which may also point to economic factors -- that can turn vacationing into as much a source of stress as a stress reliever. On a healthy note, "exercise" tops the list of reported methods for tackling stress.

Survey Background

Booth Research conducted the online survey among 1,000 adults (ages 18 and older) in the continental United States. The questionnaire consisted of 10 questions, and Booth Research obtained a nationally representative sample of online panel respondents to complete this study.

The overall sample of 1,000 consumers yields a sample reliability of plus or minus 3.1%, which is the maximum difference explainable through random chance in 95% of all samples of this size.

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Newt Gingrich to Host Second Annual Solutions Day on September 27 at the Cobb Galleria Centre

A bi-partisan national forum, led by Former Speaker New Gingrich, American Solutions General Chairman, on real change and real solutions for the Economy, Energy, Education, and Health is scheduled for Saturday, September 27 at the Cobb Galleria Centre.

Also scheduled to appear in the forum are:

Former Atlanta Hawks Legend Dominique Wilkins, Fellow of the Center for Health Transformation (CHT) Diabetes Project
Former Governor Roy Romer, Chairman of ED in '08
Michael Williams, Texas Railroad Commissioner
Peter Groff, President of Colorado State Senate
Former Arizona School Superintendent Lisa Keegan
Pollster Kellyanne Conway

Appearing via video:
Former Vice Presidential Candidate Geraldine Ferraro, Fellow of CHT
Former Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist, M.D., CHT
TV Host and Columnist Larry Kudlow
Pollster Doug Schoen

More than 100,000 people in all 50 states participated in the inaugural Solutions Day last year.

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Columbus Museum Acquires Major Art Collection of American Drawings

GFP Note: Columbus is showcased as our "day tripper" pick. The Columbus Museum is the second largest in the state of Georgia. Pop on down to view this exciting new art collection.

The Columbus Museum is pleased to announce the acquisition of a major private collection of American drawings. As a result, the Museum has established itself as one of the most significant repositories of American drawings in the nation. The recently acquired works were originally assembled by legendary collector Paul Magriel, and subsequently purchased by Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Flom of New York. The 105 sheets represent rare and important examples of American master drawing by some of the nation’s most prominent artists, including Raphael Peale, Henry Inman, Sanford R. Gifford, Jasper F. Cropsey, Winslow Homer, William Paxton, Abbott Handerson Thayer, Theodore Robinson, William Glackens and Ben Shahn.

The works celebrate the rich history of American drawing from the late 18th through the middle of the 20th century, and chronicle the many ways in which artists have used the medium to portray the nation’s evolving character. The Columbus Museum defines drawing as any unique work on paper, and the collection includes the great variety of approaches to drawing such as pencil, charcoal, watercolor, gouache, pastel, ink and silverpoint. The entire collection was displayed for public view for the first time in the 2007 Museum exhibition Tracing the Nation: Recently Acquired American Drawings. The acquisition was made possible by the support of members of the Museum’s 105 Society and a grant from the Mildred Miller Fort Foundation.

Since the Columbus Museum opened its doors to the public in 1953, drawings have represented
a collecting area in which the institution could readily afford important works of art by leading
American artists.

Some of the more than 400 sheets in the collection were individual gifts and purchases acquired
over the years. However, the majority of this collection is new as recently as the last five years.
In 2002, the Museum’s collection rose to a level of national importance with the acquisition of
more than 125 American drawings owned by Dr. and Mrs. Philip L. Brewer of Columbus. The Brewer acquisition includes great works by many of the key artists in American art history. In order to bring greater visibility to the collection, the Museum curated the traveling exhibition, Lines of Discovery: 225 Years of American Drawings andpublished an illustrated text of the same name to accompany the exhibition on its national tour.

The Museum’s collection took another leap forward with this acquisition of 105 sheets owned by
Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Flom, of New York. The drawings represent an extraordinary acquisitions
opportunity due to their high quality and great rarity. Visionary collector Paul Magriel
(1906-1990) purchased American drawings during the 1960s and early 1970s when great works
were much more accessible and by modern standards quite affordable. Claire Flom, in particular, viewed her role as the caretaker of this collection and sought to place it in a public institution when she could no longer adequately care for it.

One of the principal motives for the acquiring the Magriel/Flom Collection is that the drawings
strengthen the Museum’s collection in several ways. First, they add depth to the Museum’s
relatively few drawings produced before 1850. Second, they include great works by key
American masters such as John Vanderlyn, William Sidney Mount, Frederic Church and James
Abbott McNeill Whistler, whose drawings were not represented in the Museum’s collection and
which are nearly impossible to find in today’s art market. Works by Thomas Sully, Thomas
Hovenden, Eastman Johnson, Theodore Robinson and Isabel Bishop complement paintings by
artists already in the Museum’s collection. Other drawings in the acquisition enable the Museum
to represent the work of key artists in depth — three drawings by Benjamin West to add to the
two drawings already present; two sheets by John Singer Sargent, Mrs. Thursby and Madame Helleu, represent the first Sargent figure drawings acquired by the Museum and stand as an important complement to the Museum’s Sargent watercolor, Spanish Window. Winslow Homer’s pencil drawing, Head of a Girl, represents the artist’s important period in England during 1881-1882, and now joins the Museum’s charcoal drawing by Homer, Pond Lilies, done on American soil in 1884. Also, two drawings by Robert Blum of his brother provide
representation by this important artist.

The Magriel/Flom Collection demonstrates the essential role drawing has played in the formation and development of American art. While representing an overview of American art, this selection of works attests to the unique properties of drawing and its status as the most intimate, immediate and versatile art medium.

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Opinion: The U.S. Constitution and Georgia Men

"Hold on, my friends, to the Constitution and to the Republic for which it stands. Miracles do not cluster, and what has happened once in 6000 years, may not happen again. Hold on to the Constitution, for if the American Constitution should fail, there will be anarchy throughout the world."- Daniel Webster

As the United States of America gets ready to honor the 221st anniversary of the framing of the US Constitution, we, as Americans, should make it our goal to learn more about this legendary document. As children, our teachers taught us the basics of where the Constitution was written and who signed it from each state. We also learned about the Bill of Rights and the amendments.

Now, as adults, we start to realize the importance of this document in our lives. It provides the basis of the freedoms we enjoy. The freedom of speech, the freedom to worship, the right to bear arms, the right to vote are just a few of the many privileges we enjoy in America.

Who were the men who framed the Constitution? Who were the men who represented Georgia? How many men were elected to represent Georgia?

William Few (1748-1828) and Abraham Baldwin (1754-1807) are the two men of the state of Georgia who signed the Constitution in 1787. Did you know that a total of six Georgia men were appointed to attend the convention? Two of men did not attend and two others, William Leigh Pierce and William Houston, were not there for the majority of the debates.

Both Pierce and Houston were Georgia natives. Pierce made his home in Savannah and was a member of the Georgia House of Representatives. Pierce did participate in several debates on key points. He favored strengthening of the federal government as long as the states still retained some power. Pierce left the convention early as his business in Savannah suffered, and eventually went bankrupt. He died shortly after in 1789.

Born in Savannah, Houston enjoyed a childhood of privilege. His father was highly involved in the royal government of Georgia. He returned home to Georgia from his schooling in England when the Revolutionary War began. He is known for his belief in colonists' rights, and is one of the original trustees of the University of Georgia. Houston died in 1813.

The 55 men who attended the convention had much to say. These delegates, or deputies, were appointed by the legislatures of the 13 states. Some of the deputies left early as Pierce and Houston did. Others who were appointed to attend did not. Why? Was it not convenient? Was it a sense of not comprehending the importance of revising the Articles of Confederation? Was it a shirk of their duty? We don't know the answers. What we do know is the masterpiece document that these men framed.

The words of Benjamin Franklin, in a speech delivered to the convention in late June 1787, provide a glimpse for us: "....In these sentiments, Sir, I agree to this Constitution, with all its faults, — if they are such; because I think a general Government necessary for us, and there is no form of government but what may be a blessing to the people, if well administered; and I believe, farther, that this is likely to be well administered for a course of years, and can only end in despotism, as other forms have done before it, when the people shall become so corrupted as to need despotic government, being incapable of any other."

Could the framers have imagined the longevity of our Constitution?

Celebrate, American citizens. Read the Constitution. Honor the Constitution. Protect the Constitution.

Ann Eldredge

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Editor's Note: National Constitution Week is rapidly approaching. Kudos to the organizations who strive to increase our awareness of the Constitution, and a special kudos to the James Waldrop Chapter DAR of Fayetteville and Fayette County, whose endeavors with regards to educating the school children and adults has become well known and honored beyond our area. Take a few moments and view the videos released last year.

Part 1 Constitution Week Video
Part 2 Constitution Week Video

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News to Use in Fayette, Coweta, Atlanta and all of Georgia

FDA Advises Against Consumption of American Lobster (Maine Lobster) Tomalley

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today warned consumers to avoid eating tomalley in American Lobster (Maine Lobster), regardless of where the lobster was harvested, because of potential contamination with dangerous levels of the toxins that cause Paralytic Shellfish Poisoning (PSP).

American lobster, also known as Maine lobster, are harvested from the waters of the Atlantic Ocean from Northeastern Canada to South Carolina, inclusive.

The FDA advisory applies only to tomalley, the soft, green substance found in the body cavity of the lobster that functions as the liver and pancreas. Cooking does not eliminate the PSP toxins. However, studies have shown that, even when high levels of PSP toxins are present in lobster tomalley, lobster meat itself is typically unaffected.

Symptoms of PSP include tingling and/or numbness of the mouth, face or neck; muscle weakness; headache; and nausea. In extreme cases, when large amounts of the toxin are consumed, these symptoms can lead to respiratory failure and death. Symptoms usually occur within two hours of exposure to the toxin. Anyone experiencing these symptoms should seek medical attention.

PSP toxins normally occur from time to time in clams and other shellfish and are carefully monitored by state regulatory authorities. The FDA learned of this problem after routine sampling conducted by regulatory authorities in Maine and New Hampshire found dangerous levels of the toxins in lobster tomalley. Some shellfish beds have been closed in recent months due to elevated levels of PSP toxins.

Lobster tomalley normally does not contain dangerous levels of PSP toxins. The current high levels of PSP toxins likely are associated with an ongoing red tide episode in northern New England and eastern Canada. Authorities in Maine, Massachusetts and New Hampshire, as well as in Canada, have issued advisories cautioning against eating tomalley.

Booksellers Set To Gather For Fall Show At New Atlanta Venue

24-7 -- As many as 500 bargain book vendors and buyers for their wares are preparing to gather in Atlanta on Aug. 1-2 for the Great American Bargain Book Show.

Retailers attending the show buy bargain books and other items such as CDs, DVDs and computer software from vendors who specialize in remainders, returns and other bargain books and specialty items. The show is timed to permit retailers to buy products to stock their shelves during the coming holiday season.

According to Larry May of Knoxville, Tenn., the show organizer, remainders are books that did not sell during their run in bookstores and other retail outlets. Most are in pristine condition, never having left distribution warehouses to get to retail outlets. Some are lightly hurt returns from bookstores.

Buyers attending the show come from some of the largest chains and big box stores in the nation, on down to independent book stores and acquisition librarians.

May said a special effort was made this year to attract buyers for church book stores in the metro Atlanta area. "The church book store market is one of the fastest growing in the book industry," May said. "It's estimated that 5,000 local churches now operate book stores. These range in size from a table somewhere in the vestibule on up to megachurch stores with annual retail sales in the high six figures."

Atlanta is home to two of the three largest bargain book shows in the nation. In addition to the Great American Bargain Book Show (GABBS), it is also host to the Spring Book Show.

This year's GABBS show, held last year at the Georgia World Congress Center, will be at the Cobb Galleria Centre. Its sister show, the Spring Book Show, moved from the Georgia World Congress Center in March as a result of tornado damage to that facility.