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O The Anatomy Of A Ponzi Scheme FREE COPY

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December 2009

Happy Holidays, from our family to yours.

Reporting Stephen Stock

More Debt Leads To More Bill Collector Bullies

MIAMI (CBS4) — Stephanie Halio is a Ponzi scheme victim. She says she and her husband invested more than one million dollars with Bernie Madoff.

In this economy, more people are in serious debt and some bill collectors are getting more aggressive.

˚˚˚˚˚˚˚ Good Looks Becoming Requirement In Restaurant Biz

For 17 years neither they nor federal watchdogs thought anything was amiss. Then last December Madoff’s Wall Street Ponzi shattered, and so did the Halios’ retirement and peace of mind. Now they fight just to stay in their Boca Raton home. Halo said, “It was like the ground just disappeared beneath us. Everything crashed. Everything fell on our heads. We didn’t know how we were going to survive. It has been 11 months and it has been tortuous.” It is a story being repeated across our community. Prosecutors say Madoff’s victims are joined by those who put their faith in other men like Allen Stanford, Andres Pimstein, and disgraced Fort Lauderdale attorney Scott Rothstein. Federal agents say Rothstein financed a lavish lifestyle by selling bogus legal settlements to investors. The Ponzi scheme works by paying off old investors with money from new investors. When too many people want their money back at once the scheme collapses. Dr. Harley Stock is a nationally recognized forensic psychologist who has studied the minds of Ponzi con men. Dr. Stock said, “They are glib. They are superficially charming. Most of these people are psychologically damaged. Money is the end product but it is not the motivator. The motivator is affection and attention so

It’s no secret that South Florida has some of the hottest bartenders, hostesses, and servers around.

people look at them and say, ‘look how wonderful you are. You are giving to charity. You are providing money for good works.’ “

˚˚˚˚˚˚˚ Man Comes Back From The Dead

Rothstein fit that bill. He draped himself with celebrities, charities and politicians including Governor Charlie Crist.

56-Year-Old Man Brought Back To Life After 47 Minutes, 4,500 Chest Compressions And 8 Zaps With Defibrillator

“They know how to get people to like them,” Dr. Stock said. “They are deceitful, they are excellent manipulators and they are pathological liars. The victim generally says to himself or herself you know this sounds too good to be true but I like this guy. He seems okay. My friend invested with him and my friend is not a dope. I don’t want to be left out in the cold when I have an opportunity to make money.”

˚˚˚˚˚˚˚ 1 In 4 Mortgage Borrowers Is Under Water

Stephanie Halio wanted to make money too but says her returns were not off the charts. She never met Bernie Madoff and says she and her husband would have run in the other direction if only the Securities and Exchange Commission had raised a red flag. It never did. Halio said, “What greater authority is there than the SEC? I would say to them they are criminally responsible for all the pain and continued on page 9

˚˚˚˚˚˚˚ After 24 Years, Sparano And Wife Still Close

Nearly a quarter of U.S. mortgage holders owe more on their loans than their houses are worth, according to a report today in the Wall Street Journal.

Sparano is rough, tough and gruff. His nononsense style is the attribute that has earned him respect from the Dolphins, fans, and even some of the ladies.

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December 2009

I-Team: FHP Investigating Police Officer’s Actions Reporting Sutta

David

MIAMI BEACH (CBS4) — CBS4 News has learned that a Miami Beach Police officer has been placed on desk duty after the ITeam revealed he is being investigated by the Florida Highway Patrol for allegedly tampering with evidence. In the CBS4 I-TEAM exclusive investigation CBS4 reporter David Sutta learned the Florida Highway Patrol investigation started with an accident at 3:30 in the morning on November 5th. A 2006 Mercedes took the southbound ramp of the Turnpike at Bird Road and was seen on camera weaving out of its lane before crashing into the toll plaza. The driver, 29-year-old Leingke Perez, was a bartender at Mango’s Cafe on South Beach. She was airlifted to the hospital but died. On the surface, this could be seen as just another tragic traffic accident, but it’s what happened after the crash that has drawn the attention of the Florida Highway Patrol. Surveillance cameras at the toll plaza caught the accident. Seconds after Perez’s Mercedes is seen crashing, a Miami-Beach police cruiser appears on

camera on the state security video pulling into the parking lot. The driver, apparently Officer Osvaldo Mitat of the Miami Beach Police Department, was seen running towards the crash. Twenty seconds later, Officer Mitat is seen on camera, appearing to be tossing bottles from the car. He does not appear to be rendering aid to the victim of the accident or calling 911 to ask for help. From the camera’s perspective, investigators determined Mitat tossed the bottles toward a retention pond. The next day, Mitat came back to the scene apparently to retrieve the bottles. He was met by FHP investigators who told him they had collected the bottles as evidence. Why was officer Mitat so interested in clearing Leingke Perez’s car of bottles? It’s unclear right now. But we have learned he not only worked off-duty detail at Mangos but that he was dating bartender Leingke Perez.

“I don’t know of his life or nothing; I just know he’s a great guy, and they used to love each other very much so,” said Crosby. CBS4 visited Perez’s home Wednesday and found officer Mitat’s patrol car in her driveway. He did not answer the door. Miami Beach police are not saying much about what happened except for a brief statement, “The department is shadowing the investigation being conducted by the Florida Highway Patrol....” Late Wednesday afternoon Detective Juan Sanchez of the Miami Beach Police department told CBS4’s David Sutta they hadn’t taken action because they were waiting for FHP to finish their investigation. However, by Wednesday night, Officer Mitat had been placed on desk duty pending the outcome of the investigation.

Mango’s Tropical Café employee Maribel Crosby defended the officer and says she is saddened to lose her coworker and friend.

The Florida Highway Patrol would not comment on its investigation. They are awaiting reports to determine whether Leingke Perez was intoxicated when the crash happened. Officer Mitat remains on duty while the investigation continues.

“He did nothing wrong,” said Crosby with tears in her eye. “He’s a great guy.”

Sources say the couple lived with each other, and the officer was separated from his wife but is still married.

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Share The Spirit: Adopt-A-Family For The Holidays Reporting Nicole Maristany

Eileen.

MIAMI (CBS4) —The holidays are around the corner and with unemployment numbers soaring, it will be a tough time for many families. But there’s a great way to help through Neighbors for Neighbors.

“We love them. We try to teach them as best as we can and to become independent,” explained Sister Lucia Ceccotti with the Marian Center.

You can adopt-a-family for the holiday season, and help them with food clothing and presents to insure they have a happy holiday. Eileen Ortiz is a single widow, and mother to 29-yearold Charlene. “She’s something special to me. She’s a miracle child, and she’s a very happy child,” said Ortiz of her daughter. Charlene attends the Marian Center, a school with the Archdiocese for those with special needs in North Miami. “The Marian Center is her life. I mean, she loves it. She wishes school would be 24-7,” said her mother

Like many special needs families, between doctor’s appointments and social services, budgets can be tight. “It’s hard. It hasn’t been easy especially since my husband passed away now in March, so I have everything on me. And I’m the only one working right now,” explained Eileen. Understanding the challenges these families face, the Marian Center reached out to Neighbors 4 Neighbors in hopes that some of their families would be adopted through the Neighbors Adopt-A-Family Program. “Listen to some parents the difficulties they have, the hardship and especially when they have only one member in the family and usually it’s the mother,” said Sister Lucia.

Charlene’s mother could really use some help this holiday season. “ I don’t know what my Christmas will be like because like I said its going to be hard this year,” explained Eileen. “What you receive as a gift, give it,” said Sister Lucia. “We have a gift of time, gift of talents, gift of treasure.” This year, Neighbors 4 Neighbors is in need of adopters. If you’d like to adopt Charlene’s family or any of the other families up for adoption this year, contact Neighbors 4 Neighbors at (305) 597-4404 or online at www.cbs4.com/neighbors. (© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)

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December 2009

I-Team: The Few, The Proud, The Forgotten? Reporting Gillen

Michele

MIAMI (CBS4) — “They knew about it, they lied to us and they didn’t let the American people know for years later and in the meantime, people are suffering and dying and not knowing why.” Ed Bauries will tell you he is a proud Marine with a tortured soul ,”nothing will bring my babies back”, and a broken body, “I thought of just taking my own life at times, it would be easier for my family.” Riddled with searing pain and paralysis from multiple sclerosis, his muscles and nerves feel so inflamed, it’s as if he is on fire: “Up my neck up the right side of my face which it burns for 24/7.” Sitting across from Chief I-Team Investigator Michele Gillen in his South Florida home, he traces his arm and neck for Gillen explaining the pain is constant. “Do you feel it now?” Gillen asks. “Oh yeah, yes.” But it is not only disease that bonds him with a band of brothers, other Marines, their children, their widows, from across Florida and the nation. Their shared bond is the water at Camp Lejune, North Carolina. Water they bathed in, cooked with and drank, decades ago, stationed at the base. Water that now appears to have been tainted with some of the most dangerous chemicals in the world. “I’m missing half my chest. And every day I see it, it’s a reminder that something horrible happened to me,” Mike Partain shares with Gillen. The son and grandson of Marine officers, Partin was born at Camp Lejune. Hundreds of thousands lived there from the 1950’s through 1980’s where it is now alleged drinking water was contaminated with chemicals from leaking underground storage tanks, the dumping of waste and a toxic spill from a nearby dry cleaners. “One night my wife gives me a hug before I go to bed and she finds a bump on my chest. And then I go to the Doctor and they tell me I have male breast cancer,” Partain recalls.”Two weeks later, I have a mastectomy.” And just weeks later, by accident, he learned about the contamination of water there watching the news. A congressional hearing investigating health concerns including that babies born at the camp might have been exposed to chemicals discovered in the water. “It was a shock,” the towering Partain told Gillen at his Winterhaven home. It was a shock that led him to a photograph taken within minutes of his birth at the camp. He was born

with a mysterious rash that covered his head and body. If you look on the nightstand you see the half empty glass of water his mother was drinking and the half full bottle of his baby formula made with that very water. “And the realization that I was one of those kids, you could have knocked me over with a feather,” Partain remembers. “Suddently everything came into focus.” Now he and that band of brothers have organized a grassroots SOS campaign to reach anyone else who may have been exposed. Right behind North Carolina, Florida has the second highest number of servicemen and families who once lived on the base during the years in question. “Michele, in the past two years since I was diagnosed I have found 52 other men who share male breast cancer and time spent at Camp LeJeune. That’s the only thing we have in common,” Partain says. He adds that he believes there’s an array of rare cancers and diseases striking men like him and their families, with no one tracking or helping. “Liver damage. Kidney damage. Liver Cancer. Kidney cancer. Bladder Cancer. We are also seeing thyroid cancers, breast cancer in men and women. Thyroid cancer, leukemia, neurological disorder.” The I-Team has uncovered a trail of documents that first raised red flags about alleged contaminants in Camp Lejeune water dating back to 1981. But at the end of this day, the military says there is not enough proof to link contaminants with the health nightmares so many are experiencing today. Gillen went to the nation’s captial to meet with U.S. Sen. Richard Burr (R-North Carolina). She asked about the military’s response to those “red flags.” “Not just ignored but manipulated. And I think that is the concern. It’s tough to go back and pick the individual to hold responsible and rather than spending our time focused on that, we are focused on how to start from this point forward and ask the military for a different response and a different attitude,” Sen. Burr told Gillen. The North Carolina Senator tells Gillen he wants answers, studies and medical assistance for the servicemen and their families who have been afflicted and today need help. Meanwhile, Gillen asked Bauries if he were facing one of the congressional panels that are looking into this, what he would you like to say to them. “I would have to say, ‘Why did you turn your back on me? Why don’t you help us? We helped you, we did whatever you asked of us, we sacrificed our lives, time away from our loved ones, Why wont you help us?’ “ He pleads for the families in need and life and death fights. He understands and has lived it.

Bauries was just 18 when he enlisted in the U.S. Marines. “My Daughter was 7 days old when I had my orders.” And he was shipped out to fight and face death in Vietnam “All you wanted to do was go home and you finally do get home, some of us and we find out we are in another war, a silent war -- one that we didn’t find out we were in until many years later.” When he returned he from Vietnam he, his wife and little girl were stationed at Camp Lejeune for 15 months. Tragedies began to unfold. “We had a son, he lived for one hour. We had another son and he lived for six months,” he said. Ten years ago, he says he got a call from a government official asking about his second son, and concerns there may have been something wrong with the water back at Camp Lejeune. He says no one in the government has ever followed up about either of his sons’ deaths or his health. That led Gillen to speak with US Marine Corps Major General Eugen Payne. He spoke with Gillen via satellite from Washington D.C. “Was the water contaminated that many of those families drank?” Gillen asked. “The water there was contaminated water at Camp Lejeune during that period,” Payne told Gillen. But most importantly, he continued, was that the Corps is reaching out to find those who may have been affected. But Gillen asked why it took an act from U.S. Congress to force the corps to reach out to find and contact the families. “That is a very good question.” Payne responded. “I would say we always had an interest in contacting thee individuals. But we were focused primarily at that time on finding answers.” Bauries is one of many who worries that time will run out before answers are found. “What is your greatest fear right now?” Gillen asked. “That I am going to die not knowing positively that this was the cause,” he emotionally details. “That this was the cause of my son’s dying because it has consumed my whole life. I have been sick my entire life, I have lost my life and if this happens to be the cause, I just want to know they should be man enough to look us in the face and say, ‘Yes, this was the cause of your pains and I would be happy.’ “ (© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.) NEWS POWERED BY

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December 2009

I-Team: The Anatomy of a Ponzi Scheme continued from page 1

people who loaned him the conference room had checked him out.”

suffering caused by Bernie Madoff.” Pain and suffering – sooner or later it is the payoff from every Ponzi, big or small. Andres Pimstein was a South Florida con man who told investors he was selling iPods to a big department store chain in Chile, and he promised returns of 18 percent or more. It was a huge fraud. Wayne Black is a veteran public corruption investigator now running his own private firm. He worked on the Pimstein case. Black told me, “The common thread with all these Ponzis is a trust pyramid. In other words they trust the person or they trust the person who refers them to the Ponzi or pyramid.” Pimstein was a University of Miami graduate and UM employees were among his victims. Black said, “He’s writing on a whiteboard and making power point presentations in a conference room at the University of Miami and some investors thought the

UM administrators had no idea what was happening. Pimstein’s scam earned him a 17 year federal prison sentence. Allen Stanford, meanwhile, waits to see if he will follow the growing line of Ponzi masters fitted for prison jumpsuits. He also had a South Florida connection. Stanford allegedly bilked investors here and around the world out of up to seven billion dollars by selling bogus certificates of deposit involving an offshore bank. Wayne Black said, “In Stanford there was a big office in Miami, a big office in Texas, a bank in Antigua.” Once again the trappings of legitimacy were there and no one thought to take a long hard look beneath the surface, including federal watchdogs paid to do just that. “The answer,” Black said, “is quicker reporting to the FBI and law enforcement, agencies that have subpoena power and can search a place.”

Stephanie Halio w i s h e s someone had probed and demanded answers and accountability for her and so many others. She told CBS4’s Michael Williams, “You can choose to live or choose to die. Several people have chosen to die. We have chosen to live.” The Halios are doing just that—taking on new jobs in their retirement years, fighting and living in the middle of the financial wreckage that will help define the rest of their lives. (© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.) NEWS POWERED BY

Hurricane Season Comes To End; Quietest Since 1997 Reporting Lisa Cilli FORT COLLINS, Co. (CBS4) — On this final day of November, residents of South Florida and other parts of the country, can breathe a collective sigh of relief now that the 2009 Atlantic Hurricane Season officially comes to an end. In addition, the 2009 season will go into the record books as the quietest since 1997, due to the impact of the El Nino weather phenomenon, according to forecasters at Colorado State University. The 2009 season produced nine named storms and three hurricanes; two of which were major hurricanes. This year was quiet in comparison to last year’s sixteen named storms, eight hurricanes, five of which were major hurricanes. In an average season, there are usually eleven named storms, six hurricanes and 3 major hurricanes.

“Activity in 2009 was reduced considerably due largely to the moderate El Nino event that developed,” said William Gray, who has been issuing forecasts for 26 years. “This event generated significantly stronger-than-average vertical wind shear, especially in the Caribbean and Gulf of Mexico.”

latest such occurrence since 1992.

The forecasters said five named storms dissipated over the open ocean this year, a fairly rare occurrence, caused by unusually high levels of vertical wind shear, caused by El Nino.

With the 2009 season’s official end at hand, forecasters are preparing their first outlook for the 2010 season, to be released Dec. 9.

El Nino is the name given to the unusual warming of the waters of the equatorial Pacific Ocean, which have widespread impact. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said moderate El Nino conditions are expected to persist through the winter. The hurricane season, which begins in June, didn’t record its first storm until Aug. 15, the

No Category 5 storms, with sustained winds of 155 mph or more, were recorded, for the secondstraight year. The latest time two or more consecutive seasons didn’t have a Category 5 storm was in 1999-2002, the forecasters said.

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December 2009

I-Team: Tracking The Florida Stimulus Money Trail Reporting Stephen Stock MIAMI (CBS4 I-TEAM) — A CBS4 I-Team investigation into your money discovered dozens of questionable ways your tax dollars are being spent as part of the US government’s Stimulus package. While the Stimulus bill was touted by Congress and President Barack Obama as a job creator, the I-Team has uncovered millions of dollars being spent on projects that create or save few or zero jobs. I-Team investigator Stephen Stock dug through hundreds of different Stimulus project to uncover details about how your money is really being spent. What do mosquitoes, cone snails, high school students smoking marijuana and massage and beauty schools have in common? They are all the focus of millions of your tax dollars spent as part of the US government’s stimulus program. “Taxpayers should be outraged!” said Citizens Against Government Waste’s Leslie Paige, when the I-Team shared its findings with them. “And in fact I think they are (outraged.)” Paige is media director for Citizens Against Government waste, located in Washington, D.C. “From the get go it (the US Stimulus bill) was pretty much going to be a huge pork barrel project,” Paige said in an interview from Washington. “And that’s exactly what it’s turned out to be.” So far, according to recovery.org, the US government’s official website providing easy access to data related to the Recovery Act, the state of Florida has received $402,300,000 in stimulus money for hundreds of different projects the government says has created 29,321 jobs. Millions more of those tax dollars have been promised to fix bridges, build new road projects--such as renovating the new interchange at the Palmetto and Dolphin expressways--and to save hundreds of public school teaching jobs throughout the state. But the CBS4 I-Team dug deeper. The I-Team discovered dozens of other projects that many people might consider suspect. Projects that, by the government’s own admission, create or save few to no jobs. Take for instance, Florida Atlantic University: it has been awarded $213,750 to study the venom of cone

snails. Or Florida International University: one project got $59,402 dollars awarded to research the physiology of juvenile mosquitoes. Another $648,737 went to develop a program and to study marijuana use among Latino 10th and 11th graders. None of these project proposals list more than a handful of jobs created, at the most. “Unfortunately I’m not surprised,” said US Representative Mario Diaz-Balart when we showed him our findings. Representative Diaz-Balart (R) represents Southwest Dade County, including Florida International University, in Congress. “The American people have the right to be outraged, to be incensed!” said Diaz-Balart. “And (they have the right) to demand that people (in government) be held accountable.” In fact, the CBS I-Team’s analysis of just a few of the different projects funded with stimulus grants shows 75 different groups have been awarded $93,146,211 with no jobs created by any of the proposals. The recipients include Deerfield Beach, which got $460,000 to build new sidewalks. Sixty-five thousand two hundred and seventy one stimulus dollars in grants went to New Concept Massage and Beauty School and $479,277 in grants went to La Belle Beauty School, both in Miami-Dade County. And $767,907 in grants went to Miami International University Art & Design. Also $25-thousand each went to Boca Ballet Theater, Fort Lauderdale’s Children’s Theater and the Jewish Museum of Florida in Miami Beach. The Stimulus spending also includes $1,866,724 that goes to a private company, Square D Company, Inc., out of Palatine, Illinois, to install advanced electrical meter boxes in Key West. And $7,753,301 will go to CTB McGraw Hill, LLC, out of Monterey, California, to develop and administer the FCAT. I-Team investigator Stephen Stock asked one local congressman “Is this the kind of thing this money going to?” Congressman Ron Klein simply answered “No.”

Ron Klein (D) represents Broward and Palm Beach Counties in Congress. He says these few examples uncovered by the I-Team are a problem. “It (the Stimulus bill) is a work in progress,” Klein said. “The stimulus dollars, (for example) over half the money nationally hasn’t been fully implemented yet.” Representative Klein says the questionable programs uncovered by the I-Team are the exception rather than the rule. “I think that common sense tells us that job creation for to get our economy back up and running is quantity of jobs and not all of these do that,” Klein said. “We want to get good quality jobs and some of these silly ideas, if I can use that word, or frivolous ideas, that have come in with these grants, no they shouldn’t be funded.” In fact, Klein has developed his own website. On Klein’s website there is a special feature which allows constituents to track how stimulus money is being spent in his district. Congressman Klein encourages anyone to go on his website and search out questionable spending. Then, he says, they should report it. “The way we can make sure the money is being spent properly is to make sure that the public has all the information to help be the eyes and ears of what’s going on in the community,” Klein said. Leslie Paige, of Citizens Against Government Waste says evidence of these type of projects being funded should prompt Congress to halt the Stimulus spending right away. “Most of this money is going to back fill bureaucracies at state local and federal level,” Paige said. “This is not creating the kind of jobs that taxpayers were promised when the thing passed back in February.” Other watchdog groups in Washington the CBS4 ITeam spoke with say the stimulus package was necessary and has worked to reverse the economic slide. But representatives from those watchdog groups also worry about the huge debt this stimulus bill has saddled taxpayers with and how that might affect the country’s future. And they say questionable projects such as the ones exposed by the I-Team undermines the public’s confidence in the Stimulus package. (© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.) NEWS POWERED BY

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December 2009

Consumer Spending Rose On Black Friday S h o p p e r s Nabbed Black Friday Bargains As Stores Began Selling Early As Midnight

“I know what they want, but I’ve been looking for a deal to make sure I get a good price,” Jude Leeper, 49, of Hanover, Pa., said as she shopped for gifts for family members Friday at a Maryland mall. “I’m going to buy that gift that I know is going to get used, not stuffed in a closet.”

NEW YORK (CBS) — Shoppers spent only slightly more in stores this Black Friday than they did last year, according to data released Saturday by a national research firm.

The traditional shopping spree -- dubbed Black Friday because it often was the day when a surge of shoppers helped stores break into profitability for the full year -has marked the kickoff of holiday shopping for many consumers. But its importance has faded in recent years as merchants started hawking the deep sales and expanded hours usually reserved for that day well in advance.

Preliminary sales data from ShopperTrak RCT Corp. show shoppers spent $10.66 billion when they hit the malls on the day after Thanksgiving -- only 0.5 percent more than last year.

Still, the day is often used as an important barometer of people’s willingness to spend during the holidays -vital weeks for merchants nationwide.

At the same time, other research showed fresh signs of much stronger online sales during the traditional start of the holiday shopping season, which may mean more consumers shopped from home.

This year, many of the in-store deals were also available online, causing some Web sites to overload as pajamaclad shoppers tried to get deals without waiting in long lines in the cold.

Still, more than a year after the economy’s collapse began rattling shoppers, industry observers said Friday’s shopping sprees offered a strong start to the holiday season as large crowds of shoppers snatched up early morning deals.

Web marketing analyst Coremetrics said its data showed the average amount online shoppers spent on Black Friday rose 35 percent as shoppers spent roughly $170.19 per order -- up from $126.04 last year.

The San Mateo, Calif. company also said Web shoppers also bought more items with each purchase. Shop-by-television sales were also strong at the TV shopping network QVC, which said its Black Friday sales totaled $32 million -- up almost 60 percent from last year, thanks to its first-ever push to promote its post-Thanksgiving deals. Executives at J.C. Penney Co. said Saturday that their day after Thanksgiving business in stores was “strong” nationwide as shoppers snatched up doorbusters. However, officials at the department store chain, which did not provide specific data about this year’s business compared with last year, also cautioned that one weekend’s performance wasn’t enough to predict how the rest of the holiday season would fare. Saturday’s in-store figures were compiled by ShopperTrak RCT Corp., a Chicago research firm that tracks sales at more than 50,000 stores (© 2009 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.) NEWS POWERED BY

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December 2009

More Debt Leads To More Bill Collector Bullies MIAMI (CBS4) — In this economy, more people are in serious debt and some bill collectors are getting more aggressive. Dianne McLeod admits her and her husband Stanley fell behind on their mortgage payments; but only after Stanley suffered a heart attack and was forced to give up his job. “Watching his declining health was heartbreaking,” McLeod recalls. Then came the non-stop phone calls from the bill collector, sometimes ten calls a day even though McLeod says they were very aware of his medical condition. In a message left on their voicemail, the debt collector said, “If you can call and get your act together and make your payments on your mortgage and quit playing these games.”

left shockingly false news on her best friend’s answering machine in July -- that she was dead. The message left on the machine says, “Miss Erika Cartagena used you as a personal reference, and I understand there’s been a death of her. If that is true can you give me a return phone call?” The best friend, called Erika’s big brother Louis who said it was traumatizing and brought him to tears. He spent two hours trying to get a hold of his kid sister before learning she was alive. “It’s something that completely spun out of control by one phone call,” Cartagena said. “It’s disgusting. You don’t do that to people, no matter what,” her upset brother told us.

“Hey Alphonso, cupcake. I am like right now climbing into your family background. I am going to dig up so deep up yours; you’re going to wonder why you didn’t do the right thing.” And then the collector is heard swearing and using a racial slur. “You’re just another f-----, n----- have a nice evening.” “Without question one incident of that is absolutely unacceptable,” says Adam Peterman of the Association of Credit and Collection Professionals. He says his agency is not about attacking and berating people. “Every consumer has to be treated with dignity and respect and anything beyond that is unacceptable,” Peterman told CBS. “My husband was not treated with dignity and respect,” says McLeod.

McLeod says her late husband’s blood pressure would shoot straight up and he had trouble breathing. In one message, the collector makes fun of her husband for being flown by helicopter to the hospital after his heart attack.

Now these tactics will go before a judge. These families are suing, hoping to send a clear message that collectors can’t collect this way.

“Why don’t you have that helicopter pick you up and bring that payment to the office?”

“Because I lost a husband because of it,” McLeod said.

Stanley died months later. His wife is now suing the debt collector for wrongful death saying the harassment from those phone calls, killed him.

Have you been victimized by a bullying bill collector? Under federal law you can sue them for harassment and collect up to a thousand dollars, plus medical bills and lost wages. You should also complain to the Attorney General and the Federal Trade Commission.

“I believe it contributed to his death. I really do. You know that if things had been handled differently by this company, that he may still be here,” McLeod said. Consumer attorney Billy Howard is representing Dianne McLeod. “To use something like that against somebody is the most egregious collection abuse that is imaginable,” he said. Howard represents McLeod and hundreds of others across the country who say debt collectors abused them. “It’s intentional, malicious conduct aimed at getting money,” says Howard. Take his client Erika Cartagena who can’t believe what a different company did to her friends and family. Never missing a payment on her Chevy Trailblazer, she still doesn’t know why her lender

The number one complaint into the Federal Trade Commission last year involved debt collectors. The numbers are up 20-percent this year. The government has received more than 45-thousand complaints against them in just the first six months of 2009. Debt collectors calling you repeatedly to annoy you is against federal law. According to the Federal Trade Commission, they can’t harass you, threaten harm or use obscene language. You be the judge whether these messages broke the law. “April. It’s called a telephone. What you do to answer it is you pick up, hold it up to your face, and speak into it. The number here is (deleted). Match those numbers up with the ones in front of you on that thing called a telephone, and dial them in that order and you’ll be able to speak with us.” Here’s another message.

The F.T.C. last year settled a 2.2-million dollar suit against one bill collector for abusive tactics. If you want a bill collector to stop calling you, send them a certified letter asking them to stop. But, if you really owe the money, you may l e a v e them no o t h e r choice but to take you to court. ( © MMIX, C B S

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December 2009

Consumer Group Blasts Stores’ Pushy Sales Tactics NEW YORK (CBS4) — This weekend the official holiday shopping season gets underway as millions of people will line up before dawn on the day after Thanksgiving to take advantage of so called Black Friday bargains. But along with the crowds and the whole parking nightmare – there are lots of other things shoppers don’t want to have to deal with as they search for that perfect gift. Their plight was been picked up by Consumer Reports which placed a full page ad in Tuesday’s USA Today urging stores to cut down on their pushy holiday season retail practices. According to a survey by the organization, 72 percent of shoppers said the most annoying thing stores did was not open all the check out lanes, even during peak times.

Other annoying practices: 68% Fake “sales” - If something is always 20% off, it’s not on sale 67% Coupons that exclude almost everything in the store 62% Being endlessly hounded with the extended warranty sales pitch 58% Cashiers that ask for your phone number or personal information 56% In-store prices that do not match the company’s on-line prices 53% Employees required to up-sell you at the register 52% Pushing store credit cards at the register 50% Mail in rebates 48% Stores that require loyalty cards to get discounts 43% A minimum purchase requirement for credit cards 26% Receipt checkers “Shoppers are fed up with pushy retailing

practices and it is further magnified during the holiday season,” said Tod Marks, senior projects editor Consumer Reports. “Consumers are sick and tired of having to be bombarded with questions and offers when all they want to do is pay and leave the register.” As part of the public-education campaign, Consumer Reports will also launch a holiday shopping hub that will reveal the full list of complaints and offer consumers advice on how to be prepared this shopping season. Consumers can also visit Consumerist.com to vent, chat and fight back about what annoys them during the holidays. (© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.) NEWS POWERED BY

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The Adtimes Newspaper - CONSUMER

December 2009

Levin: Economy Too Poor For War Tax WASHINGTON (CBS) —Senator Carl Levin said a war tax on higher-earning Americans is not out of the question to support a surge of troops in Afghanistan, but believed such a tax is now too late. His comments on CBS’ “Face the Nation” Sunday came in the wake of a proposal by Rep. David Obey, D-Wisc., for a “war tax” to pay for the Afghan war - particularly in light of President Obama’s anticipated increase in U.S. troop strength there. “In the middle of a recession we’re probably not going to be able to increase taxes to pay for it,” Levin, D-Mich., told CBS News’ Harry Smith. “There should have been, as far as I’m concerned, tax increases for upper bracket folks who did so well during the Bush years - that’s where the tax increases should have taken place. But that should have happened some time ago. “But in the middle of this recession, I don’t think you’re going to be able successfully or fairly to add a tax burden to middle-income people,” Levin said. “I think you could tax the upper brackets, $250,000 or more, but I don’t think middle income America is in a position now where they could pay additional taxes because the economic stress is so great here.” Smith asked if the U.S. would still have troops in Afghanistan, if Osama bin Laden has been captured or killed there in 2001. [A new report by the Senate Foreign Relations Committee says in December 2001 bin Laden was “within the grasp” of the American military in Afghanistan who chose not to pursue him with massive force; consequently the terrorist leader “walked unmolested out of Tora Bora and disappeared into Pakistan’s unregulated tribal area,” the report said.] “Maybe not - I would say there would be a good chance we would not have forces or need to have forces there,” Levin said. “But this has been kind of well known for some time. We took our eye off the ball. Instead of moving in on him at Tora Bora, the previous administration decided to move its forces to Iraq. “It was a mistake then.”

He said whether President Obama gets Democratic support for his announcement Tuesday to increase troops in Afghanistan depends on the purpose of the mission and whether additional Americans there would help build numbers in the Afghan army. “If the mission is, as I hope, trying to very quickly build up the Afghan army both in size and in capability and in equipment, if the mission is to give them the capacity to take on the Taliban and I believe that will be the principal mission stated - that would be one important thing to happen for Democratic support. “But the second thing which I think there’s greater question on is why the additional troops would help increase the size of the Afghan army,” he said. “When I was in Afghanistan, I was told that the greatest need in Afghanistan is for more Afghan troops . . . The Marine captain says that the Achilles heel in Afghanistan is the shortage of Afghan troops.” The Senator argued that building the Afghan ranks is very “do-able.” “The Afghans are known to be fighters,” he said. “And there’s not that kind of ethnic division that existed in Iraq. “The question, it seems to me, is not whether we should send more mentors and trainers; we should. The issue is how would additional combat forces, additional Marines, for instance, increase the speed of the build-up of the Afghan army? That’s what I think the president is going to need to explain because the key to success in Afghanistan is the Afghan army taking on the Taliban.” Levin said it is also important for President Obama to keep pressure on the government of President

Karzai to end corruption. On the question of health care reform legislation, Smith asked Levin if he believed Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., has the 60 votes needed to pass? “I think there’s a decent chance that we’ll be able to get 60 votes,” he replied. “The leader here, Harry Reid, has done a really good job of getting 60 votes to jump that first hurdle which was a procedural hurdle. But I won’t underestimate his capability to get us to 60 votes on final passage.” Even with a public option? “Probably,” Levin said, if it’s one that states can opt out from. (© MMIX, C B S Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)

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The Adtimes Newspaper - CONSUMER

December 2009

JCPenney Saying Goodbye To ‘Big Book’ Catalogs consumer habits to view catalogs more as “look books.” The Plano company will continue to publish its Christmas catalog and others, such as the “Little Red Book” for women’s apparel and “Matters of Style” for men.

PLANO, Texas (CBS) — JCPenney will stop publishing its twice-yearly “big book” catalogs, now that customers increasingly shop online. Instead, JCPenney Co. says it will publish specialty catalogs and focus its efforts online, on the website jcp.com and on social networks. In part, the company says it is responding to

Company spokesman Tim Lyons says the move is more than a cost-cutting measure. “A big catalog like this has a big lead time that takes a long time to produce and can sit in a person’s home for months and months - is not able to have the most current and relevant information as we would like.” The company says sales from the big book peaked about 10 years ago with sales around $4 billion.

Eliminating the hefty twice-a-year catalogs will cut the company’s paper use by 25 percent to 30 percent in 2010. At one point, JCPenney says it printed 14 million copies of the catalog, this year it only printed 9 million. The company does point out they will still remain in the catalog business, just on a much smaller scale. (© 2009 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.) NEWS POWERED BY

Since then, catalog sales have declined as more shoppers buy online.

Schwarzenegger’s Office Questions IRS Tax Lien (CBS) A celebrity Web site has posted an IRS document showing Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger owes $79,000 in back taxes, but a spokesman says the governor has paid all taxes. The Web site TMZ.com on Friday posted a “notice of federal tax lien” filed in May with the Los Angeles County Recorder’s Office. The document says Schwarzenegger owes $39,047 from 2004 and $40,016 from 2005. Schwarzenegger’s spokesman, Aaron McLear, says the governor’s taxes have been paid “in full and on time” and that he has not been notified of a problem. “The Governor has paid his taxes in full and on time. No one, including the IRS, has notified the Governor of any issues whatsoever with his taxes. We are contacting the IRS to determine if the document in question, which appears to be a penalty for missing info and not for unpaid taxes, is legitimate and if there is any discrepancy to resolve,” said Governor Schwarzenegger’s Press Secretary Aaron McClear. An IRS spokesman, Dean Patterson, says the agency cannot comment on individual cases. (© 2009 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)

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The Adtimes Newspaper - ENTERTAINMENT

December 2009

Good Looks Becoming Requirement In Restaurant Biz get a job waiting tables?” Banow says he’s interviewed for dozens of restaurant jobs and has been denied every time. It’s not getting easier. “I don’t look like Fabio, I don’t look like Ricky Martin, but I’ve been in the restaurant business all my life, I’m a certified sommelier, I’d be an asset to just about anybody.” It appears to be getting worse because Banow says now he can’t even get in the door to do an interview. He says many establishments advertising jobs on Craigslist require a photo before even giving applicants a phone call. Reporting Natalia Zea MIAMI (CBS4) — It’s no secret that South Florida has some of the hottest bartenders, hostesses, and servers around. “Everyone out here tends to be a lot prettier than where I am from,” says Boston native Jake Beachaine. New York City native Sara Vila noticed it too, though she’s not impressed. “I have seen some glamorous beautiful bodies behind the bar, but they need to work on their attitude,” said Vila. Nashville native Justin Graham admits a pretty hostess outside a restaurant on Lincoln Road makes him more likely to eat there. “Guys are suckers for stuff like that,” said Graham. But Coconut Grove resident Mark Banow says the desire for hotter, fitter, and younger employees has kept him at his computer for the last six months, struggling to find a bar or restaurant job. And he thinks about it every time he sees those young employees. “I look at them and I’m like they have a job, I wish I had a job. I really do.” Banow is in his 40s, and considers himself somewhat average looking. He has spent his life in the restaurant business, as a fine dining waiter and manager. On two recent job interviews at Miami Beach restaurants, Banow realized even multiple years of experience isn’t enough. “At the end of the interview he said I have great qualifications he was very impressed with the way I spoke, with the accomplishments I’ve had in my life, that I would be an asset to any employer, but I didn’t have the “South Beach look,” explained Banow. “When I walked out of the second interview, I was almost in tears. I mean what does somebody have to go through to

Young says attractiveness is not a protected class under discrimination laws. “If you discriminate against someone because of their gender, that’s a problem, if you discriminate against someone because of the color of their skin, that’s a problem. But how they look, that’s not been recognized by the courts,” Young explained. Judge Young says private businesses legally have the right to be picky. “If they want to hire someone who looks, you know has the body of Britney Spears, you can do that.”

CBS4 reporter Natalia Zea looked through Craigslist to see for herself.

Banow is trying to stay positive. He’s looking forward to the day he finds a job to prove how valuable he is, inside and out.

On one afternoon alone, she found dozens of ads posting jobs at bars and restaurants that call for pictures. One ad even asked for a photo to get a job as a hot dog vendor.

“Everybody’s beautiful, I don’t care if you just got off a raft in Key Biscayne or you were born in Boca Raton, everybody’s beautiful you know? It’s just the way you look at them.”

The requirements go way past being professional and positive. To work at many places in South Florida apparently you have to be good looking, sexy, and as one luxury Miami Beach hotel advertised, they are only looking for employees who are “female, under 35 and gorgeous.”

Managers at a bar in Pompano Beach want to make sure “your body is as hot as your face”, and they require pictures of both, but don’t worry, they don’t care if you have experience. Banow won’t send in pictures to these places out of pride and concern. “It’s extremely unfair, I think it’s disgusting. It’s a shame that we’re approaching the year 2010 and people are still discriminating against people,” said Banow. Even if you feel it’s wrong that bars and restaurants can deny you a job based purely on your looks, legally it’s not discrimination. Former South Florida judge turned TV personality Judge David

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The Adtimes Newspaper - ENTERTAINMENT

December 2009

Fast Facts: Holiday Cooking Safety Tips From MDFD MIAMI-DADE (CBS4) — The holidays and eating go hand-in-hand but the MiamiDade Fire Rescue Department wants to remind you to take certain precautions when preparing holiday meals in order to stay safe and healthy. When preparing your holiday meal, follow these safety tips: * Keep your hands and cooking utensils clean. * Make sure the dishes you use in the microwave, standard oven and dishwasher are marked that they are safe for that use. Even in the dishwasher, a nonapproved plate can cause a fire. * Do not turn up the heat in the oven to speed up turkey-cooking time. This is a fire hazard. * Don’t leave any cooking unattended. Statistics show this is the number one cause of house fires in the nation.

If using a Turkey Fryer, follow these safety tips: * Never use Turkey Fryers on wooden decks or in a garage. * Make sure the fryer is used on a flat surface to reduce tipping. * Never leave the fryer unattended. Most units do not have thermostat controls. If you don’t watch the fryer carefully, the oil will continue to heat until it catches fire. * Never let children or pets near the fryer while in use. Even after use, use caution; the oil inside the cooking pot can remain dangerously hot for hours. * Do not overfill the fryer. * Make sure the turkey is completely thawed and be careful with marinades. Oil and water don’t mix, and water causes oil to spill over, creating a fire or even an explosion hazard. If using a Caja China, follow these safety tips: * Never use instant charcoal. * Never use charcoal on the center tray. Once lit, distribute the charcoal throughout the tray. * Use only starter fluid; never use gasoline or kerosene to light a charcoal fire.

* Never attempt to re-start a flame by adding additional starter fluid to an already-lit grill. This can cause a flare-up. * Dispose of charcoal away from children and pets, and cool it down with a hose. Coals are hot: up to 1,000 degrees Fahrenheit. Other Safety Tips: * Make sure you have a working fire extinguisher within easy reach. Unused fire extinguishers should be replaced every 10 years, or if the pressure gauge indicates that it needs to be changed. * If you are preparing a meal with a turkey fryer or a caja china, it should be placed outdoors a safe distance from any building and away from any other material that can burn. (© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.) NEWS POWERED BY

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The Adtimes Newspaper - ENTERTAINMENT

December 2009

Why Are We Fascinated by Celeb Affairs? (CBS) What is it about fame and cheating that peaks our curiosity? Splashed across the tabloids is yet another woman rumored to have had an affair with Tiger Woods. Of course, Tiger’s not the first celebrity marriage in the spotlight. CBS News correspondent Emily Smith looked into this highly publicized trend. Fellow sports star Kobe Bryant felt the heat in the court of public scrutiny when he admitted cheating on his wife. “I’m disgusted; I’m disappointed with myself for making a mistake of adultery,” the NBA star said. David Letterman came clean on “The Late Show.” “The creepy stuff was that I have had sex with women who work for me on this show,” Letterman admitted. “I apologize to my wife, Jenny. I’ve acted in a way that violates my obligations to my family,” he added.

“I must put it right and I am prepared to do whatever it takes to do so,” said former President Bill Clinton.

moral beacon. He’s not holding public office.

Even Hollywood has mirrored the drama on the small screen in “The Good Wife.”

“And I think there’s a real issue in this society that we tell our young people look up to these guys because they’re the ones we should aspire to be, yes, in terms of hitting the ball. But why everything else?” she added.

He said - She said Panel: Relationship experts Matt Titus and psychologist Linda Papadopoulos sat down with Early Show co-anchor Harry Smith and Early Show correspondent and resident veterinarian, Debbye Turner Bell to discuss why we are intrigued by the rich and famous ones who cheat. “Surveys will show that men by and large do cheat. Women, a little less so. But is there something about being rich and powerful that gives you greater license to do what a lot of men do anyway?” Smith asked.

Celebrities, politicians and athletes often get caught by the stupidest of behavior, which make us wonder - do they think they can get away with it? “They want these women to need them, want them, fall in love with them and they don’t just sleep with them and leave them because they are egomaniacs,” Titus said. According to Papadopoulos, narcissism, a sense of entitlement and control are at the core of celebrity affairs. “For men in general, why get married?” Bell asked.

“It’s the gluttony of celebrity. Tiger Woods not only cheated on his wife, but he cheated on his public. This is another example of how a squeaky clean public image can be manufactured through 30-second sound bites. We don’t know how he is personally. And how can a man that has everything, a beautiful wife, athleticism beyond belief and a fortune want anything more?” Titus said.

“Because he wants $1 billion in endorsements, you want to be looked upon a certain way, you need a family, great moral standing, charity work, everything,” Titus explained. Oftentimes, a confession to an affair stems from trouble with the law, like in Bryant’s case, Smith pointed out.

From Mark Sanford to Eliot Spitzer - “I’ve acted in a way that violates my obligations to my family,” said Spitzer, New York’s former governor.

Does Tiger Woods owe the public some kind of other behavior?

But in Woods’ situation, he had a fender bender in his front yard. So does he really owe anybody an explanation?

Powerful politicians begged for the forgiveness of their first ladies.

“That’s the problem. Why do we hold them up to be moral beacons?” Papadopoulos asked. “He hits a ball with a club. I have a real issue with that. He’s a sportsman. That’s what he is. He’s not a politician, which arguably should be a

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The Adtimes Newspaper - HEALTH

December 2009

Man Comes Back From The Dead 56-Year-Old Man Brought Back To Life After 47 Minutes, 4,500 Chest Compressions And 8 Zaps With Defibrillator Staff At New York Presbyterian Hospital Pulls Off True Medical Miracle NEW YORK (CBS) — What happens if your heart stops beating? Is it possible to survive? CBS station WCBS-TV in New York recently met a Brooklyn man who lived after his heart quit for 47 minutes, and it’s all thanks to a team of doctors who refused to give up until they brought him back from the dead. “These doctors did not stop,” Joe Tiralosi said, fighting through tears to find the words to describe his experience. “Without them, and I’m serious when I tell you, I wouldn’t be here.” Tiralosi is a medical miracle. He’s been to the edge and back, to a place most people don’t return from. Now he’s at home in Brooklyn, but three months ago he literally died. “I think miracle best describes it,” Tiralosi said. Tiralosi suffered sudden cardiac arrest. His heart stopped beating for 47 minutes. “Not a moment goes by that I don’t take for granted every second because I know it only takes the blink of an eye to lose your life,” he said.

Gaudio said. It took 4,500 chest compressions and eight shocks from a defibrillator to get Tiralosi stabilized at 11:55 a.m. While his doctors worked frantically to save him he barely remembers anything about that day. “I kind of remember going out. I knew I was going out and I heard someone call my name, and I just went out,” Tiralosi said. Tiralosi’s doctors said only one out of four people survive sudden cardiac arrest. Most die within 10 minutes of heart failure. And of those who survive 30 percent suffer serious brain damage. WCBS-TV asked “Was there a time after 47 minutes in the room when someone said ‘Guys, enough’s enough. Time to end it’? “There were whispers of that but I imagined that he was a man with a family, with a family someplace and I didn’t want to go out and tell that family that we had lost him. I had to keep going,” said Dr. Gaudio. A specific procedure helped save Tiralosi’s life. Special cooling pads, not available in all emergency rooms, lowered his body temperature to 91 degrees, essential in preventing long-term neurological damage and preserving brain function. Placed in a medically induced coma, incredibly, he began to wake up three days later - without brain damage.

Last week, the 56-year-old father of two returned to New York Presbyterian Hospital to thank the medical team who saved his life and share his story with WCBS-TV.

“For me, I was blessed that day. God was with me and brought me here,” Tiralosi said.

On Aug. 17, Tiralosi walked into the emergency room feeling sick and disoriented. He collapsed a minute later.

Doctors restarted Tiralosi’s heart but he said it was his family’s support that sustained him. His wife, Janet, still can’t talk about it. He said he remembers hearing his son Joey’s voice when he was still in the coma.

“The doctors themselves were responsible for giving my chance to live again,” Tiralosi said. Doctors Rahul Sharma and Flavio Gaudio led the team who worked on him.

“There was things he wanted to do with me yet, but we hadn’t had the chance to do and that I should hang in there,” Tiralosi said.

“It’s a miracle for which it is difficult to find words,” Dr. Gaudio said.

“I would squeeze my daughter’s hand. She’d ask me to be … tell me how strong I was,” Joe Tiralosi said.

“When Joe came in he was talking. It was his presence when he came in that made us all say we’re not going to give up,” Dr. Sharma added.

“I never really looked at him as a miracle during those weeks because I always had hope,” Christina Tiralosi added.

“I felt he had a good pulse with the compressions so part of me thought that we had bought some time,”

The doctors said Joe Tiralosi’s case is one for the record books - one they’ll never forget.

“I’ve never seen this. This is extremely rare. We were all very emotionally involved as well,” Dr. Sharma said. We’re happy to report Joe Tiralosi is making steady progress in his recovery. “I’m not complaining because we know where I’ve been,” he said. “I just look forward to getting the chance to live a long normal life, and let people know they shouldn’t take for granted ever your life and your family because they can be taken away from you so quickly,” Tiralosi said. Tiralosi is going through cardiac rehab right now. The professional chauffeur is working hard to get his life back to normal. He is taking life one day at a time. (© MMIX, C B S

The Adtimes Newspaper - HEALTH

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December 2009

Good Germs May Fight Bad Colds & Flu Reporting Demos

Cynthia

miso soup, some soft cheeses, pickles, sauerkraut, and certain yogurts.

MIAMI (CBS4) — With the H1N1 swine flu pandemic, how are you staying healthy? Some folks may wash their hands frequently, get plenty of sleep, and stay away from anyone who is sneezing or coughing.

Now new evidence demonstrates how live active cultures found in these foods can ward off the cold and flu.

These are all great steps to keep healthy, but what about fighting bad germs with good germs? It’s possible because some microorganisms may actually do a body good. The good germs are live active microorganisms called probiotics. They’re similar to bacteria found in your gut and many believe probiotics are protective. “They protect you because they optimize your immune system” said nutritionist Joe Ann Hattner. Heightener said over 70-percent of our immune response takes place in the gut. Probiotics are found in a variety of fermented foods:

The study, published in the medical journal Pediatrics, found healthy children ages 3 to 5 who were fed probiotics had fewer cases of colds and flu, and when they did get sick, they were sick for fewer days. “The kids who got the probiotics had reduced symptoms of their fever, their runny nose, their cough,” said Hattner. Hattner has written extensively about probiotics, most recently in her new book called Gut Insight. But she advises if you add probiotic foods to your diet, you should add other foods, called prebiotics, as well. “The prebiotics are in the plant foods,” explained Hattner. Prebiotics are indigestible carbohydrates found in plants foods like artichokes, onions, garlic, bananas, and whole wheat. These prebiotic foods help to fuel

helpful probiotic bacteria. “The bacteria munch on the prebiotics, that is really their nutrition, that’s what causes them to replicate and grow and function,” said Hattner. As for probiotic supplements? Hattner says stick to whole food sources instead. And while these good germs are not a cure for colds, the seasonal flu or H1N1, these beneficial germs may help to keep you and your family’s immune system healthy. But when shopping for foods that contain probiotics, look for live and active cultures on the label; and look for strains that have been scientifically tested and confirmed as having probiotic effects such as Lactobacillus Rhamnosus GG. The most common probiotic bacteria include lactobacillus acidophilus, lactobacillus casei, lactobacillus reuteri, lactobacillus plantarum, lactobacillus rhamnosus, bifidobacterium animalis, bifidobacterium lactis, bifidobacterium infantis and bifidobacterium longum. (© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)

Movie Popcorn, Soda Pack Surprising Calorie Wallop Study Shows Medium Popcorn And Soda Combo Equivalent Of 3 Q u a r t e r Pounders And 12 Pats of Butter (CBS) Ordering a medium popcorn and soda combo from a major national movie theater chain is the equivalent of eating three McDonald’s Quarter Pounders with 12 pats of butter, according to a new study by the Center for Science in the Public Interest. According to laboratory analysis conducted by the Center for Science and Public Interest (CSPI), the concessions from Regal, the country’s biggest movie chain, have 1,160 calories and three days worth - 60 grams - of fat. Regal said that the medium popcorn had 720 calories and the large had 960, but CSPI’s tests found those numbers to be understated. A small popcorn at Regal had 670 calories - the same as a Pizza Hut Personal Pepperoni Pan Pizza. Even if you share a small popcorn - it’s still about a day’s worth of saturated fat per person, according to CSPI.

“It’s hard enough for Americans to maintain a healthy weight even when limiting their eating to breakfast, lunch, and dinner,” said CSPI senior nutritionist Jayne Hurley. “Who realizes that they might be taking in a meal’s worth of calories during a movie? Splitting a medium popcorn with two other people sounds like a reasonable thing to do, but who would think they’re getting an entire day’s worth of saturated fat?”

Cinemark, the third-largest chain pops their corn in heart-healthy, but similarly caloric, canola oil.

The study is published in December’s Nutrition Action Healthletter, and updates research CSPI conducted 15 years ago.

CSPI warns not to indulge in sodas or candy either. A 8-ounce bag of Reese’s Pieces had 1,160 calories and 35 grams of saturated fat, making it comparable to eating a 16-ounce T-bone steak and a buttered baked potato.

George Dunn, the President and COO of Regal Entertainment Group, said that when CSPI released a similar study in 1994, Regal responded by offering healthier choices like air-popped popcorn, but that they weren’t popular with customers. “According to the most recent statistics from the Motion Picture Association of America, the average American attends six movies a year,” Dunn said. “Theater popcorn and movie snacks are viewed as a treat and not intended to be part of a regular diet.” AMC, the second-largest chain, had similar calorie and fat counts. Adding the butter-flavored oil topping piles on an additional 240 calories.

While Cinemark’s popcorn had far less saturated fat 2 grams- it had the highest amount of sodium, 1,500 milligrams, which is a day’s allowance for most people. But at some Cinemark locations, the butter topping is made with real butter, adding 18 grams of saturated fat.

“Sitting in the dark, absorbed by a movie, we pay no attention to what we’re eating-and movie theater chains are offering only bad choices at bad prices,” said Hurley. “The healthiest snack to buy at the movies is no snack at all.” (© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)

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The Adtimes Newspaper - HEALTH

December 2009

Mammogram Report A Subject In Health Debate money ... but you’re not going to save lives.”

Lawmakers broke along party lines on a new aspect of the health care debate Sunday as a former National Institutes of Health chief urged women to ignore guidelines that delay the start of breast cancer screenings. Republicans pointed to the guidelines as evidence the Democrats’ proposals for a health care overhaul would yield limits on mammograms and a rationing of care. Democrats dismissed those worries and said Republicans were stoking fears without facts. Under the Democratic plan, a new independent institute would advise the health secretary. However, the health secretary would not be required to deny or extend coverage in a government-backed health plan based on recommendations from the institute. A government-appointed panel said last week that women generally should begin routine mammograms in their 50s, rather than their 40s — sparking cries of outrage and claims a taxpayerfunded health care option wouldn’t pay for the screenings. “I’m saying very powerfully ignore them, because unequivocally ... this will increase the number of women dying of breast cancer,” said Dr. Bernadine Healy, a director of the National Institutes of Health under Republican President George H.W. Bush. “Women in their 40s have a very aggressive kind of breast cancer. They tend to progress fast. And to not screen women in that age group is astounding to me, and it goes against the bulk of individuals who are actually caring for patients. A brain cancer patient who ran for the Senate as a Republican, Healy added: “You may save some

services like mammograms and colonoscopies and other cancer screenings would be free.”

Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison, a Texas Republican who is seeking her state’s governor’s office, said the new scientific data is “the beginning of rationing.” She said it will provide the government with an excuse not to provide payments for more frequent screenings and that insurance companies would then follow suit.

GOP lawmakers said the Democratic health care plan, which the Senate allowed to inch forward Saturday night and remains President Barack Obama’s top domestic priority, would set the nation toward massive government control.

Rep. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn., said the recommendations will force Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius to exclude the preventive measures from any plan that receives government funds.

“Do these recommendations make sense from a cost standpoint? Absolutely, from a cost standpoint, they’re right,” said Rep. Tom Coburn, an Oklahoma Republican who is a medical doctor. “From a patient standpoint, they’re atrocious. And that’s the problem with a bureaucracy stepping between a physician and their patient.”

“They become the law, the mandate,” she said. Safeguards against the dire situation Republican predict already exist. All states except Utah make insurers cover mammograms, and 20 states require coverage that starts at age 40, according to 2007 data compiled by the Washington-based National Women’s Law Center. The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force issued its recommendations on Nov. 16, saying getting screened for breast cancer so early and so often leads to too many false alarms and unneeded biopsies without substantially improving women’s odds of survival. “As a breast cancer survivor, I came out against these recommendations,” Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, a Florida Democrat, said Sunday. “Every major cancer organization has come out against these recommendations. The task force language in that bill actually makes sure that ... preventive

Healy appeared on “Fox News Sunday” while Hutchison appeared on NBC’s “Meet the Press.” Blackburn, Wasserman Shultz and Coburn appeared on ABC’s “This Week.” NEWS POWERED BY

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The Adtimes Newspaper - HEALTH

December 2009

Insurer Halts Woman’s Benefits Over Facebook Photo job at IBM in Bromont, Quebec, for the last year. The Canadian Broadcasting Corp. reported Saturday she was diagnosed with major depression and was receiving monthly sick-leave benefits from insurance giant Manulife. But the payments dried up this fall and when Blanchard called Manulife, she says she was told she was available to work because of Facebook.

aCanadian Company Manulife Denies Using Web Sites As Sole Basis For Deciding Claims BROMONT, Quebec (CBS) — A Canadian woman on long-term sick leave for depression says she lost her benefits because her insurance agent found photos of her on Facebook in which she appeared to be having fun.

She said her insurance agent described several pictures Blanchard posted on Facebook, including ones showing her having a good time at a Chippendales bar show, at her birthday party and on a sun holiday. Blanchard said Manulife told her it’s evidence she is no longer depressed. She’s fighting to get her benefits reinstated and says her lawyer is exploring what the next step should be.

Blanchard told the CBC that on her doctor’s advice, she tried to have fun, including nights out at her local bar with friends and short getaways to sun destinations, as a way to forget her problems. Manulife wouldn’t comment on Blanchard’s case, but did say they would not deny or terminate a claim solely based on information published on Web sites such as Facebook. The company did confirm using the social networking site when investigating clients, according to the CBC. (© 2009 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.) NEWS POWERED BY

Nathalie Blanchard has been on leave from her

Mixed Methods Can Help Smokers Put Down Cigarettes Reporting Cynthia Demos WESTON (CBS4) — Each day, three thousand children in the United States start smoking. Globally there are 1.1 billion smokers. Most say the addiction to nicotine makes it tough to quit, but former smokers say it is possible to kick the habit. Joyce Galietti, 47, of North Lauderdale has been smoking since she was 14. “It was just a typical teenage thing. Everybody was doing it. So we all did it,” she admitted. Over the years, she’s tried to quit. Recently, she decided to kick the habit for good. “My children they gave me a hard enough time about it. ‘It’s nasty,’ they would say. They’d hide my cigarettes and throw my ashtray away,” Galietti said. “The most important aspect of a smoking

cessation program is the patient’s readiness to actually quit smoking” explained Dr. Franck Rahaghi with the Cleveland Clinic Weston. He said 50 to 60 percent of smokers try to quit every year. But it’s not easy. “It’s very, very difficult, both emotionally and physically, to quit smoking,” Rahaghi added. The smoking cessation program at Cleveland Clinic Weston uses a combination of treatments including behavioral therapy, talking with a counselor and medication to wean smokers away from cigarettes. Rahaghi said smokers seem to have more success this way rather than with the cold turkey approach. “A combination approach is the best one where there’s a behavioral modification by a professional advice given by a professional. The other one is medications that directly affect your brain affect the pleasure centers that block the addictive pleasure center aspects of smoking,” he

explained. Galietti said this approach worked for her when others failed. She has been smoke-free for eight months. “Incorporating all the programs and the counselors and altogether like a bundle package, it really did work this time.” Rahaghi said, if at first you don’t succeed try, try again. “A lot of patients may require a couple of attempts to quit; but during those times they don’t smoke, they are promoting their health. And it’s okay to do this again and again and it’s worth doing it again and again.” To find out about a smoking cessation program at Cleveland Clinic Weston, call 954-659-5000.

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December 2009

Homeowners Lose The Shame Of Foreclosure “Strategy is often a word used with war. And this is kind of a battle and there is strategic thinking that has to go into it,” said Reisner. Reisner is not happy about possibly moving out of his home, but he believes at this point in his life owing twice what his house is worth it is the prudent thing to do.

Reporting David Sutta MIAMI (CBS4) — This week Miami-Dade county will break another foreclosure record; more foreclosures this year than any year in the county’s history. Experts say the numbers are not slowing down because in addition to the exotic mortgages that brought on this epidemic, the unemployed are falling behind. There has also been a swing in South Florida’s perspective. You could call it a new epidemic for our economy. Some homeowners have become fed up and are giving in voluntarily to foreclosure. “The moral stigma with foreclosure is gone,” attorney Roy Oppenheim told CBS4. Oppenheim estimates a third of his foreclosure cases are now homeowners that can afford to pay but are choosing not to. He calls it liberation. “Liberate them from the idea the bank is going to control them for the rest of their life. That they think they are tied to these credit scores that are somehow are important to them.” Oppenheim said. Gone are the days of a moral obligation to pay back debt. After watching bailout after bailout, homeowners like Neil Reisner are choosing what is called strategic default.

“We could rent a house right now. A very nice house in our same neighborhood, a very nice neighborhood, Hollywood Hills, for half of what we are paying on our mortgage. That makes sense. Sometimes I think why am I not doing that already,” said Reiser. At first Oppenheim said that he thought this was fad but not anymore. “We’ve now come to realize, and other people have advised us, that we better get used to this. Because this is now the new normal,” Oppenheim said. People now giving up the American Dream to get out of the American nightmare. “I didn’t expect to be in this position as I approach 60. I’m angry with myself, I feel very frustrated about that, but ultimately it’s just a decision,” Resiner said. From start to finish Oppenheim estimates it can take anywhere from 24 to 36 months for these cases to come to an end. Reiser said the the relief is instant;

a new life starts today. Of course, you cannot walk away from your home without consequences. Your credit score will drop hundreds of points and it will take at least four years to get another mortgage, likely at a higher interest rate. (© MMIX, C B S

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December 2009

Focus On Fighting Foreclosure Goes To The Banks Reporting Codd

Carey

OAKLAND PARK (CBS4) — Andrew Wilkinson’s Oakland Park home is an oasis. With lush landscaping and private hedges, Wilkinson transformed a house that needed some work into a home. But it might not be his home for much longer. In February, Wilkinson lost his job as a tax accountant when the major corporation he worked for downsized. Wilkinson did not want CBS4 to name the company. “It gives you sort of a feeling of helplessness, sometimes you feel worthless,” Wilkinson told CBS4’s Carey Codd. “I have been depressed. Up and down. It’s been a hard, hard time.” Wilkinson has not paid his mortgage since he was laid-off. He has tried to negotiate with his lender to work out a loan modification but he said he’s been unsuccessful. “I think the lenders need to be held more accountable,” Wilkinson said. He is not alone in that belief. According to the Florida Attorney General’s Office, Broward County ranks 6th in country in foreclosure rate. Florida AG Bill McCollum said banks are part of the problem. “I believe that it was largely the irresponsible conduct of the lenders that contributed to this financial mess and they need to be leading the charge to help get us on the road to economic recovery in this state and throughout the country,” McCollum said in a statement. There is a push across the state and in Broward County to make mediation between borrowers and lenders a significant part of the foreclosure process. A Florida Supreme Court Task Force on Residential

Mortgage Foreclosure Cases recommended managed mediation as a way to bring all parties to the table early in the foreclosure process. The hope is that mediation will result in positive outcomes for homeowners and also lessen the enormous strain foreclosures are placing on the court system. “Mediation tends to be faster than the judicial system and tends to have both parties have more favorable results,” said Deputy Attorney General Cindy Guerra, at a community forum on housing Saturday in Sunrise. The forum was hosted by the Florida Attorney General’s Office in hopes of providing assistance to homeowners facing foreclosure. The mediation plan in Broward County is not finalized and, if approved, would call for mediators to work with homeowners and lenders to resolve issues. Possible funding plans for the program are still being discussed. Attorney George Castrataro handles dozens of foreclosure cases in Broward County. He said foreclosure cases are taking months, if not more than a year, to work through the court system. Similarly, he said his clients often have a difficult time obtaining loan modifications because the process is lengthy and filled with enormous amounts of paperwork. Castrataro believes a mediation program could cut down the time these cases take. “The mediation insures a stopgap measure,” Castrataro said. “It insures that the bank will have to listen.” Castrataro said he’s seen mediation assist clients in obtaining loan

modifications, reductions in their principal owed and, in cases where foreclosure cannot be avoided, a significant reduction in the amount of debt they owe long term. He believes mediation would be a winwin for homeowners and the court system. “Mediation will force banks to be accountable. It will also free up a lot of time in the courtroom,” he said. Andrew Wilkinson did recently receive some good news. He will start a part-time job on Monday but he fears it is too late to save the home he loves. “Maybe the lender could do something, maybe if they’re pushed a little bit,” Wilkinson said. “Right now, I’m a number, I’m a number in many loans, many homes that are going under.” (© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.) NEWS POWERED BY

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December 2009

1 In 4 Mortgage Borrowers Is Under Water (CBS News) Nearly a quarter of U.S. mortgage holders owe more on their loans than their houses are worth, according to a report today in the Wall Street Journal.

in part to a first-time buyers’ tax credit - the Journal’s Ruth Simon and James R. Hagerty write that this swelling of “underwater mortgages” threatens the prospects of a sustained housing recovery.

Data from First American CoreLogic, a Santa Ana, Calif.-based real-estate information company, shows that in the third quarter of 2009 almost 10.7 million households had negative equity in their homes.

The First American report said that more than 520,000 of borrowers whose mortgages are at least 20% higher than their home’s value have received a default notice.

Despite good news on the house resales front it was reported Monday that home sales surged for the second month in a row in October, climbing to the highest level in 2 1/2 years, due

These properties are more likely to fall into foreclosure, ultimately being dumped by banks and mortgage holders onto an already-saturated market, depressing falling house prices even further.

Negative equity “is an outstanding risk hanging over the mortgage market,” Mark Fleming, chief economist of First American Core Logic, told the Journal. “It lowers homeowners’ mobility because they can’t sell, even if they

want to move to get a new job.” According to the analysis, homeowners in Nevada, Arizona, Florida and California are more likely to be deeply underwater. In Nevada, for example, nearly 30% of borrowers owe 50% or more on their mortgage than their home is worth, said First American. (© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)

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Late Property Tax Appeals Rise In Popularity Reporting Sutta

David

Oddly, some are the same homeowners he once helped get into these depreciating homes.

passed, but they are still accepting appeals as long as you have a good excuse.

MIAMI (CBS4) — It’s becoming a growing trend in South Florida: homeowners contesting their property tax bills. And there’s good news for those of you who haven’t filed an appeal yet but want to. In hearing rooms in Downtown Miami and Fort Lauderdale, homeowners are making their case about property taxes, arguing their homes are being assessed at prices they could only dream of selling at.

Fitzpatrick told CBS4 News, “There are dozens of vendors like us that have gotten into this because of the demand.”

Good cause excuses are items such as you were traveling, ill, have discovered Chinese drywall, never received a tax bill, or were serving in the military.

In Broward county nearly 30-thousand people filed appeals last year. It’s up 3,000 more this year--a record. And they are still taking them in daily and likely well into next year. Miami-Dade is setting records as well, with 102-thousand properties contested last year. Right now it stands at 141thousand.

Both Spoon and Fitzpatrick agree it’s to your advantage to challenge the tax bill.

“In my opinion we are seeing an over-value of 15 to 20% in these files. In some cases it’s as much as 40%,” said Russ Fitzpatrick of Core Associates. The difference can amount to tens of thousands of dollars. And it’s become big business for Fitzpatrick. The real estate broker is now defending homeowners before the value adjustment board.

“Yes I think it’s a sign of the times,” said Phil Spoon. He is a special magistrate hearing these cases. Spoon says he’s had homeowners plead their case with tears in their eyes. “Taxes are one of the two largest expenses, the other one being insurance,” said Spoon. “If you reduce the taxes, then also increases the bottom line of their income.” Technically the time to challenge your tax bill has

“I think that they should do that, especially if they feel their assessment is too high,” said Spoon. Fitzpatrick said, “If you believe that you are being over assessed, and you don’t make an appeal, you are being irresponsible. You are leaving money on that table.” FOR MORE INFORMATION ON FILING AN APPEAL: www.bcpa.net/value.asp www.miami-dadeclerk.com/dadecoc/VAB.asp (© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)

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December 2009

Two Different Views Of The Foreclosure Crisis Reporting David Sutta MIAMI (CBS4) —Spend a day on South Florida’s beaches and you would have a hard time understanding why, for the first time in Florida’s history, more people are leaving then moving

“You have to go back into history, because it sets the foundation for what you are seeing today,” said Cannon.

to see condominium prices drop a good 15-20 percent next year.” said McCabe.

Scattered among the ads are headlines that look familiar. Dim housing outlooks from the 50’s. People stuck renting in the 80’s. As Cannon pointed to the articles he said, “We are seeing the same characteristics today that we saw during the 80’s, during the periods of the 70’s, during the 60’s as well. History is repeating itself. It’s just that it’s bigger this time. This is the great recession.”

Mccabe believes of new wave of submarket loans resetting is going to fuel another foreclosure frenzy. This would be in additional to a stockpile of homes banks are holding to keep from flooding the marketplace.

here. But on main street the evidence is clear, this housing crisis has cleared out fortunes, including people’s retirement. CBS4 News wondered though if this is as bad as it’s going to get, and found it depends on who you ask. “History always seems to repeat itself.” said Michael Cannon, of Integra Realty Resources. Cannon, has more than 40 years in South Florida real estate consulting. He also has more history in his cabinet than some museums in this town. The decades of Miami Herald Sunday editions dating back to the 1950’s show how far we have come. There are ads for your own bomb shelters. Real estate ads advertising $13,990 for new homes in Hollywood Hills. A mortgage for a four bedroom home in Miami went for $63 dollars a month.

Cannon is positive though about where we are headed. In fact, based on history and the numbers he’s crunching today, he said, “On an overall basis, I believe we have hit the bottom.” The bottom, according to Michael, is prices around 2004, in some markets 2000. But before you celebrate the end there are other opinions.

“You can only keep the grim reaper away for so long. Once he’s at your door you are not going to keep pushing him away. You can’t pretend and extend forever and that’s what a number of banks are doing right now,” McCabe said. Cannon responded, “The percentage of foreclosures probably represents about 6% of total inventory. That mean 94% is unaffected by it. But we are scared to death.” So are we at the bottom?

Jack Mccabe, of Mccabe Research, said “Unfortunately we are not at the bottom everybody has been seeking.”

It depends who you ask.

Mccabe, who is an analyst, called this great housing crisis years before it happened. Now he’s looking at the data calling for a 5% drop in single family home prices next year. For condos it’s far worse.

“We are there. I believe we are there.” said Cannon.

“With no job growth, with a declining population, and a huge wave of foreclosures to start in 2010, we are going

“I would say he’s a little eager optimistic,” Mccabe responded.

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December 2009

Derek Jeter Named SI’s Sportsman Of The Year NEW YORK (CBS) — Derek Jeter posed in his crisp pinstripe uniform, resting a shiny black bat on his shoulder, while a photographer lying on the ground near the entrance to a Bronx subway station snapped pictures of the New York Yankees shortstop from a low angle. Photographing the Yankees captain from below to make him look more regal seemed beside the point. Jeter already has an image that is larger than life. Jeter was back at Yankee Stadium a couple of weeks after winning his fifth World Series title, capping a stellar season with a photo shoot for his latest achievement: Sports Illustrated’s sportsman of the year. The magazine made the announcement Monday in an article on its Web site. “It’s unbelievable. It was completely unexpected. It came out of the blue,” Jeter told The Associated Press during a break in the photo shoot. “When I heard it, what can you say? It’s one of the greatest honors you can achieve in sports.” The 35-year-old Jeter is the first Bronx Bomber to be tapped for the award that has been given out since 1954. Swimmer Michael Phelps was last year’s recipient. “That’s even harder considering all the great Yankee players that have played for this organization,” said Jeter, standing under the banners depicting Yankees greats that hang in the Great Hall of the new stadium. “So I hope I’ve done them proud.” Sports Illustrated Group editor Terry McDonell certainly thinks he has. “This verifies my idea that he is on the level of Ruth and Gehrig,” McDonell said. “He’s the greatest shortstop in the history of the game.” Some other baseball players to win the award are Sandy Koufax (1965), Tom Seaver (1969), Cal Ripken Jr. (1995); and the recent nemeses of Jeter’s teams, Randy Johnson and Curt Schilling (2001), and the Boston Red Sox (2004). All business between the lines, Jeter has become one of the untarnished ambassadors in the steroids era of baseball through steady play and quiet leadership on and off the field. “He’s so classy,” McDonell said. “He brings a dignity and elegance to the game.” Jeter’s 2009 season was remarkable. He batted .334 with 18 homers and 66 RBIs with 30 steals

to help lead the Yankees to their first World Series title in nine years — a frustrating drought for the player who won four championships in his first five seasons. And as calls swelled for Jeter to switch positions after his contract expires in 2010, the 10-time All-Star went out and had one of his best defensive seasons: He made a career-low eight errors in winning his fourth Gold Glove. He also passed Yankees icon Lou Gehrig’s club record for hits, won the Hank Aaron Award as the AL’s top hitter, and was given the Roberto Clemente Award for excellence on and off the field. The World Series victory might have been Jeter’s most cherished accomplishment this year, but what clinched the sportsman award for him was his philanthropic work. Jeter’s Turn 2 Foundation has doled out over $10 million in grants since 1996 to organizations that help keep young people away from alcohol and drugs. “It’s about the manner of the striving and the quality of the effort, too,” McDonell said. “Off the field he has

grown so much as a member of the community.” Coming 15 seasons into a career full of honors, the award could be seen as a lifetime achievement, but both McDonell and Jeter dismissed the idea. McDonell was impressed by Jeter’s leadership, how he “stepped in and molded a team” this spring with the arrival of three expensive free agents, and Alex Rodriguez’s admission to using steroids from 2001-03 and then having hip surgery that kept him out until May. For Jeter, who only looks as far ahead as the next game, he’s nowhere near the end of an illustrious career that could culminate with 4,000 hits. “I’ll take it one hit at a time. That’s a long way in the future,” said Jeter, who has 2,747 hits. “I’m going to play as long as I’m having fun. Right now I’m having a blast.” (© 2009 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this

After 24 Years, Sparano And Wife Still Close Reporting Prim Siripipat MIAMI (CBS4) —Tony Sparano is rough, tough and gruff. His no-nonsense style is the attribute that has earned him respect from the Dolphins, fans, and even some of the ladies. “He’s about as subtle as a punch in the face,” said his wife, Jeanette Sparano.

entire journey, even when he was making $2,000 a year as a part-time assistant coach at his alma mater, New Haven. “I’m not proud of the fact that I’m not around to see my kids, whether it’s school or athletics,” said Tony, who is in his second season with the Dolphins. “But I know I have the best head coach possible doing that right now in my wife. She’s the MVP of our family and does a tremendous job with our children.”

“What you see is what you get.” That’s what got Sparano the Miami job. He’s been a stickler for details since he started coaching, catching the eye of Bill Parcells as soon as he was hired to coach the tight ends unit in Dallas in 2003. Sparano was promoted to coach the offensive line following the 2004 season, and was the primary play caller in 2006. The rest is history. Parcells took over as the Vice President of Football Operations in 2007, and Sparano was hired one month later.

The couple has two sons, Tony and Andrew – both members of the University of Albany football team – and a daughter, Ryan Leigh. With Tony’s rigorous work schedule, there’s hardly any time for outside activities A trip to the movies is never out of the question, though. “I don’t know about warm and cuddly, you would have to ask her that,” said Tony, “We do have date nights – one of the things that my wife and I enjoy doing is getting out for dinner on a Friday and going to an early movie.” What about catching a chick flick?

In a short amount of time, Sparano has turned things around. He guided the team to a single-season turnaround matched just once in NFL history when the Dolphins won the AFC East title with an 11-5 record a year after going 115. Jeanette, his wife of 24 years, knows the coaches’ softer side. The two met when she was 13, he 16. Jeanette was the captain of the cheerleading team, Tony in the same position with the football team. She’s stood by him through his

“We love to go the movies. The one thing about him being a little more known now is that I have no shot of going to see any girl movies, ever because he’s absolutely not going to be seen getting in line for Julie and Julia,” Jeanette said. “The commercial came on and I said ‘That looks kind of nice,’ and he said ‘Call one of the girls. No way, Honey.’” (© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)

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December 2009

Former Heat Player Apologizes For Slum Conditions Reporting MacLauchlan

John

CHICAGO (CBS4) — Former Miami Heat forward Antoine has apologized for the slum-like living conditions at the Chicago buildings owned by his companies. In an interview with the Chicago Tribune, Walker called the conditions “unacceptable” and “humbly apologized” to everyone who had been affected by Walker Ventures LLC and AW Realty LLC.

This Tiger Is Human By Bill Reilly I remember it like it was yesterday, the words that scrolled and flashed on the bottom of every channel in America, “Tiger Woods in serious condition after a car crash in Wyndemere, FL”. Was he dead? Was he drunk? Were his children in the car? Whats going on ! I wasn’t alive when President Kennedy was assassinated in Dallas, but I sensed a familiarity. Tiger is no President Kennedy, but his importance to the sport of golf and millions of fans across the globe is immeasurable. I used to tell people way back in 1987 in High School that my father was lucky to have seen the greatest golfers in the world in his prime. He saw Jack Nicklaus, Sam Snead and Ben Hogan in their heyday and I was jealous....until 1996. We all know the story after that. If you haven’t figured it out already, I’m a golf nut. I have been addicted to the beauty of the sport since 1980 and I have made it my profession. Tiger Woods is my President Kennedy. I have a feeling I did what millions of other people did after seeing the “Tiger Woods Breaking News” scroll at the bottom of our TV screens, I reached for the closest social networking site. I texted friends, tweeted, updated my Facebook and surfed the Net for more information on Tiger. I can’t even imagine what it was like back in November of 1963 waiting for the next update on my 30 inch Black & White TV with three stations or patiently listening to the radio conveniently built into the furniture of the day. I would have gone mad! I want my information now! After three hours of the same useless non important information on the crash, we finally have some answers.

One of the buildings was described as a ‘slum nuisance’ by the city inspectors. A broken sewer pipe filled the basement with feces and debris, and bricks tumbled from the building’s facade. Over a dozen lawsuits have been filed against Walker’s companies over poor management and unpaid debts. Walker is also facing criminal charges over gambling debts to three Las Vegas casinos. Walker has played for Miami, Boston, Dallas, Atlanta, and Minnesota during his 12-year career. Walker joined the Heat in 2005 as part of a five team, 13 player, deal. The following year he won

Ê ÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊ We learned a few important details about the crash from the Florida Highway Patrol. One, he was NOT seriously injured like reports all over the news and was released from the hospital earlier in the day. Two, alcohol was not involved. Three, he was backing out of his driveway at 2:42 am, hit a fire hydrant, lost control and smashed his SUV into a neighbors tree. Four, his wife Elin heard the crash and ran inside their home to grab a golf club to smash a window out to release Tiger from the vehicle. Initially after hearing these reports all I could do was scream “Thank God, he is not dead”. Now, a few minutes later after my breathing has returned to normal I started to focus on a few interesting parts to this accident. First off, what the heck was he doing at 2:42 am in his car? How do you not know where the fire hydrant is located on your property? How many times have you backed out of that driveway? We constantly hear the stories of the dumb athletes getting into their Bentleys after all night drinking binges and getting popped for DUI’s. I always say to myself “Why don’t they get a limo or have someone else drive them home?” “They have some much to lose” “What idiots!”. Tiger is NOT an idiot, he is too smart to be plastered and drive especially with his two children to care for. So what was he doing at 2:42 am leaving his house with no shoes on his feet. Maybe heading over to Ken Griffey Jr’s place to play Modern Warfare 2? Probably not. Reports later surfaced that Tigers wife Elin told Wyndemere police that her and Tiger were arguing, she scratched his face and he took off in his SUV to avoid further problems. She has now recanted and says she never said there was a fight. The Florida Highway Patrol has tried three times to interview Tiger and his wife but has been

his first NBA Championship with the Heat, scoring 14 points and 11 rebounds in the final game of the series. In 2007 he was traded to the Minnesota Timberwolves. In January 2009 Walker was arrested in Miami Beach on suspicion of driving under the influence. That case is still pending. (© 2009 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.) NEWS POWERED BY

turned away at the gate by his lawyer. The FHP are concerned about a “domestic violence” incident that might have occurred causing the crash. Does Chuck Finley live in Isleworth? Maybe Tiger was driving to his house for advice? I know domestic violence is a serious issue in this country and there should be no double standard when prosecuting so don’t waste your time sending me an email rant. On Tiger’s website he made a statement saying he has withdrawn from his own tourney this week siting his injuries sustained in the crash has prohibited him from playing. This is the same Tiger Woods that played 90 holes in the US Open with a broken leg and won. To quote Chuckie Miller from the 80s classic movie Can’t Buy Me Love “Something stinks in suburbia”. I remember as a kid “painting by numbers” so it was real easy for me to put together a realistic scenario. Tiger and his wife get into a heated argument, she scratches his face and chases him out of the house with a Nike 7 iron using the interlocking grip she was taught. A barefoot Tiger makes it into the vehicle and starts to back out of his driveway, then Elin smashes the back window of the car with the 7 iron using the swing taught to her by Ken Griffey Jr. A freaked out Tiger loses control of the car, backs into the hydrant and proceeds to crash into the neighbors tree. No air bags were deployed and Tigers face hits his steering wheel causing the fat lip. Viola! Seems realistic right? These situations happen all over America daily, just substitute the 7 iron for a .38. Unfortunately we may never know the truth until Tiger or his wife come clean and I don’t expect that any time soon. I learned two valuable things from Tigers mishap last week, never drive without shoes and never teach your wife how to play golf.

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December 2009

Feds Crack Down on Call Center Scheme the deaf and hearing impaired outside their world. The service, overseen by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), allows more than 30 million hearing disabled Americans to communicate with those who can hear. “It’s not going to be tolerated,” Assistant Attorney General Lanny Breuer told CBS News. “They were running up the money, and taxpayers were paying for services that weren’t really occurring.”

Jeff Rosen told CBS News.”But we can’t allow that to diminish the access that deaf people have.” Begun back in 1993, in recent years VRS calls have skyrocketed - rising from about 100,000 minutes per month in 2004 to nearly 9 million minutes per month in 2009. Overall, the industry is expected to generate nearly $800 million in revenue this year alone. ©MMIX, CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved.

By Armen Keteyian 26 People Arrested for Stealing More Than $50 Million from Government Fund that Provides Video Interpreters for the Deaf (CBS) In a widespread scheme one assistant Attorney General described as “outrageous and insidious,” 26 people from seven companies in eight states were indicted Thursday for stealing more than $50 million from a government fund that provides video interpreters that translate sign language for

In a series of coast-to-coast raids, individuals from New York, New Jersey, Florida, Texas, Arizona, Nevada, Maryland and California were arrested. They allegedly submitted thousands of “false and fraudulent” claims for Video Relay Service (VRS) calls that never involved hearing impaired people. Instead, the government charged, scammers placed millions of dollars of phony calls to pre-recorded radio programs, 800 numbers or podcasts - never translating anything but billing the FCC’s fund nearly $400 an hour for every hour the employee was on the phone. “The fraud issue is something we’re going to have to deal with,” prominent disabled rights attorney

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December 2009

I-Team: Docs Show Cuban Shoot Down Was Expected Reporting Stock

Stephen

MIAMI (CBS4) — For more than a decade the mystery surrounding the secrets behind the shootdown of two Brothers to the Rescue airplanes by Cuban military jets has remained elusive. To find answers to that mystery, the CBS4 I-Team spent a year digging through once-top secret documents about the shoot down. In those documents as well as interviews with nearly one dozen major players in the event, the I-Team discovered details that raise questions about whether the U.S. government might have prevented it had someone in Washington taken more decisive action. The I-Team’s investigation raises serious questions about the White House’s role in the shootdown. In the 1990’s, thousands of Cuban refugees on makeshift rafts fled Cuba by sea. Those refugees on the water turned to the skies for their survival. In the skies, these small private planes routinely saved the desperate refugees from certain drowning. The planes were flown by a group of volunteers called Brothers to the Rescue.

advisor Richard Nuccio.

“It was a slow motion crisis,” said Dr. Brian Latell.

Richard Nuccio served as the top advisor on Cuba to President Bill Clinton. Nuccio now serves as Director of the Civitas International Program at the Center for Civic Education in Calabasas, California.

University of Miami Professor Dr. Brian Latell is one of the leading American authorities on US Cuba relations and Cuban history.

Nuccio says after the “wet foot/dry foot” policy was put in place, the Brothers to the Rescue actions became more provocative and more political. “They (Brothers to the Rescue) started to redefine their mission as one of not helping innocent people at risks for their lives but to carry out a political agenda of harassing and threatening the Cuban government by over flights, dropping leaflets (from the air into Cuba),” Richard Nuccio told the ITeam. That created tensions which were discussed in secret talks and cables between Havana and Washington in 1994, 1995 and 1996. Those talks were the focus of some declassified documents obtained by the CBS4 I-Team. And those tensions came to head on February 24, 1996. Richard Nuccio remembers feeling anxious the night before. “I had a great foreboding about the next day,” Nuccio told the I-Team. “I didn’t sleep much that night. I worried that some incident would occur. But I never thought Cuban MIGs would fly into international air space and intercept planes that were turning around and leaving.” But that is precisely what happened on February 24, 1996.

“I originally flew with brothers to the rescue as a volunteer,” said Matthew Lawrence. Matthew Lawrence flew on some of those rescue missions and later wrote a book about the shootdown titled “Betrayal: Clinton Castro and the Cuban Five.” “My first flight was a bit harrowing, we were almost knife edged, meaning our wings tipped up,” Lawrence recalled of his time in one of the Brothers to the Rescue airplanes flying over the Florida straits. “We kept flying mission after mission,” said Jose Basulto, one of the Brothers to the Rescue leaders. “Sixteen times a week. Four times a day in four planes.” Basulto is one of the founders of Brothers to the Rescue. And he flew hundreds of these missions himself. “We were very busy at the time,” said Basulto. “We were picking up refugees here and there in the Florida straits. And then we forwarded their positions to the US Coast Guard.” But all that changed with President Clintons’ so called “wet foot/dry foot” policy. It was a policy that said any Cuban refugee who didn’t make it to American soil was sent back to Cuba. “After the “wet foot/dry foot” policy we had to change how we operated,” said Basulto. “We would drop a radio down and ask what their situation was, if they were in dire need of help. (If so,) then we can call the Coast Guard. But we would tell them (by the two-way radio) that most likely you will be sent back to Cuba. If you don’t want it (to be rescued but sent back to Cuba), say “No” and we keep flying.” “It made the Cubans angry,” said former White House

Two Cuban MIG’s flying 12 miles north of the Cuban shoreline in international waters encountered three Brothers to the Rescue planes. The MIGS shot down two of the three planes, killing all four men on board. Three of the men were US citizens. The fourth was a US resident. “We knew they (the Cubans) would react,” said Jose Basulto. Basulto was flying the third plane and survived. He escaped back to Florida. But documents show that two other Cuban MIG’s pursued him, following Basulto’s small plane to within 3 minutes of Key West before breaking off pursuit. Basulto said he didn’t know he was being followed until later. “The fact that they sent the Cuban air force with missiles, missiles to drop (ordinance),” said Basulto. (They sent) war airplanes against a Cessna. Come on! We didn’t expect that!” The I-Team has discovered in the once secret documents further proof that shows clear warnings of the shootdown and suggests it might have been prevented by the US government. For nearly a year, the I-Team dug through thousands of emails, diplomatic memos, letters and reports. The I-Team read through page after page of documents which filled two large boxes, some once classified, but declassified at our request, show that for a year and a half before the shootdown, there were urgent secret talks between the Clinton administration and officials in Havana. They were talking about the Brothers to the Rescue flights. “There had been secret negotiations a year prior to the time I became special advisor for Cuba,” said Nuccio.

“The Brothers to the Rescue missions that were flying toward Cuba and around Cuba repeatedly, those missions were exacerbating the situation,” said Dr. Latell. “The bilateral situation was that the Cuban government had been protesting those intrusions, quite often in diplomatic sessions,” said Dr. Latell. “They would call in our diplomats into session over there in Havana; they would make a protest, in diplomatic language. They were polite, direct, firm, not angry or confrontational but the message was clear-these flights are interfering with Cuban air space,” said Dr. Latell. At the I-Team’s request Dr. Latell reviewed the entire two boxes of government documents, including the once classified documents, relating to the shootdown. “Not all the flights did (violate the airspace), Dr. Latell said. “Not all the flights, but many did and we knew that in the US. There were American diplomats, I’ve heard, in Havana who actually during the American diplomatic mission, they were able on different occasions where they could hear the Brothers to the Rescue there (in Havana),” said Dr. Latell. “They (the US diplomats in Havana) would hear the Brothers to the Rescue planes, they would look up and there they (the planes) were. It was visible and audible from the ground even from the American diplomatic mission,” said Dr. Latell. “The Cuban government had been protesting the flights for at least 17 to 18 months prior to the shootdown,” said Dr. Latell. One document from an International Manager to her superiors at the FAA dated January 22, 1996, stands out. The memo was from Cecilia Capestany, an International Affairs analysis at the FAA, to her superior at the FAA’s Miami flight standards district office, Michael C. Thomas. Thomas then forwarded the memo to Charles J Smith, Jr. at the FAA. The document reads in part. “Worst case scenario is that one of these days the Cubans will shoot down one of these planes and the FAA better have all its ducks in a row.” Just a month later it happened. Cuban MIG’s shot down two Brothers to the Rescue planes. “The Cuban government thought it was sending strong messages to the U.S. government to stop the flights,” said President Clinton’s top Cuba advisor Richard Nuccio. “The U.S. thought it was sending the Cuban government strong messages that we did not have the power to stop the flights that these were American citizens or residents exercising their rights of free speech. “ “We were not told about that (warning),” Jose Basulto told ITeam investigator Stephen Stock who first showed him the FAA memo. Stock asked Basulto “Had you been told (about the memos) continued on page 55

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I-Team: Docs Show Cuban Shoot Down Was Expected continued from page 53 “Believe me we would have thought about it twice if we knew that,” Basulto said. “We wouldn’t have flown that day had we known. I wouldn’t have exposed those kids to the risk. And I wouldn’t have done it myself.” Richard Nuccio says the Clinton Administration did try to informally warn the Brothers to the Rescue leaders numerous times months before the shootdown but politics got in the way. “We repeatedly warned brothers to the rescue. To the point that Brothers to the Rescue complained to their constituents members of congress, the Cuban-Americans, that we were persecuting them,” Richard Nuccio said. The government documents reviewed by the I-Team also show that for nearly a year before the shootdown, the Federal Aviation Administration tried to take away Jose Basulto’s pilot’s license because he had flown over Cuba. One FAA memo reads quote “this latest over flight can only be seen as further taunting of the Cuban Government. State is increasingly concerned about Cuban reactions...” The I-Team showed the memo to Jose Basulto who insisted he’d never seen it until we showed it to him. But for whatever reason, the FAA didn’t act until it was too late. “We suspended Basulto’s pilot’s license the day the shootdown occurred. Basulto was in the cockpit of an airplane with a suspended license,” said Richard Nuccio. I-Team investigator Stephen Stock asked Basulto, “Do you take responsibility for that?” Basulto replied, “For doing that? Of course I do (take responsibility).” “We had conversations with the FAA in which they told us to be careful,” Basulto said. “They told us “don’t do this” and “don’t do that.” But something of this nature was never warned to us. Never.” But perhaps the biggest mystery of all surrounds US military jets that never left the runway at Homestead Air Force base. “I knew by the tone of their voice and they way that they called that something was wrong,” said Janet Ray Weininger who was there at Homestead Air Force base when news first came in about the shootdown in February, 1996. Weininger was, at the time, the wife of the commander of the F-16 Air Force Reserve squadron at Homestead Air Force base. She took the first call after the shootdown and handed the phone to her husband. “They said we were all watching the radar that day,” said Weininger. Days later she got permission to go on base and spoke with Florida Air Florida National reserve pilots who had scrambled into their F-15 fighter jets ready to intercept the Cubans.

The pilots shared with Weininger their frustration as they sat on the runway waiting for orders to take off. “We (the F-15’s) had launched earlier and that afternoon we were noticing how the Cubans were flying we could see the Brothers to the Rescue and that something’s wrong,” Weininger recalls the pilots telling her. “We (the F-15’s) need to launch.” But the opposite orders came from unknown people in Washington. The F-15’s were ordered to stay on the ground. And they were not allowed to intercept the Cuban MIG’s. “One of the guys said to me if they would have let us launch maybe we could have saved both of them,” Weininger told the I-Team. Though US military jets had scrambled to intercept Cuban MIG’s since at least 1992 and even had scrambled earlier the very day of the shootdown, no jets ever took off from Homestead Air Force base. In fact, no jets took off from any other US military base at all to meet the threat posed by the MIG’s. “Jeffrey Houlihan who was senior radar operator (with US Customs in California), spoke with an individual who was at Homestead Air Force Base (who was) literally slamming his hand on the table demanding they let the planes go and the gentlemen told him that we want to go,” said author Matthew Lawrence. “They said ‘We’re fighter pilots. It’s what we do, but we were told not to leave (the runway at Homestead).’” “They (the pilots in the F-15’s) were there. They were the one people that could have saved these boys (in the Brothers to the Rescue planes),” said Weininger. “And they would have (saved them.) And they wanted to.” But the pilots never got the chance. Despite the fact that military officials watched the shootdown on several different radar installations around the country, even as far away as California, and despite the fact two more MIG’s chased Basulto’s plane to within 3 minutes downtown Key West, the records show that no United States military jets ever scrambled to intercept the Cubans. “They were helpless and their hands were tied and they couldn’t do their job,” Weininger said of the US military pilots. “I don’t think today we can say it could have been prevented but I can say it is unfortunate that swifter action wasn’t taken,” said Florida Attorney General Bill McCollum who was a US Representative from Florida at the time of the shootdown. A Republican, who was very critical of the Clinton White House, McCollum later lead a US House Committee which investigated the shootdown. “I personally feel responsible that four people died,” said President Clinton’s top Cuba advisor Richard Nuccio. Nuccio says he doesn’t know why the military jets never scrambled. But he does wish he’d done more.

“And while I thought I was doing everything I could at the time I wish I had done more,” said Nuccio. “I wish I had jumped up and down, screamed, yelled, run into the President’s office. (I wish I’d) done more things than write memos, emails, make phone calls, ring alarms. I wish I’d done more to try to get others to act.” All this leads Jose Basulto to blame the Clinton administration almost as much as the Fidel Castro himself for the shootdown. “They should be blamed for it definitely,” said Basulto. “They (the Clinton White House leaders) are just as guilty as Castro who did it them self. They are accomplices of what happened.” But Clinton’s advisor on Cuba says the blame partly lies with Basulto himself. “It was a game being played. Unfortunately a very dangerous game that cost four people their lives,” said Richard Nuccio. The CBS4 I-Team contacted representatives for former President Bill Clinton, his secretary of state, Madeleine Albright and his National Security Advisor Sandy Berger as well as Clinton’s former Energy Secretary and diplomatic envoy Bill Richardson, who is now the Governor of New Mexico. All declined to speak with us about this part of our history. Many other government documents related to the shootdown remain secret to this day. But the classified documents, now declassified, which the CBS4 I-Team did obtain makes clear that at least some high ranking officials in the US government knew that a shootdown was possible if not probable. And those documents demonstrate that this tragedy might have been averted had someone in the United States government taken more concrete action before it was too late. (© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.) NEWS POWERED BY

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Top Credit Card Mistakes That Hurt Credit Scores Reporting Sunshine

MIAMI (CBS4) — It’s been a common news story over the past year: credit card companies aggressively raising interest rates and fees. If you make a mistake with your card, it will cost more dearly than ever. There are a number of mistakes consumers make with credit cards. CreditCards.com recently put together a list of some of the most common and costly choices consumers are making.

“If you are just buying everything without thinking about it, and then you get the credit card bill at the end of the month and you can’t pay it or you are carrying a balance, clearly you have to do something,” said financial planner Emil Ronchi.

time to ask some tough questions. “You have to define, do you have a problem? And if you have a problem controlling credit spending, then you need to stop.”

MAXING OUT A CREDIT CARD

The worst mistake you can make is using a debt settlement plan. Next to bankruptcy, it’s the worst thing you can do to your credit score. It’s a nine-and-ahalf in terms of the damage it can do.

Another mistake is maxing out a card. That rates seven in terms of being a bad financial decision. Ronchi says this might be the time to start thinking about paying with cash more often. “If you are aware of every transaction, that adds a cost to you and it’s a mental cost. But you are going to do it less because it’s more painful.” CASH ADVANCES

DEBT SETTLEMENT PLAN

OTHER MISTAKES There are some actions that don’t have the same dramatic effect on your credit score, but are still not recommended. For example, experts say you shouldn’t use a credit card just to get reward points unless you are able to pay the card off in full.

HOW MANY CARDS DO YOU HAVE Experts say you shouldn’t be asking yourself what’s in your wallet, for example. You should be asking how many cards are in your wallet. Having too many pieces of plastic is one of the worst credit card mistakes people make. It was ranked six, with one being best and 10 being worst. Too many extra cards can impact your credit score and make it hard to track all those balances.

Getting a cash advance on your credit card can also be a bad idea. It rates eight out of 10. Remember that interest starts accruing the moment you get the money.

Another is repeatedly transferring existing balances to a new card. About 15 percent of your credit score can be affected by just applying for new credit. If you do it too often, your score can take a hit.

MISSING PAYMENTS Missing a payment is even worse. It rates nine out of 10. A third of your credit score is based on your ability to pay your bills on time. Ronchi says this could be the

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Find Deals By Shopping During ‘Selling Seasons’ Reporting Sunshine

MIAMI (CBS4) — Forget scouring the circulars and internet looking for deals. You might be better off keeping a close eye on the calendar instead. When you buy something could be just as important as what you purchase, or where you do your shopping. The first thing to do is think like a retailer. That means you need to be aware of their selling seasons so you can swoop in and time the best bargains. January After the Christmas rush in January, retailers know most of us are staying home, and not shopping. That’s the reason White Sales abound this time of year. “You’re not really thinking about gift giving.” Or wrapping. So stores deeply discount all the holiday trimmings deeply. “They don’t want that sitting around until next October,” said Hurst. February You can save money on a slew of high tech gadgets. This is when new products are rolled out at the Consumer Electronics Show, so retailers need to clear the shelves of the previous year’s models. March Winter clothes can be a real steal. Hurst said, “Whatever is left in the store in March, they’ve got to get that out now because April is coming, Easter is coming, and summer fashions are coming.” May The month of May is for mattresses, believe it or not. New models will soon be on the floor so Hurst said retailers need to clear the floor of older models. He added, “You are going to take less margin on it, as a seller.” June

The “J” in June and July could stand for jewelry. “The summer can be a very slow time. People are not really thinking about Valentine’s Day. You’re not thinking holidays for gift giving,” said Hurst. July While everyone else is at the beach, July can also be a time to save money on furniture. Hurst says it’s all about the time of year because consumers are not thinking about changing their living room at this time.

today?” If you don’t have the luxury of timing your purchase, make the retailer an offer. More stores are so eager to move inventory they’re willing to haggle, and you can save yourself some real money that way, too. (© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.) NEWS POWERED BY

September Consider new appliances in September because the new models will make their way into the stores in the fall. Hurst says it can pay to replace a major appliance before it dies, with one that’s energy efficient. “They will save so much more on the electricity in the long run,” said Hurst. November November can bring sweet savings on candy now that Halloween has passed. December Computers are often on sale. They’re not as common a gift item as clothing or jewelry so retailers are more motivated to sell them. “It’s not necessarily something that is aimed for a December type of purchase, to be under a Christmas tree,” said Hurst. Timing bargains can save money, but financial planner Emil Ronchi says to quiz yourself before you buy anything on impulse. “Do you need it, do you need it? Do you want it even? Will you want it tomorrow, and not just

629,000

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Recession-Proof Job? Non-Profit CEO By Sharyl Attkisson Follow the Money: While Executive Compensation Dropped 9 Percent At For-Profits, Charity CEOs Averaged 6 Percent Boost As head of the Central Carolinas division of United Way, Gloria Pace King was known as a strong fundraiser. CBS News correspondent Sharyl Attkisson reports she was also a pretty good at looking out for No. 1. At United Way, King pulled in a $380,000 salary ($379,962 with a 2008 bonus) and a $2.1 million retirement package. The surprising truth is, while last year’s compensation fell 9 percent for CEOs at for-profit companies, their cousins in the charity world were making out quite nicely. Their salaries increased on average by more than 6 percent. In the environmental category, Wildlife Conservation Society’s CEO Steven Sanderson got a $100,000 raise -- to pull in a very civilized $938,000 compensation. Charity Navigator United Way Under religion, Inspirational Network’s David Cerullo earned an awe-inspiring $1,580,000.

Even some small, inefficient charities are digging deep for their CEOs. One reason they get “zero” out of four stars from the non-profit evaluator Charity Navigator.

Expense Account, Other Benefits: $221,558

The Association for Firefighters and Paramedics spends more on their President’s six-figure salary ($125,000) than on services ($107,048).

Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) says Sanderson’s annual salary has been “frozen” at $506,000 since January, 2007 and that the $100,000+ in additional compensation reported for him in 2008 does not constitute a “raise” since it amounted to benefits outside of his salary. Pablo Eisenberg, Senior Fellow at Georgetown University Public Policy Institute, says that some non-profits where executive pay has come under scrutiny have turned to fattening compensating with bonuses, expense accounts, deferred compensation and pension packages. In Sanderson’s case, his 2008 benefits and expense account total more than $434,000 - bringing his compensation to the reported $938,119.

The Committee for Missing Children spends only 14 percent of its budget helping kids. The rest is spent on fundraising and administration, including the CEO’s salary. Back in Charlotte, the United Way has made some big changes. Jane McIntyre was hired in August after King and her colossal paycheck were forced out. Although she’s earning a lot less money than her predecessor, McIntyre said she’s happy with the salary she has: $142,000, to be exact. But McIntyre says it’s more than enough when you’re in it to help others more than to help yourself. Spotlight on The Wildlife Conservation Society CEO Steve Sanderson ranks number 12 on American Institute of Philanthropy’s 2009 List of Top 25 Compensation Packages. Here is the information from the group’s Form 990’s which are filed annually with the IRS. 2006: Total Compensation: $825,170 Salary: $490,679 Deferred Compensation: $207,069

And in the children’s category, Chief Scout Roy Williams retired in September 2007 with a package worth nearly $4 million.

Expense Account, Other Benefits: $127,422 2007: Total Compensation: $832,791

Non-profits don’t have to pay taxes. Some of them use the money for lavish executive pay instead of their mission. IRS rules forbid “excessive” compensation, but that’s subjective, and the tax man isn’t known for going after charities. “They say to themselves, ‘If we don’t give this person $700,000, that means that the job’s not important and he can’t do a good job’,” said Pablo Eisenberg, a senior fellow at Georgetown University Public Policy Institute. “I mean that’s the thinking, and it’s appalling.”

According to IRS filings, Sanderson’s deferred benefits were “payable June 30, 2009.”

WCS also provided these details: “None of Dr. Sanderson’s salary is funded by taxpayers or private donations. It is funded by earned income (e.g., income from the endowment and attendance fees).” “Wildlife Conservation Society reported a $79,000 increase in Dr. Sanderson’s non-cash compensation from 07 to 08 (but) in reality, Dr. Sanderson will never see that $79,000 because those dollars are the taxes paid directly to the government on housing owned by WCS… Dr. Sanderson does not own this apartment and must live in it as part of his agreement with WCS so he is centrally located to all of WCS’s facilities. The rest of the increase… was in rising health, dental, and life insurance costs, along with pension costs and the costs of operating an automobile as gas prices skyrocket.”

Expense Account, Other Benefits: $138,979

“The Wildlife Conservation Society has received the highest rating of Four Stars from the watch dog group, Charity Navigator, the standard when evaluating non-profits. WCS beats industry standards on accounting practices and only 13 percent of funds raised go to administrative costs. The rest goes to programs.”

2008: Total Compensation: $938,119 (Nearly $106,000 more than in 2007)

Salary: $489,663 Deferred Compensation: $204,149

Salary: $503,927 Deferred Compensation: $212,714

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Homeowners Charge U.S. Made Toxic Drywall Report Pointed Finger at China for Most Defective Drywall; But Investigation Found Similar Problems in U.S.-Made Product (CBS) The CBS News investigative unit first reported this spring about the thousands of Americans forced out of their homes by defective, rotting drywall. Monday, the Consumer Product Safety Commission said it has found what it calls a “strong association” between some Chinese-made drywall and the corrosion of pipes and wires. But there may also be problems with American-made drywall, as CBS News chief investigative correspondent Armen Keteyian reports. The damage being blamed on defective drywall is ugly: corroded copper coil, electrical wires eaten away and a noxious odor fouling the air. Health complaints range from itchy eyes to headaches and bloody noses to breathing problems. “If it’s doing this to our house, it has to have some effect on our bodies,” said Jill Swidler, a Florida homeowner affected by the noxious drywall. Thousands of homeowners in 32 states have been affected. “This is devastating,” said Sen. Mark Warner, D.Va. “People are losing their homes; they’re being foreclosed upon; they’re declaring bankruptcy.” It’s believed that “bad” drywall produces corrosive sulfur gasses. The reason remains unclear, but lawmakers and federal authorities have left little doubt who’s to blame: China, China, China. But a CBS News investigation has found problems with defective drywall may reach beyond China and include products made in the United States. The Consumer Product Safety Commission has received more than 2,000 complaints to date. The agency recently released details on 44 of them under the heading “imported drywall.” But CBS

News discovered that 10 of the cases - nearly a quarter - actually involve drywall made in the United States. That “says we need to be proactive in looking at all drywall,” said Inez Tennenbaum, head of the CPSC. “The majority of our complaints has to do with the Chinese drywall - but we are not going to ignore a problem if it’s made in America.” In fact, CBS News found a number of families that had to abandon homes built, they claim, with American-made drywall. There were cases in Florida, in Georgia and in South Dakota, where Brandon Gades says his electrical wiring went haywire and his wife was overcome by fumes. In addition, three separate lawsuits have been filed against American manufacturers: one against National Gypsum, two others against Georgia Pacific, including one by Jill and Michael Swidler. “We don’t have Chinese drywall,” Jill Swidler said. “It was made in the United States.” Drywall gained popularity with builders back in the booming 1950s as a way to frame walls - a lighter, cheaper alternative to plaster. Traditionally, drywall was made the white mineral gypsum. In its pure form gypsum emits no gas or odor. Bad drywall, however, is darker. CBS News wanted to compare American and Chinese drywall, so we purchased random samples of new American-made drywall in six U.S. cities, and new Chinese-made drywall in China. We also collected samples of drywall from five damaged U.S. homes. We sent everything to the University of Florida to be tested by a team of researchers led by professor Tim Townsend, a scientist and leading expert on the effects of drywall on the environment. His team spent five months running a multitude of tests on the samples we provided. The results were revealing. “It’s not as black and white as saying the Chinese drywall is bad and all other drywall is good,” Townsend said.

As expected, the contaminated Chinese samples gave off high levels of sulfur gases. But all but one of the U.S. samples emitted sulfur gases, as well not at levels as high as the defective Chinese product, but unexpected. Perhaps more surprising, “There were some American products that we tested that had higher emission than some of the new Chinese products that we tested,” Townsend said. Nancy Spurlock, communications director for National Gypsum, says all their testing found no problems with their product. “Domestic wallboard, including National Gypsum, is not a problem,” Spurlock said. “There’s sulfur gasses everywhere. ... There’s sulfur gasses in water. There’s sulfur gasses in the air; to the extent they will corrode cooper, no.” Georgia Pacific declined an on-camera request for an interview, citing pending litigation. but a company spokesperson said, “We take customer complaints seriously, and stand behind the quality of our products.” Yet Townsend remains concerned about what could be hidden inside these walls. “The results tell me that we shouldn’t just be focused solely on defective Chinese drywall,” he said. “We need to be backing up and looking at the product of drywall itself.” © MMIX, C B S Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

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December 2009

I-Team: Danger On The Road Part II Reporting Michele Gillen MIAMI (CBS4) —It is a scene that played out before the CBS-4 I-Team cameras time and time again -- drivers of big rigs chatting away on hand-held cell phones. The problem with the picture is that today’s truck drivers can be hauling some 80 thousand pounds of vehicle and cargo. Under the best conditions it can take as long as a football field to stop this size truck. Some industry insiders and veterans say, the danger on the road of distracted truck drivers should be driving headlines and change. “You need both hands on the wheel. That’s an unsafe situation for a truck driver to be doing and we are supporting legislation to ban those practices,” Dave Osiecki, Vice President of Safety for the National Trucking Associations, tells Chief Investigaor Michele Gillen, speaking from Washington DC. Osiecki shared his concerns about risks on the road, those you can and can’t see, including fatigue, which many veteran drivers told the I-team is an underreported but haunting danger. “They are driving tired. Very tired,” was the chorus of concerns expressed by many at a South Florida truck stop. A problem they explained can be compounded and covered up by falsified log books.

“We know from studies right now that fatigued drivers at about 20 hours plus are more dangerous on the highway whether driving a car or a semi. You are more dangerous than an intoxicated driver and you take that and mix it with a driver who is on the phone. Does this come as a surprise that any of this happened?” That’s the question posed by attorney Mark Avera, of Gainsville, who has been investigating big rig accidents across our state. In one tragedy, police say the driver of a tractor trailer who slammed into the back of a packed school bus had driven too many hours without rest. “Our own investigators found out that he had been driving for more than 20 hours that day and for anyone to say that fatigue had no role in this fatal crash would be absolutely ridiculous,” says Avera. The driver told police he had been on his cell phone right before the crash that he had looked down to put down his cell phone into the cup holder. Thirteen-year-old Margey Shee was killed in the resulting inferno -- a half-dozen children were seriously injured.

safety training teacher for Covenant, a company that forbids its drivers to use hand held cell phones while driving and is on the cutting edge of a truck fleet being outfitted with a new generation of electronic computers designed to combat distracted and fatigued drivers. As Silio showed Gillen from the cab of his tractor trailer, the computer records every hour, every minute the truck is rolling. Drivers can’t lie about how many hours they are working. It eliminates paper log books. For Silio, it is a step toward making everyone on the road more safe. A Department of Transportation proposal has been pending for months that would mandate that any driver who’s been found to drive beyond the legally allowed limit could only be allowed back behind the wheel, if the truck were outfitted with one of these electronic devices. “I wish I knew what was holding it up. We visited the US Department of Transportation in the spring and advocated for publication of this new regulation. Unfortunately, it has not happened yet,” Osiecki tells Gillen.

“You should always have two hands on the wheel when driving.”

Several bills and proposals that could ban hand held cell phone use and texting on our highways are pending in Washington. Many trucking industry leaders say - a ban needs to apply to everybody - car and truck drivers - to better protect everyone.

That’s the message from Frank Silio, a veteran driver and

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Sagittarius

Capricorn

(Nov. 23-Dec. 21)

(Dec. 22-Jan. 20)

Try not to say the wrong thing at the wrong time. You will get out of shape easily if you don’t keep on top of things. Trips will be exciting. Be cautious who you deal with financially. Your luckiest events this month will occur on a Tuesday.

(Jan. 21-Feb. 18)

Overindulgence could cause problems for you with your loved ones. Property deals look good. Self-improvement projects will payoff in more ways than one. It’s time to get yourself back on track. Your luckiest events this month will occur on a Friday.

Aries

(Feb. 19-Mar. 20)

(Mar. 21-Apr. 20)

Arguments with relatives may lead to a split in the family. Someone you least expect may not have your best interests at heart. Make creative changes to your living quarters. You may have a problem with coworkers if you try to tell them what to do. Your luckiest events this month will occur on a Friday.

Taurus

Don’t hesitate to go ahead with any plans for entertainment. Your honesty will not only win you points but also respect. Compromise may be necessary. You will gain knowledge through your adventure. Your luckiest events this month will occur on a Wednesday.

(Apr. 21-May 21)

You might not be as reserved on an emotional level as you’d like. Try looking into new ways to make extra money. Dinner, theater, or a comedy club may be just the place. You will tend to overeat this month. Your luckiest events this month will occur on a Wednesday.

Gemini

Cancer

Leo

(May 22-June 21)

(June 22-July 22)

(July 23-Aug. 23)

Gambling will be a waste of time and money. Sit back and observe, regardless of how hard that might be. Don’t be disappointed if you don’t get your way emotionally. You may find yourself in an opportune position if you are willing to take a bit of a risk.Your luckiest events this month will occur on a Tuesday.

Aquarius

Pisces Don’t overindulge in anyway. A romantic dinner, followed by a quiet evening with the one who is enticing you, should be most satisfying. You hard work and dedication will payoff, so stick to your guns and do your job well. Do a little investigating if there is someone at work you don’t trust. Your luckiest events this month will occur on a Friday.

December 2009

Think hard before going into business with friends or family. You will be a bit of a spendthrift this month. Do not let them in on your plans if you want things to run smoothly.You may find yourself in an opportune position if you are willing to take a bit of a risk.Your luckiest events this month will occur on a Thursday.

Don’t try to deal with important issues or make changes that will upset the apple cart. Opportunities for romance may develop through dealing with groups that have a purpose. You will be able to communicate well this month. Take a second look; difficulties with appliances, water, or electricity in your home may be evident.Your luckiest events this month will occur on a Tuesday.

•

Horoscopes provided by www.astrology-online.com

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Virgo (Aug. 24-Sept. 22)

Changes in your residence may be financially favorable. Risks will not be profitable. Don’t be too pushy or demanding, or you may find yourself all alone. You may have a hard time relating to children this month. Your luckiest events this month will occur on a Friday.

2 5 6 6

Libra

9 4 1 3 6 7

(Sept. 23-Oct. 23)

Avoid lending or borrowing. Uncertainty regarding your mate may emerge; reevaluate what you see in each other.You have a real need to be vocal.You can make money if you put your savings into conservative investments. Your luckiest events this month will occur on a Sunday.

Scorpio (Oct. 24-Nov. 22)

Avoid getting too close to coworkers or employers. Mishaps due to preoccupation will be upsetting. Catch up on correspondence. Don’t overspend on luxury items. Your luckiest events this month will occur on a Thursday.

8 1 7

3 2 3 5

1 8 4 3

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