| California's propositions (0) | 2008.10.20 |
|---|---|
| Fifteen California Wines for Under $25 (0) | 2008.10.20 |
| 5 Years of Reflection, Salutes For Sacrifices 'in Harm's Way' (0) | 2008.10.20 |
| Spacecraft to probe edge of solar system (0) | 2008.10.19 |
| Iraqi Lawmakers Predict Tough Fight Over U.S. Military Pact (1) | 2008.10.18 |
The elegant dining room fell silent as the toastmaster called for a salute. Young men and women paused at their tables, some missing limbs and eyes, some in wheelchairs, some with canes and scars. A pair of crutches leaned against the wall beside a portrait of Abraham Lincoln.
In the low light, glasses were raised: To the American military, the host said quietly, "particularly those who served in harm's way." The room erupted in a cheer.
It was a timeless moment Friday night at Washington's Capitol Hill Club and might have been a scene from a century ago -- a salute to battered survivors of war.
Yet with the Iraq conflict still simmering and the one in Afghanistan heating up, the weekly Friday night dinner for patients at Walter Reed Army Medical Center was also an anniversary and reunion.
It has been five years since the charitable dinners began as a way to get wounded soldiers, sailors and Marines out of their rooms at Walter Reed and the National Naval Medical Center for an evening in the city, said Hal Koster, head of the Aleethia Foundation, which funds the events.
To mark the anniversary, Koster invited recovered patients who had been
at the earlier dinners -- "graduates," they called themselves -- to
come back and meet some of the more recently wounded.
The wounded "never forget what happened to them," said Koster, a
Vietnam veteran who originally held the dinners at his former
restaurant, Fran O'Brien's Stadium Steak House. "They relish the
opportunity to talk to some of the newly injured guys. . . . It helps
the old guys, and it helps the new guys. . . . They're brothers."
It was easy to pick out the newly wounded from the older veterans Friday. Many of the former looked pale and appeared weary as the night went on. One, Staff Sgt. Andre Cilliers, 24, who had been shot in the side in Afghanistan in August, had a portable wound-draining machine with him.
And there was a swagger about the older veterans as they embraced and joked and posed for group pictures.
Also attending were Secretary of the Army Pete Geren, former deputy defense secretary Paul D. Wolfowitz and "Doonesbury" cartoonist Garry Trudeau, who has championed the wounded in his comic strip.
The event began at 6:30 in the stately club, two blocks south of the Capitol, as the "old-timers" arrived with spouses and relatives.
Garth Stewart, 26, who lost part of his left leg to a land mine in Iraq and spent several weeks at Walter Reed in 2003, was there from Columbia University, where he is a senior, studying history.
Stewart, who left the Army in 2004, said the war in Iraq has already migrated to the realm of video games, as have past wars. "Maybe it's good that it recedes," he said. "I hope that it does."
He said he had been determined to get out of the hospital as fast as possible, to prove to himself that he was the same man he was before. "What I always say . . . is get out of here, and go home," he said. "Get out in the real world. You'll heal faster."
Joe Bowser, 48, who lost his lower right leg in a rocket attack in 2004 in Balad, Iraq, spent more than two years recovering at Walter Reed. He now works for the secretary of the Army and takes Pentagon brass for visits to the hospital.
When patients see the Army officials, "all they see is a suit," he said. "When I go in there and I tell them, 'Hey, I'm the class of '04. I spent two and a half years here. I'm a below-the-knee amputee,' their eyes get wide, and they start listening."
Also there was Andrew Kinard, 25, of Spartanburg, S.C., a Marine lieutenant and congressional fellow who lost both legs to a makeshift bomb in western Iraq two years ago. He said the dinner was "a wonderful opportunity to sort of get a snapshot of where I came from" and where he would be going. He said he had been out of hospital only a few months.
At 6:35, a bus from Walter Reed arrived, and the wounded filed in amid the glare of TV lights.
Cilliers, who grew up in South Africa and was wounded Aug. 9, said he was attending his second dinner.
"This is only the second time I've been out," he said. "It's pretty much been my only opportunity to get out of the hospital so far. . . . I get to go out and sit down somewhere else other than my room."
As he spoke, his left arm was in a sling and a tube ran from his injured side to a portable canister carried by a nurse. "It's a wound-vac, still sucking fluid out of me," he said. "It's one bullet hole that caused a whole lot of damage." He said he has a piece of the bullet in a bottle.
Cilliers said it helps to see other soldiers further along in their recovery. "It gives me some idea of what to expect," he said.
By 10:30, the toasts and speeches were over, and the Walter Reed bus
waited outside under a moon obscured by drifting clouds. As one man
with a cane and facial scars waited inside for the elevator, he said:
"I'm tired, man. I'm going to call it a night."
| Fifteen California Wines for Under $25 (0) | 2008.10.20 |
|---|---|
| Top 10 CNN Heroes revealed (0) | 2008.10.20 |
| Spacecraft to probe edge of solar system (0) | 2008.10.19 |
| Iraqi Lawmakers Predict Tough Fight Over U.S. Military Pact (1) | 2008.10.18 |
| Fighting for a Walk in the Woods (0) | 2008.10.17 |
NASA hopes its new Ibex probe will help explain why the sun's protective heliosphere is shrinking.
The Ibex probe, short for Interstellar Boundary Explorer, will study a chaotic region in space where the solar wind from the sun clashes with cold gases from interstellar space.
The solar wind, a stream of charged particles spewing from the sun at 1 million miles (1.6 million kilometers) per hour, carves out a protective bubble around the solar system. This bubble known as the heliosphere shields against most dangerous cosmic radiation that would otherwise interfere with human spaceflight.
Scientists recently discovered that the solar wind pressure is at its weakest level in 50 years, although the exact reason remains a mystery. Ibex could help confirm whether the heliosphere is shrinking.
Observations from Ibex should help researchers in "unlocking the secrets of this important interaction between the sun and the galaxy," said David McComas of the Southwest Research Institute in San Antonio. He is chief scientist for the $165 million mission.
Ibex, the size of a bus tire, will be launched aboard a Pegasus rocket that will be dropped from an aircraft over a Pacific atoll on Sunday.
The rocket will lift Ibex 130 miles (209 kilometers) above Earth and put it into orbit. The spacecraft will then fire its solid rocket motor to loft itself even higher, eventually to 200,000 miles (321,853 kilometers) above Earth.
Ibex will build on the discoveries of the long-running twin Voyager spacecraft launched in 1977 to explore the outer planets. The deep-space, manmade probes have since sailed past the outer planets and are headed out of the solar system.
Unlike the Voyager craft, Ibex will not barrel through space, but instead will do its job from high-Earth orbit. The probe carries two sensors that will collect information about the solar wind's mass and energy from all directions.
| Top 10 CNN Heroes revealed (0) | 2008.10.20 |
|---|---|
| 5 Years of Reflection, Salutes For Sacrifices 'in Harm's Way' (0) | 2008.10.20 |
| Iraqi Lawmakers Predict Tough Fight Over U.S. Military Pact (1) | 2008.10.18 |
| Fighting for a Walk in the Woods (0) | 2008.10.17 |
| What TV stars would make in real life (0) | 2008.10.16 |
BAGHDAD, Oct. 17 -- Iraq's political leaders on Friday began studying a draft agreement to extend the U.S. military presence here beyond 2008, but some lawmakers predicted the proposal would face a tough fight in parliament.
The accord was expected to face its first test Friday night, as President Jalal Talabani scheduled a meeting of the 23-member Political Council for National Security to discuss it. The advisory body includes political, legislative and judicial leaders.
If approved, the document would then be sent to the Cabinet, and then to parliament.
The U.S. government needs new legal authority to keep its approximately 155,000 troops in Iraq beyond Dec. 31, when a United Nations mandate expires. The new draft accord requires U.S. troops to withdraw from Iraqi cities by mid-2009, and to leave the country by the end of 2011.
The months-long negotiations over the pact had broken down over the sensitive issue of whether U.S. soldiers would be tried in Iraqi courts if they violate the law.
Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari said Friday that new compromise language in the agreement would permit the U.S. to maintain legal jurisdiction over its forces when they were on their bases or outside them on a mission.
If a soldier commits a crime outside a base while off-duty, a decision on jurisdiction "needs to be made jointly by a subcommittee," Zebari told the Post. But he indicated the U.S. would have the last word. "If the crime is very grave or serious, the U.S. may waive its jurisdiction," he said.
U.S. soldiers rarely leave their bases while off duty.
The U.S. Defense Department, which insists on jurisdiction over its forces stationed around the world, supports the compromise, according to Pentagon officials. But it was unclear whether it would satisfy Iraqi politicians, who have complained bitterly about what they view as abuses committed by U.S. troops and contractors since the 2003 invasion.
In Najaf, the religious capital of Iraq's Shiite majority, a leading cleric blasted the idea of giving U.S. forces immunity from Iraqi law.
"We consider this a basic point because it represents sovereignty," said Sadir Addin al-Qobanchi, in his sermon at Friday prayers at the city's grand mosque. "If someone commits a hostile act against your house and family and you say it is fine and don't hold him responsible, it means that you don't have dignity or sovereignty."
U.S. military and political officials have expressed concern that the agreement may not make it through Iraq's slow-moving political process by year's end. In that case, American forces would have no legal grounds to stay. U.S. officials have begun exploring other options, such as an extension of the U.N. mandate, but that could be politically and legally complicated.
| 5 Years of Reflection, Salutes For Sacrifices 'in Harm's Way' (0) | 2008.10.20 |
|---|---|
| Spacecraft to probe edge of solar system (0) | 2008.10.19 |
| Fighting for a Walk in the Woods (0) | 2008.10.17 |
| What TV stars would make in real life (0) | 2008.10.16 |
| No. 2 Leader of Al-Qaeda in Iraq Killed (0) | 2008.10.16 |
Asmall but spirited hiking club is concerned that one of the region's most beautiful and historic trails is being damaged by the National Park Service, which is working to shore up the piers that support a segment of the George Washington Memorial Parkway.
The 10-mile Potomac Heritage Trail, which has long been maintained by the Potomac Appalachian Trail Club, is threatened by the construction that could cut off the trail at its midpoint, said Bruce Glendening, the club's Northern Virginia District manager.
At issue is a boulder crossing used by hikers to traverse Pimmit Run near where the parkway also crosses the stream. But the tension surrounding the project is about more than a stream crossing. It's about a largely unknown hiking path that despite a connection to the region's past and its undisturbed scenery has never, club members say, gotten the respect or attention it deserves -- not even from its owner, the Park Service. And it highlights how a dedicated band of nature enthusiasts has for years cared for the 10-mile stretch.
"We want them to put it back in the condition it was before," Glendening said. "It took a lot of effort to get those boulders in place."
A spokeswoman for the George Washington Memorial Parkway said the construction is necessary to stabilize the stream bank and to prevent further erosion from affecting the parkway's piers. She said the crossing was washed away by recent storms, not by construction. The project is slated to cost $800,000, and there is no timeline on when it will be finished, said Emily Weisner, the parkway spokeswoman.
"The trail has remained open throughout the construction," she said. "The problem has been, recently, the weather. We've had big storms, which took out our construction material and also washed out the whole area, and some of the boulders were washed out with the storm."
Construction crews have repaired part of the crossing at hikers' request. And any additional damage done will be rectified, she said. "The Potomac Heritage Trail is beautiful. We really value that trail and the partnership we have with" the hiking club.
The trail wends its way along the Virginia side of the Potomac River from the Theodore Roosevelt Island footbridge to the American Legion Bridge, and is, in Glendening's opinion, "one of the best urban trails east of the Mississippi." It is part of the Potomac Heritage National Scenic Trail, which when finished would stretch about 700 miles.
The charm of the trail is that it courses right through the heart of the region and even passes close by the Rosslyn Metro stop. At points, the noise and clutter of the city that surrounds it are evident. The parkway can be heard, and there is, in some places, litter and graffiti. But for the most part, the trail is something of an oasis where the urban din is replaced by a quiet, pastoral walking path through the woods, where the only noises are the sounds of the river and wildlife.
Unlike the towpath along the C&O Canal, its counterpart across the river, the Potomac Heritage Trail is strictly for hikers. As a result, it is more serene and less known.
"You can really see the wildlife," said Polly Choate, a hiking club member. She said that at various times she has spotted cormorants, great blue herons, ducks and foxes.
On a recent visit, Ric Francke, executive director of the Potomac Heritage Trail Association, pointed out paths that dated to the Colonial era, and the spot where Sen. John Randolph of Virginia and Secretary of State Henry Clay faced off in a duel. (Both fired and missed.)
With Glendening and many other volunteers, Francke has spent hours maintaining the trail, cutting away brush, weeding, constructing stone steps. "Trails are organic," he said. "They're constantly changing."
And the Heritage Trail is "a work in progress."
For the most part, that work centers on keeping the trail as pristine as possible. And that is why hiking club members have been so concerned about the Park Service's construction.
"We feel they just don't recognize it," Glendening said. "It's an afterthought."
| Spacecraft to probe edge of solar system (0) | 2008.10.19 |
|---|---|
| Iraqi Lawmakers Predict Tough Fight Over U.S. Military Pact (1) | 2008.10.18 |
| What TV stars would make in real life (0) | 2008.10.16 |
| No. 2 Leader of Al-Qaeda in Iraq Killed (0) | 2008.10.16 |
| impoverished West African nation of Sierra Leone (0) | 2008.10.13 |
Editor's note: CNN.com has a business partnership with CareerBuilder.com, which serves as the exclusive provider of job listings and services to CNN.com.
Christina Applegate, who plays Samantha on "Samantha Who?" would make approximately $145, 051.
The guys from HBO's comedy series "Entourage" have it pretty good. Lounging by the pool every day, buying (and selling) movies, last-minute trips to Vegas, driving luxury cars, private jets with Kanye West to Cannes, France ... no big deal.
What I'd like to know is how do they afford it? Last I checked, Vincent Chase, whose character is an up-and-coming actor, was making a good chunk of money; but he's also spending a lot.
He's paying his half-brother, Emmy-nominated Johnny "Drama" to be his personal chef and trainer; he finances E's career as his manager; and as for Turtle ... well, he spends whatever money he has on illegal substances.
So how do they do it? Easy -- they're fictional characters. In real-life, money doesn't grow onWould our favorite characters' lavish lifestyles make it in on the other side of the TV screen? Here's a look at what some of this year's Emmy-nominated TV characters would make in the real world:
Dexter Morgan, "Dexter" -- Forensics expert
Real-life median salary: $47,680, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Dexter (Michael C. Hall) only uses his job as a forensic blood spatter analyst as a cover for his night-time job -- as a serial killer who kills bad guys. Even though he earns a decent amount, we're pretty sure money is not his top priority -- it's getting rid of the bad guys.
Samantha Newly, "Samantha Who?" -- Vice president, real estate firm
Real-life median salary: $145, 051, according to CBSalary.com.
The "old" Samantha (Christina Applegate) was only concerned about money, cars and designer clothes, which her six-figure salary supported. But "new" Samantha has far different interests, which include becoming a better person while living -- for free -- at mom and dad's. Whichever lifestyle she continues, it's likely it won't break her bank account.
Don Draper, "Mad Men" -- Creative director, advertising agency
Real-life median salary: $41,379, according to CBSalary.com.
As a successful businessman in the 1960s, Don (Jon Hamm) would probably make less than today's median salary. Despite that, he certainly made enough to cover the expenses of his "picture-perfect" lifestyle -- featuring cigarettes and liquor, a wife and two kids, and his extramarital affairs.
Olive Snook, "Pushing Daisies" -- Waitress
Real-life median salary: $15,850, according to the BLS.
Presumably Olive (Kristin Chenowith) doesn't rake in much additional money from tips from her services at The Pie Hole, the financially-failing restaurant where she works. Something tells us she's not in it for the money -- she just wants to be near Ned, head pie maker and apple of her eye.
Alan Harper, "Two and a Half Men" -- Chiropractor
Real-life median salary: $65,890, according to the BLS.
That salary combined with free room-and-board at his brother's house on the beach, Alan (Jon Cryer) is probably doing just fine supporting himself and his son. What we can't figure out is why his brother Charlie (Charlie Scheen), a mediocre jingle writer, is the one with the Oceanside villa and not Alan, the well-to-do chiropractor.
Olivia Benson, "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" -- Detective, special victims unit
Real-life median salary: $58, 260, according to the BLS.
Olivia's (Mariska Hargitay) salary as a detective in the SVU leaves a little room for personal luxury -- if she ever chooses to put herself before her job and indulge in herself a little.
Walt White, "Breaking Bad" -- High school chemistry teacher
Real-life median salary: $49, 420, according to the BLS.
Walt's (Bryan Cranston) salary as a high school chemistry teacher isn't quite enough to pay for his chemotherapy treatments; good thing he's got a drug-dealing gig on the side that brings in enough to foot his hospital bills -- and then some.
Dr. Gina Toll, "In Treatment" -- Psychotherapist
Real-life median salary: $180,000 for a psychiatrist, according to the BLS.
"A penny for your thoughts," is an understatement for Gina (Dianne Wiest). Even though she's technically retired from her position as a therapist, based on this salary, she probably secured a nice nest egg and doesn't need to charge her only client, Paul.
Ned, "Pushing Daisies" -- Head pie maker, general manager
Real-life median salary: $21,241, according CBSalary.com.
Ned (Lee Pace) probably makes a little more than this as the owner of his restaurant, which is near broke. To pad his pockets in the meantime, Ned helps a private investigator bring murder victims back from the dead to gather details to solve their murders, collecting reward money in the end. That should be enough to buy pie ingredients for a lifetime.
Christine Campbell, "The New Adventures of Old Christine" -- Owner, women's gym
Real-life median salary: $55,201 for a health and fitness supervisor, according to CBSalary.com.
As the owner of a women's gym, Christine (Julia Louis-Dreyfus) probably makes upward of this listed salary. Whatever it is, it's certainly enough to fund her text message costs for her weekly votes to "American Idol."| Iraqi Lawmakers Predict Tough Fight Over U.S. Military Pact (1) | 2008.10.18 |
|---|---|
| Fighting for a Walk in the Woods (0) | 2008.10.17 |
| No. 2 Leader of Al-Qaeda in Iraq Killed (0) | 2008.10.16 |
| impoverished West African nation of Sierra Leone (0) | 2008.10.13 |
| Chemical leak prompts evacuations in Pennsylvania (0) | 2008.10.12 |
BAGHDAD, Oct. 15 -- The U.S. military on Wednesday announced the death of a man it described as the No. 2 leader of the Sunni insurgent group al-Qaeda in Iraq.
The military said it killed the leader known as Abu Qaswarah on Oct. 5 during an operation in the northern city of Mosul in which four other alleged al-Qaeda in Iraq members were slain.
Abu Qaswarah, who also used the alias Abu Sara, directed the group's operations in northern Iraq, where al-Qaeda in Iraq remains entrenched and has been blamed for recent large-scale attacks, the military said.
The Moroccan native was the deputy of al-Qaeda in Iraq's leader, known as Abu Ayyub al-Masri, and he had "historic ties" to the group's founder, Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, who was killed in June 2006, the military said in a statement issued Wednesday afternoon. Masri is believed to be an Egyptian whose real name is Yusuf al-Dardiri.
"Abu Qaswarah is another example of how al-Qaeda in Iraq has been forced to rely on foreign terrorists to carry out their vicious attacks on the Iraqi people as well as coalition and Iraqi forces," said Rear Adm. Patrick Driscoll, a U.S. military spokesman. "Terrorists who bring radical and fanatic Islam into Iraq commit murderous acts against the people of Iraq and have no place in the future of Iraq."
Al-Qaeda in Iraq is a largely homegrown group that U.S. officials say is led by non-Iraqi Arabs. The U.S. military and the Iraqi army have in recent months cracked down on the group in Baghdad and in Diyala and Anbar provinces. As the group lost members and support from the population in former strongholds, many of its leaders moved to Mosul, an ethnically mixed city that is Iraq's third largest.
The U.S. military said soldiers searching for Abu Qaswarah were shot at when they arrived at a building in Mosul that the insurgent group used as a command center. U.S. soldiers returned fire, killing five men, including Abu Qaswarah. The military said it did not disclose his death sooner because it was awaiting confirmation of his identity.
Describing Abu Qaswarah as a "charismatic" leader who rallied al-Qaeda in Iraq's northern network following major setbacks across the country, the military said he planned attacks on U.S. and Iraqi troops in Mosul and oversaw a foiled attempt to destroy the Mosul Civic Center last month, an attack that could have killed hundreds of people during Ramadan.
The military also said Abu Qaswarah trained in Afghanistan and found ways to get foreign fighters into northern Iraq.
While violence in Iraq is at a four-year low, U.S. military officials say they remain deeply concerned about security in Mosul.
Hundreds of Christian families have fled their homes in Nineveh province, which includes Mosul, amid a wave of slayings targeting Christians in recent weeks.
Gen. Raymond T. Odierno, the top U.S. commander in Iraq, said economic and political problems in Nineveh have worked to the advantage of insurgents. The predominantly Sunni Arab province is run by Kurds, because the Sunni Arabs boycotted the 2005 election. Many of the province's citizens are leery of the Iraqi army there, which is a largely Kurdish force. And the police forces in Mosul remain infiltrated by extremists, Odierno said.
"If the population feels they are not being supported by the provincial government and the provincial council, they may not want al-Qaeda there, but they will give them passive support," Odierno said.
Pressure on the group in Iraq has led its leaders to encourage followers to travel to Afghanistan, that country's defense minister told a news conference in Kabul Tuesday.
"The success of coalition forces in Iraq and also some other issues in some of the neighboring countries have made it possible that there is a major increase in the foreign fighters," Gen. Abdul Rahim Wardak said. "They are well-trained, more sophisticated; their coordination is much better."
| Fighting for a Walk in the Woods (0) | 2008.10.17 |
|---|---|
| What TV stars would make in real life (0) | 2008.10.16 |
| impoverished West African nation of Sierra Leone (0) | 2008.10.13 |
| Chemical leak prompts evacuations in Pennsylvania (0) | 2008.10.12 |
| High Rate of H-1B Visa Fraud (0) | 2008.10.12 |
| What TV stars would make in real life (0) | 2008.10.16 |
|---|---|
| No. 2 Leader of Al-Qaeda in Iraq Killed (0) | 2008.10.16 |
| Chemical leak prompts evacuations in Pennsylvania (0) | 2008.10.12 |
| High Rate of H-1B Visa Fraud (0) | 2008.10.12 |
| Jolie shown breastfeeding on magazine cover (0) | 2008.10.12 |
Authorities located the source of the leak at the Indspec Chemical Corp. plant in Petrolia and shut it down. Freda Tarbell, spokeswoman for the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, said it may not be until mid-morning Sunday before officials allow residents to return home.
Plant manager Dave Dorko said all employees and inspectors at the plant were safe and accounted for.
Officials said three people were taken to hospitals, but the extent of their injuries and conditions was not known.
Tarbell described the chemical as fuming sulfuric acid, which is also known as oleum. She said the plant uses the chemical during its production process for its ability to absorb water.
Tarbell said some residents decided to spend the night with friends and relatives while others sought refuge in shelters that were set up. 
Watch why residents were asked to evacuate »
Those who opted to stay indoors and "shut their windows and doors to make sure the acid cloud was not entering their home," Tarbell said.
Ed Schrecengost, a former Indspec employee, said firefighters showed up at his son's wedding reception, urging the guests to leave the scene.
"It's about as dangerous as you can get," Schrecengost told CNN affiliate WPXI. "It's a very fuming acid. A quart bottle of this material could fill a household in two seconds."
Dorko said the leak was caused by an overflow from a tank. The material, he said, evaporates easily, creating a toxic cloud.
The plant produces a chemical called Resorcinol, a strong glue used in the tire industry
| No. 2 Leader of Al-Qaeda in Iraq Killed (0) | 2008.10.16 |
|---|---|
| impoverished West African nation of Sierra Leone (0) | 2008.10.13 |
| High Rate of H-1B Visa Fraud (0) | 2008.10.12 |
| Jolie shown breastfeeding on magazine cover (0) | 2008.10.12 |
| Beyond Botox (0) | 2008.10.09 |
A report released Oct. 8 by the U.S. Citizenship & Immigration Services (USCIS) reveals that 13% of petitions filed for H-1B visas on behalf of employers are fraudulent. Another 8% contain some sort of technical violations.
The study, released to members of the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee, marks the first time the agency, part of the Homeland Security Dept., has documented systematic problems with the controversial program. Technology companies, in particular, have come to rely on the H-1B visa program to bring in skilled foreign workers to fill jobs that employers claim can't be filled with U.S. candidates. Tech companies like Oracle (ORCL), Microsoft (MSFT), and Google (GOOG) have pushed to get more visas, claiming that a shortage of skilled workers is hampering U.S. competitiveness. Microsoft Chairman and co-founder Bill Gates has twice testified in front of Congress on the issue.
Critics say H-1Bs help U.S. companies replace American workers with less costly foreign workers. "The report makes it clear that the H-1B program is rife with abuse and misuse," says Ron Hira, assistant professor of public policy at the Rochester Institute of Technology. "It shows the desperate need for an auditing system." However, both Presidential candidates, Senator Barack Obama (D-Ill.) and Senator John McCain (R-Ariz.), have said they support expanding the program.
A USCIS spokesperson was not immediately available for comment. The report's conclusion states: "Given the significant vulnerability, USCIS is making procedural changes, which will be described in a forthcoming document." A spokeswoman, Beth Pellett Levine, says Senator Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), a longtime critic of the H-1B program, is drafting a letter to USCIS in response to the study.
The H-1B visa program has become increasingly controversial in recent years as groups such as the Programmers Guild and WashTech, which represent U.S. tech workers, allege it is being abused, resulting in mistreatment of foreign workers, wage depression, and the displacement of U.S. workers. The program was originally set up to allow companies in the U.S. to import the best and brightest in technology, engineering, and other fields when such workers are in short supply in America. But data released this year by the federal government show that offshore outsourcing firms, particularly from India, dominated the list of companies that were awarded H-1B visas to employ workers in the U.S. (BusinessWeek, 3/6/08) in 2007. Indian outsourcers such as Infosys (INFY), Wipro (WIT), and Tata (TCS.NS) accounted for nearly 80% of the visa petitions approved last year for the top 10 participants in the program.
There is also evidence that workers on H-1B visas are being mistreated. In a pending case (BusinessWeek, 1/31/08), H-1B workers for State Farm Insurance allege they were underpaid.
Critics say such instances of abuse represent the tip of an iceberg of deeper problems with the visa program. Academics and U.S. tech worker advocates point out the requirement that even employers who abide by the law—for example by paying the required "prevailing wage"—are able to underpay workers .
| impoverished West African nation of Sierra Leone (0) | 2008.10.13 |
|---|---|
| Chemical leak prompts evacuations in Pennsylvania (0) | 2008.10.12 |
| Jolie shown breastfeeding on magazine cover (0) | 2008.10.12 |
| Beyond Botox (0) | 2008.10.09 |
| America's Most Expensive Zip Codes (0) | 2008.10.07 |
|
| 일 | 월 | 화 | 수 | 목 | 금 | 토 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | ||||||
| 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 |
| 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 |
| 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 |
| 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 |
