It’s known as the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA), or more commonly referred to as the “secret copyright agreement”.

The unusual obscurity surrounding these negotiations has many worried that corporate interests are taking a front seat over what should be an open and transparent process.

It began in 2006 when the US submitted a draft proposal to Canada and now has spread around the world with several rounds of meetings being held in different cities. The most recent round of meetings were held in Guadalajara, Mexico.

There are few official statements being released about the ACTA. Much of what we know has been pieced together from vague official statements and leaked documents.

An unsettling picture is emerging, one where the US along with a coalition of countries, are seeking to create tighter more uniform restrictions on digital data.

There are groups of notable organizations and concerned individuals who are dedicating much of their time to analyzing and investigating the implications of the ACTA.

The following is a list of some of the best sources for ACTA related information.

Michael Geist

Micheal Geist, a law professor at the University of Ottawa, has been actively curating and piecing together one of the largest online sources for ACTA related news.

He has created a five part guide to help people understand the implications of the ACTA.

Electronic Frontier Foundation

The Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) is a nonprofit digital rights advocacy group.

The EFF has assembled an ACTA portal that aggregates news, documents and files, along with their posts on the ACTA.

US residents can contact their Senators using the EFF’s standardized comment form.

Knowledge Ecology International

Knowledge Ecology International (KEI) is a not for profit non governmental organization that searches for better outcomes, including new solutions, to the management of knowledge resources.

KEI has created a timeline of news and publications related to the ACTA. You can quickly get a snapshot of the most important moments in the ACTA’s history through this site.

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New York State’s attorney general recently fined five hospitals and nursing homes for disposing their unused pharmaceuticals into the local sewer system.

Reports suggest that each year an estimated 650 million pounds of pharmaceuticals are dumped into the sewer system by hospitals and health care facilities.

Academic and government researchers have measured the impact of popular medicines on fish and wildlife in the nation’s waters. These reports are alarming and could be an early warning for potential health problems in humans.

The EPA continues to investigate and is “proposing a system for disposing hazardous pharmaceutical wastes that is protective of public health and the environment”. This would apply to pharmacies, physicians’ offices, dentists’ offices, and other health care facilities.

You don’t have to wait for policymakers to get involved with this important issue. The following is a list of actions you can take today.

Reduce Waste

Recent studies suggest that doctors have been overprescribing medication to their patients.

It’s important for patients to ask questions about each prescription and decide whether or not it will be used by them, and if so, how much of it will be used.

You may want to ask for smaller quantities, or see if a sample pack of that medication is available for you to try.

Takeback Programs

Several states are experimenting with drug takeback programs. These are officially regulated locations where people can safely drop off their medication to be burned or diluted.

Some are located at pharmacies, police stations, and hospitals.

The best way to discover these programs is to contact your local pharmacies and hazardous waste disposal agency to see if your community participates in a similar program.

Proper Disposal

You should not flush your pharmaceuticals down your toilet or sink. There are only a few exceptions to this and it is only when the medication is clearly labeled with instructions for flushing.

If you’re unable to find a drug takeback program in your area then the Office of National Drug Control Policy recommends you take the following steps.

1) Take your prescription drugs out of their original containers.

2) Mix drugs with an undesirable substance, such as cat litter or used coffee grounds.

3) Put the mixture into a disposable container with a lid, such as an empty margarine tub, or into a sealable bag.

4) Conceal or remove any personal information, including Rx number, on the empty containers by covering it with black permanent marker or duct tape, or by scratching it off.

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You may want to be more cautious the next time you use an ATM.

A recent spike in stolen bank account data has been attributed to a global network of thieves who are exploiting ATMs with inexpensive technology.

It is called ATM skimming, and it involves the scanning, or skimming, of your credit card’s magnetic strip, and the capturing of your PIN number from a nearby camera.

Thieves use inexpensive parts, many available online, to construct authentic looking facades on ATMs. They place a dip reader, or card reader, over the debit card entry slot. Your card is skimmed as it slides into the bank’s official card slot.

The card’s data is harvested along with a video capture of you entering your PIN. The contents of your card’s magnetic strip are cloned onto blank cards where thieves quickly visit different ATMs and drain all of your funds.

You can see a breakdown of the components here.

Below is a list of three important steps you can take to protect yourself from this growing fraud.

1) Location

The location of an ATM can make it more susceptible to skimmers. Skimmers look for hidden ATMs in highly trafficked areas. This gives them access to a high volume of transactions and helps them to discretely add and remove necessary equipment.

Skimmers may attach their equipment for only a few hours at a time. They usually add and remove the equipment during low traffic times of day, usually early in the morning and late at night.

You should seek ATMs that are located in clear view of people in heavily trafficked areas. A good example of this would be in supermarkets or department stores.

2) Changes

There are two important components to a successful skimming operation, and noticing them will help you determine if your ATM has been compromised.

First, there will be a mechanism affixed to the front of the card entry slot that will do the skimming of your card’s magnetic strip. It will be designed to match the overall look of your ATM.

You should closely observe your card entry slot and look for any new or unusual additions to it. If it appears bulky, loosely attached, or sticky then it may have been compromised.

Secondly, there will be a micro-camera located over the keypad. This tiny camera will be used to record and wirelessly transfer your PIN number entry. The camera and transmitting device could be attached above the ATM, on the sides, or disguised as a brochure holder.

3) PIN

A compromised machine can successfully capture your card’s magnetic data. That financial information is not useful for criminals unless they have captured the corresponding PIN number.

You should take precautions and shield your keypad with your hand and arm as you’re entering your PIN number. This will help to protect you from having your number captured by a hidden micro-camera.

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A landmark ruling by the Supreme Court asks citizens to use the Internet to connect the dots between corporate influence and their political candidates.

Thursday’s ruling by the Supreme Court (large pdf) has serious implications on the future of US elections. In a 5-4 decision, the court ruled that corporations can spend money from their general treasuries to support political candidates.

This landmark decision overturns two legal precedents that have restricted the amount of influence corporations have in impacting the outcome of elections. The court believes that corporations are entitled to the same free speech rights as individuals.

The court recommends that citizens and shareholders of corporations use online campaign finance data to determine whether or not their candidates and corporations are too close for comfort.

The majority opinion says:

With the advent of the Internet, prompt disclosure of expenditures can provide shareholders and citizens with the information needed to hold corporations and elected officials accountable for their positions and supporters. Shareholders can determine whether their corporation’s political speech advances the corporation’s interest in making profits, and citizens can see whether elected officials are “‘in the pocket’ of so-called moneyed interests.

The court goes on to explain that this will be effective because “modern technology makes disclosures rapid and informative”. However, a leading non-profit, non-partisan research group that tracks money in politics says:

The current disclosure system is insufficiently “rapid and informative” and does not make effective use of modern technology.

We’ve previously reported on Government 2.0 and its efforts to make government data, such as Federal Election Commission disclosures, searchable and usable. The court’s mentioning of online campaign finance data further underscores its role as a pivotal part of accountability and basic research in our republic.

Fortunately, for all concerned citizens, there are some organizations that make it their mission to promote transparency in government, especially between political candidates and their donors.

1) Center for Responsive Politics

The Center for Responsive Politics is a nonpartisan, independent and nonprofit research group that focuses on tracking money and its effect on elections and public policy.

Their website OpenSecrets is the leading source for news and analysis on donations made to candidates from lobbying groups and industries. The site includes some useful sections such as Donor Lookup, Heavy Hitters, Get Local! and their Action Center.

The Donor Lookup is an interesting feature that allows you to simply enter your zip code and see a list of political donations made by individuals in your community.

2) Sunlight Foundation

The Sunlight Foundation is a non-profit organization that focuses on the digitization of government data and the creation of tools and web sites to make that data easily accessible for all citizens.

Sunlight Foundation offers transparency grants to organizations that use the Internet to make government information and data more accessible by the public.

They’ve funded organizations such as: Taxpayers for Common Sense, National Institute on Money in State Politics, OMB Watch, and MAPLight.org.

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Child slave labor thrives in Haiti today. An estimated quarter of a million Haitian children work as slave laborers, an issue largely forgotten amid the sea of incomprehensible tragedies in Haiti.

These children are known as “restaveks”, a Haitian Creole word that means “stays with”. Many impoverished families in rural parts of Haiti send their children away to stay with, or more accurately “work for” families in urban areas of Haiti.

The majority of these children are female and undocumented. Many are raped, assaulted and subjected to abysmal working conditions without pay.

The Pan American Development Foundation recently completed the most comprehensive on-the-ground evaluation of the status of restaveks in Haiti. You can read the entire report here (large pdf).

There are undoubtedly many problems in Haiti today. Years of natural disasters and corruption have taken much from those who have very little. The future of Haiti will come from its children and those who seek to protect them.

The following two organizations are working to protect and educate the restaveks of Haiti.

1) Jean Cadet Restavek Foundation

Founded by former restavek Jean-Robert Cadet, the Jean Cadet Restavek Foundation is leading the charge in the abolition of child slavery in Haiti.

His foundation works to educate children and spread awareness around the world about the exploitation of children in Haiti.

You can sponsor a child’s education for $25/month or $300/year. You may also sponsor a school for $250/month or $3000/year.

His website offers several tools for those who are interested in fundraising, volunteering and donating.

2) Haitian Street Kids Incorporated

Haitian Street kids Incorporated (HSKI) helps 3,000 street kids in Haiti, many of them escaped restaveks, by offering counseling, first aid and running a shelter for 200 kids.

HSKI offers compelling stories from the children they’ve helped. There is also a documentary called “Haitian Slave Children: Forgotten Angels” that exposes modern day child slavery in Haiti.

Your donations to HSKI will support their efforts to educate and protect the forgotten children of Haiti.

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The role that many large banks played in the near collapse of the US financial system has sparked a recent grassroots movement that encourages people to move their money away from large institutions and into community banks and credit unions.

Many people are discovering that local community banks and credit unions represent values that are more aligned with their own.

Local banks often invest most of their profits back into the local community, have their top executives living in the community, and can quickly make business decisions since they are owned locally.

The “Move Your Money” campaign spearheaded by Arianna Huffington of the Huffington Post and Rob Johnson of the Roosevelt Institute is leading the charge.

It’s important to identify your local community banks and credit unions and see if they are a better fit for you than a larger institution.

The following list of actions offers an easy and useful way to locate and evaluate your community banking options.

1) Locate Banks

An important first step is to locate your local community banking institutions. The following are two resourceful online locators that will help you create your first list.

The Independent Community Bankers of America has a community bank locator page on their website. You may also look for their iPhone and iPod Touch application by searching for “ICBA Community Bank Locator” on iTunes.

The not-for-profit trade group Credit Union National Association has a credit union locator page on their website that may also assist you in your search.

2) Evaluate Banks

Once you have your list of candidates it’s time to screen them and decide which one is best for you.

There are many variables to consider as you search for a new banking institution. A more extensive list of them can be found here.

You’re likely to be most concerned with the fee structure and the list of products and services offered. Online banking, access to a wide network of ATMs, and savings and loan rates are just a few of the services that you may consider important.

An indispensable resource in your search is the website bankrate.com. You can search and compare banks using their “Safe and Sound” bank rating system that ranks both credit unions and banks. You may also use their site to determine how competitive your bank candidates are when it comes to loan interest rates, CDs, and checking/savings accounts.

Another helpful resource for bank ratings is Bauer Financial. They offer a bank and credit union search that will quickly help you determine the rankings of your banks.

3) Transfer Accounts

Once you’ve found the right bank for you it’s time to begin moving your account.

You should make sure that your new bank account is open before you close your old account. It’s important that you have your new debit or credit card in hand. It usually takes several days to a week for new cards and checks to arrive by mail.

You may want to consider moving a small percentage of your money into your new bank account first. This will allow you to familiarize yourself with their system and make sure that all of your online banking, cards and other services are fully activated and ready to be used.

Make a list of any accounts that may be connected to your old bank account. These could include direct deposit accounts from your employer or scheduled billing services.

Finally, you can make that phone call you’ve always wanted to make, and let your old bank know you’re finished with them.

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The odds are stacked against the youth of Yemen. A prosperous future looks bleak when 46% of its exploding population are below the age of 15 and employment opportunities are scarce with 35% unemployed.

Yemen has rocketed to the center stage of world affairs when a suspect with Yemeni ties attempted to detonate a bomb on a Detroit-bound flight.

The dismal economic and political conditions in Yemen make it fertile ground for terrorist groups. A policy debate has erupted in the US regarding the future of Yemen and the responses needed to assure that Yemen is not used to train future terrorists.

Governments around the world will continue to discuss financial aide options for the government of Yemen. One low-cost, yet effective form of aide, comes from sponsoring cultural programs in Yemen.

The French Culture Center and the German House in Yemen are helping to spread the art of hip-hop in Yemen. They organized full-house performances at the Yemen Culture Center in the capitol city of Sana’a.

The diversity and malleability of hip-hop culture allows young Yemenis to incorporate their own traditions and lifestyle into their performances. Artists often rap about the unification of Yemen and express their frustrations over the terrorist outposts in their country.

The work of the French and German organizations in Yemen are giving young Yemenis an outlet of expression that was previously unknown to them. The director of the French Cultural Center has brought notable French hip-hop choreographers and DJs to Yemen to help instruct interested Yemenis.

The future of Yemen belongs to the youth of Yemen, and as the policy debate rages on, it’s important for all government officials and concerned observers to pay close attention to their needs.

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A bevy of complaints and expressions of outrage erupted last week when The New York Times reported that Swedish clothing retailer H&M destroyed and trashed unsold merchandise.

With much of the US and Europe gripped by a cold snap, many are concerned about the safety of those without warm clothing.

Those who were outraged took their complaints to their favorite social networking sites and created a public relations fiasco for the company. H&M responded and assured the public that they would cease this practice and promised that it would not happen again.

Those outraged by this behavior should consider actions they can take in their own life to put their old clothes to good use.

Business Attire

Organizations like Dress for Success and Clothes The Deal accept business clothes as donations.

Dress for Success helps disadvantaged women who are trying to enter the job force by providing a suit for their job interviews and up to a week’s worth of clothing when they become employed.

Clothes The Deal seeks to empower men, women and at-risk youth by giving them the resources and clothes needed to confidently interview for jobs.

Dresses

Wedding, bridesmaid and prom dresses often take up too much closet space. You can put them to good use with the following organizations.

Mary Madeline Project and Heavenly Angels in Need will accept your donations and turn your wedding gowns, bridesmaid and prom dresses into burial clothes for small children and infants whose families cannot afford burial clothes.

Hope Closet and The Princess Project will accept your dress and accessory donations and will donate them to young girls who cannot afford prom dresses.

Other Clothes

Organizations like the Salvation Army and Goodwill are always ready to accept your clothing donations. You’re likely to find a drop-off station near your home.

You may also want to contact local schools, churches and homeless shelters as they often have clothing drives.

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Pakistan and Afghanistan are among the most difficult countries in the world to be a woman. Afghan women face draconian legislation that permits husbands to deny their wives sustenance if they disobey sexual demands while Pakistani school girls face brutal acid attacks in their quest to get an education.

Forced marriages, many for the exchange of money or services, highlight the absence of basic civil rights for many of these women. Two recent events, one in Pakistan and the other in Afghanistan, demonstrate the depths of their plague.

In December a Pakistani newspaper wrote about a 20 year old woman who was sold at a public auction. The bidding started at $589 and she was sold to a 50 year old man for the final price of $3,185.

Earlier this month, the Los Angeles Times highlighted the story of a young Afghan girl sold by her brothers for $20,000 to an older cousin.

Sadly, reports like these are not uncommon, and they represent one of the many challenges that these women face.

Last spring 300 Afghan women endured attacks and countless threats as they took to the streets in a bold demonstration of solidarity against the oppressive laws of their country.

The journey for justice will be a long and difficult road for these women. You can offer your support by following the organizations listed below.

Mukhtar Mai

As a victim of a brutal gang rape, Pakistani Mukhtar Mai fought back. She challenged a culture where honor killings and rapes are common and used the legal system to prosecute her offenders. She spent the money rewarded to her for these offenses and started the Mukhtar Mai Women’s Welfare Organization.

The Mukhtar Mai Women’s Welfare Organization is a non-profit organization that works to educate and protect rural Pakistani women. Mukhtar Mai and her organization have recently reached out to help another Pakistani rape victim who is choosing to prosecute her offenders.

Donations to the Mukhtar Mai Welfare Organization are made through a special link on the Mercy Corps website.

The Afghan Women’s Writing Project

This noble project seeks to give Afghan women a safe and anonymous way of writing and sharing their ideas without fear of persecution. The project seeks out women, authors and teachers in the US and pairs them with Afghan women.

It is not easy for women in Afghanistan to gain access to internet cafes. In some instances, they are allowed inside when chaperoned by a male relative. This is often too conspicuous for the Afghan writers to comfortably work and share their writings.

The project requests that donations be made for the purchase of thumb drives and laptops for the writers. This will enable the women to have a safe place to write. The writers can then find a trusted male to place their work online.

Medica Mondiale

Medica Mondiale is a German-based, non-governmental organization that stands up for women and girls in war and crisis zones around the world. They are committed to helping women who are victims of sexual violation live an independent and self-determined life.

Medica Mondiale works on site in Afghanistan to provide women psychosocial and medical care along with legal assistance.

You may offer your support through their donation page or choose to sponsor an event to raise money for their organization.

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Here’s a brief update on where we stand today.

The US House of Representatives passed their version of health care legislation on November 7th and the US Senate pass their version on December 24th.

Since both the House and Senate have different versions of health care reform they must appoint members from each body to a conference committee. A detailed description of how conference committees work can be found here.

It is in this committee where they will compromise their differences and produce a draft that can be passed by both chambers and ultimately sent to the President where it will be signed into law.

The New York Times provides a useful summary of the major differences between the House and Senate bills and The Christian Science Monitor highlights three of the big differences between the two bills.

The process of reconciliation will likely be contentious and your representatives in Congress will be in the middle of it all. If you’ve been considering getting involved in this issue then this could be your last great opportunity.

Consider contacting your local US Representative and US Senators to share your views about the two versions of health care reform bills.

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