Protest organizer Jessica Lawrence explains why they came.

“Piracy is a huge issue, and it’s an issue that needs to be solved, but the way to solve it is not to come up with a cure that’s worse than the disease.”

Backers of the bills – including Hollywood studios, the recording industry and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce – say something has to be done about the online theft of movies and music, which by one estimate costs U.S. companies $135 billion a year. The tech industry – including Google, Yahoo and Twitter – says there has to be a better way, one that doesn’t risk snuffing out Internet freedom.

Amalia Deloney with the Center for Media Justice says Wednesday’s blackouts of web sites, Facebook pages and Twitter accounts had much of the country talking about the issue of Internet freedom – and showed the effectiveness of “digital demonstrations.”

“It’s very clear that people not only care very deeply about this issue but that the average person in the United States has a very, very good idea of what kind of Internet experience they want.”

Chaka Mkali, a Minneapolis artist and activist, opposes Internet censorship. He says communities of color have enough trouble closing the “digital divide” between those who can easily access the Internet and those hampered by underprivileged status.

“Historically marginalized communities and people of color, we shouldn’t have to face additional obstacles in our struggle to close that divide.”

Professor Lateef Mtima founded and directs the Institute for Intellectual Property and Social Justice at the Howard University School of Law. He says people mobilized and brought about changes in the proposed legislation.

“Now, average people understand that, hey, you know what, this stuff may seem sophisticated and unconnected to me at first, but when I have proper information, I now see what’s really going on. I now see how it concretely affects my interests.”

More information is available at http://sopastrike.com/strike.

Bob Denz, a spokesman for AARP, says senior citizens are a favorite target of fraudsters. For one thing, he says, with shrinking investments and falling home prices, more and more older people are anxious about their finances.

The holidays are a good time to check in on parents, grandparents and loved ones, he says.

“When you’re at their home, take a look around for warning signs – lots of phone call messages, lots of requests to call back, solicitations, many magazines around or magazine subscription come-ons, batches of mail and so forth.”

Denz warns people to tread lightly with seniors regarding their finances and possible scams, but says it’s also important to start the conversation if they are at risk of being taken advantage of. Denz suggests reminding seniors of some red flags, even writing them down and putting the list in a place where they’ll see it regularly.

Some of the most popular phrases used by con artists, he says, are: “Your profit is guaranteed;” “amazingly high rate of return;” “There’s no risk;” “You can get in on the ground floor and get in now, because this is an offer that won’t be here tomorrow;” “I’ll get you the paperwork later! Just make out a check to me;” and “You would be a fool to pass this one up.”

Because many seniors tend to be trusting and polite, Dentz says to remind them to never answer the door unless they know who is knocking; to get caller ID on their phone; and to register for the national “Do Not Call List” to avoid phone solicitations. When it comes to email, he adds, advise them never to open attachments or share personal information with senders they do not know and trust.

More information and safety tips can be found at www.aarp.org.

Oak Beach, NY (SmithtownRadio.com) – Suffolk police have discovered new skeletal remains along Ocean Parkway that could be those of Shannan Gilbert.

At 9:14 am this morning, police found the remains in a marshy area about a quarter mile from where Gilbert’s personal items were found a week ago.

The 24-year-old Jersey City escort went missing in Oak Beach after visiting with a client she met on Craigslist in May of 2010. Police now believe she became distraught and ran off into the darkness before accidentally drowning in the thick marsh.

“There’s no way Shannan Gilbert could have made it through that brush to get to the parkway,” Suffolk County Police Commissioner Richard Dormer says.

Dormer believes the remains are that of Gilbert but the medical examiner still needs to confirm the identity of the individual. A cause of death has also yet to be determined.

Continuing Coverage: Ocean Parkway Bodies Investigation

This morning’s discovery comes exactly one year after police found three additional remains along the South Shore in what would first launch fears of a serial killer.

Registered dietician Sharlene Bidini, who counsels cancer patients about nutritional needs, says planning ahead in these situations can help. For example, she says, the host can ask the person about the best day for the celebration.

“Oftentimes, if they’re receiving chemotherapy, for example on a Tuesday, they have a pattern of feeling bad Wednesday, Thursday, Friday. But then maybe they might rebound and feel good on the weekend.”

Bidini says small adjustments can ensure that everyone enjoys the meal and a memorable holiday. She adds that some treatments leave a person with a sore mouth or throat, so something cool and creamy can provide comfort.

“Instead of hot crispy cherry pie right out of the oven, they might enjoy pumpkin pie with whipped cream right out of the refrigerator.”

Bidini says some needs are as simple as leaving the croutons or tomatoes out of a salad, or changing a side dish. In general, she says the main dish is usually not a problem.

“Whatever you choose, turkey, ham, chicken, fish, whatever your primary protein is, that’s excellent for healing.”

Bidini understands that a cancer diagnosis can be stressful for a family, but by asking a few questions and doing a little research, the focus can return to what’s really important.

“Creating memories, having fun holiday times together, not focusing in so much on how much they are eating or not eating, but just relaxing and enjoying each others’ company.”

Tips on coping with cancer during the holidays, along with holiday recipes, are at cancer.org.

Thumbnail Courtesy: American Cancer Society

Whole Web sites could disappear if they share illegal content under a proposed Congressional bill. (Image: YouTube)

Washington, D.C. (New York News Connection) - Is it simply a way to crack down on the pirating of music and movies, or a measure that could lead to online censorship and the end of Internet freedom? The Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) and a similar measure in the Senate are raising red flags.

The bill, expected to come to a House vote before the end of the year, is seen by Josh Levy of the media reform group Free Press as an overreaction to copyright infringement that places unnecessary burdens on such websites as Etsy and You Tube to determine if they’re hosting unauthorized content.

“It would give people who run Internet websites very little time to respond to accusations before their websites are actually ‘disappeared’ from the Internet.”

Aligned with movie studios and music companies in support of SOPA are the pharmaceutical industry and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. Google, Yahoo and Twitter are among companies in opposition to the measure, which they say threatens Internet innovation and job creation.

Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) says he’ll lead a filibuster if he has to, to try to forestall passage. He has introduced alternative legislation that would leave enforcement to the International Trade Commission and, he says, narrow the potential harm from shutting down websites without due process.

“I’m not going to support anything that does so much damage to innovation and the ability of the ‘Net to be there, available to everyone, and not just the moneyed interests who have so much clout already in American government.”

Levy says at the core of the dispute over SOPA and its Senate version – the Protect Internet Privacy Act (PIPA) – is a clash between First Amendment rights and property rights, with wealthy interests backing the latter.

“Hollywood, the recording industry, legacy businesses and organizations that are focused on protecting content creators and the interests of the wealthy.”

In Levy’s view, SOPA and PIPA represent very real threats to an unfettered, open Internet that is vital to commerce and democracy.

“Copyright infringement is a problem. And I think everybody – most people – agree that that’s true. But that doesn’t mean that we need to burn down the store in order to catch the thief.”

If PIPA and SOPA get enough votes for passage, Sen. Wyden says he will stall by reading the names of everyone signing a petition that’s being circulated against the measures. The Chamber of Commerce estimates that U.S. companies lose $135 billion a year to counterfeiting and piracy.

The 2011 Atlantic hurricane season officially ended Wednesday, having produced a total of 19 tropical storms, seven of which became hurricanes of which three were major hurricanes. This level of activity matched predictions put out by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association.

While most storms stayed out at sea, one storm in particular got our attention. Hurricane Irene dumped heavy rain and brought heavy winds to the tri-state in August. It also brought about rare coastal evacuations along Long Island’s south shore and New York City’s first ever evacuation order.

“Irene broke the ‘hurricane amnesia’ that can develop when so much time lapses between landfalling storms,” said Jack Hayes, Ph.D., director of NOAA’s National Weather Service. “This season is a reminder that storms can hit any part of our coast and that all regions need to be prepared each and every season.”

Irene was the lone hurricane to hit the United States this year, and the first one to do so since Ike struck southeast Texas in 2008. Irene was also the most significant tropical cyclone to strike the Northeast since Hurricane Bob in 1991.

NOAA says there is something to be said about the Hurricane Irene forecast.

“Its landfall in eastern North Carolina and path northward were accurately predicted more than four days in advance by NOAA’s National Hurricane Center using information from weather satellites, hurricane models, aircraft observations, and other data,” the agency said in a media release Thursday. “But a weaker-than-anticipated Irene at landfall also highlighted the challenges that remain in forecasting storm intensity.”

The 19 tropical storms this year represent the third-highest total (tied with 1887, 1995, and 2010) since records began in 1851 and is well above the average of 11.

Jim Carroll, of Nesconset, shows off his Thankgiving turkey. (Photo: J. Brierton / SmithtownRadio.com)

New York, NY (New York News Connection) – That big Thanksgiving feast could contain an unwanted toxic chemical, according to a report released Tuesday.

The study from the Breast Cancer Fund says bisphenol A (BPA) can leach from the linings of metal food cans at levels which could impact one’s health.

Even low-dose exposure to BPA has been linked to prostate and breast cancer, diabetes and developmental problems, says Kathleen Schuler, senior policy analyst at the Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy.

“It’s related to the fact that bisphenol A is the ‘hormone disruptor.’ It disrupts the delicate balance of hormones in the human body. Hormones work at a very low level. so if you have a substance that disrupts the natural function of hormones, it can be very harmful and cause health effects later in life.”

BPA largely has been eliminated from baby bottles and water bottles, Schuler says, but it’s still used in most metal food cans, even though there are safer alternatives.

Schuler cites efforts in Congress to ban the use of BPA in food and drink packaging, but adds that the push has been unsuccessful so far.

Cans of foods such as cream of mushroom soup, turkey gravy, creamed corn, green beans and pumpkin were tested, Schuler says, and BPA levels ranged widely.

“There was a lot of variability in the levels in different food products in different states, and there’s no rhyme or reason for that. We just need to move to safer alternatives so we don’t have to worry about this type of exposure, especially at Thanksgiving.”

Marcia Lewis of Burnsville, Minn., a mother and breast cancer survivor, says the findings are very concerning.

“It makes me wonder if, all these years that I have been doing my best to provide a nutritious and healthy diet for my family, I might have been unwittingly adding carcinogens to my food. I find that appalling.”

Lewis says she hopes the food industry will do what’s right and stop using BPA in packaging.

“Cancer in itself is scary, but the treatment for cancer is devastating. So why would we not do everything we can in our power to prevent adding possible carcinogens to our food.”

Details on alternatives to using canned foods for Thanksgiving are online at the Breast Cancer Fund website, breastcancerfund.org/thanksgiving.

Members of over 54 groups, ranging from MoveOn.org to Housing Works are gathering in Foley Square at 5 p.m. to show support for the occupiers, or “99 Percenters.” Deyanira Del Rio of NEDAP, an organization that advocates bank accountability, will be there.

“We want to show solidarity with Occupy Wall Street and also, more broadly speaking, to call attention to a lot of the issues that these groups – like ours – have been working on for many, many years.”

Smaller gatherings are planned earlier in the day at 16 subway hubs in all five boroughs, plus a march on the New York Stock Exchange in the morning. Upstate, demonstrators are being bussed in from all around New York for a noon rally supporting Occupy Albany and calling on the governor and the legislature to extend the millionaires’ tax. The movement’s two-month anniversary comes right on the heels of a setback at its birthplace – and some say, possibly, at a defining moment.

Against the backdrop of increased police actions against Occupy demonstrators in several cities, one of the people who came up with the original Occupy Wall Street idea reportedly suggested this week that it might be time for the movement to “go inside” and work on devising new tactics.

Charlie Albanetti with Citizen Action of New York is not sure that will happen.

“I don’t think that there necessarily needs to be a nationwide shift in strategy. I don’t think that’s the type of movement this is. You know, it’s not a formal organization of any kind; it’s organic.”

Albanetti says whatever the future holds for the Occupy Wall Street movement, it has definitely opened a national conversation about economic inequity.

“There were some criticisms just a week after the occupation started, when a lot of folks were a little bit discouraged by a lack of press coverage. At this point, you can’t open a newspaper without seeing some information about an Occupy that’s happening in a city near you.”

Wednesday, Zucotti Park was sparsely occupied in a steady, cold rain, tents and sleeping bags no longer permitted. Over 100 people arrested for resisting Monday’s eviction were still being held and were said to include many of the more active members of the group, which claims to have no “organizers.”

Photo Courtesy: David Shankbone

Washington, DC (SmithtownRadio.com) – “All troops will be home for the holidays,” President Barack Obama said Friday as he announced the withdrawal of troops from Iraq by the end of the year.

The announcement came after the U.S. government could not come to an agreement with the Iraqi government to leave troops in the country. The debate: whether troops would have legal immunity if they stayed in the country to continue to train Iraqi forces.

During an afternoon statement to reporters, Obama praised the withdrawal as a campaign promise but fell short of declaring victory in Iraq.

A small number of troops will remain in the country guarding a U.S. embassy.

Troops first entered Iraq in March of 2003.