The National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine

http://nccam.nih.gov/
Delaware Valley Health And Wellness Network

The National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM) is the Federal Government’s lead agency for scientific research on complementary and alternative medicine (CAM). We are 1 of the 27 institutes and centers that make up the National Institutes of Health (NIH) within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

Our Mission
The mission of NCCAM is to:

Explore complementary and alternative healing practices in the context of rigorous science.
Train complementary and alternative medicine researchers.
Disseminate authoritative information to the public and professionals.
What We Do
NCCAM sponsors and conducts research using scientific methods and advanced technologies to study CAM. CAM is a group of diverse medical and health care systems, practices, and products that are not presently considered to be part of conventional medicine.

NCCAM has four primary areas of focus:

Advancing scientific research
We have funded more than 1,200 research projects at scientific institutions across the United States and around the world.
Training CAM researchers
We support training for new researchers as well as encourage experienced researchers to study CAM.
Sharing news and information
We provide timely and accurate information about CAM research in many ways, such as through our Web site, our information clearinghouse, fact sheets, Distinguished Lecture Series, continuing medical education programs, and publication databases.
Supporting integration of proven CAM therapies
Our research helps the public and health professionals understand which CAM therapies have been proven to be safe and effective.

By LINDSEY TANNER, AP Medical Writer Lindsey Tanner, Ap Medical Writer – Tue Jan 13, 2:01 pm ET

CHICAGO – The choice between $75 prescription sleeping pills or a $5 herbal alternative is a no-brainer for
Cathy and Bernard Birleffi, whose insurance costs have skyrocketed along with the nation’s financial woes.

The Calistoga, Calif., couple seem to reflect a trend. With many Americans putting off routine doctor visits
and self-medicating to save money, use of alternative treatments is on the rise — even though evidence is often
lacking on their safety and effectiveness.

Climbing sales of herbal medicines have paralleled the tanking economy, according to an Associated Press
review of recent data from market-watchers and retailers.

One prominent example: Austin, Texas-based Whole Foods Market Inc. says its stores nationwide have
seen an increase in sales of nutritional supplements and herbal products in the past several weeks. That’s
“noteworthy” given the retail industry’s financial slump, said Whole Foods spokesman Jeremiah C. McElwee.

While winter is usually a busy time for herbal medicine sales because it’s the season for colds and flu, “more
people are value shopping” now because of the economy, McElwee said.

Cathy Birleffi says she’s among them.

“The doctors are so much higher (in cost), the insurance isn’t paying as much,” said the 61-year-old
self-employed bookkeeper and notary. Her husband, a retired dispatcher, has high blood pressure and
seizures. Recent changes in their health insurance coverage resulted in $1,300 in monthly premiums, double
what they used to be.

Until they tried herbal alternatives, including valerian for insomnia, “every time I turned around, it was $50
here, $75 there” for prescriptions, Cathy Birleffi said.

High costs of conventional health care and worries about the economy also led Kristen Kemp of Montclair, N.J., to alternatives.

“Just going to the doctor will cost me $20 per kid and I have three kids,” said Kemp, 34. Prescriptions are $20
each, too, under the family’s insurance plan, so Kemp said she’s been giving her kids tea with honey for sore
throats and various Chinese herbs for colds and stomachaches. At $10 for a big bottle, the herbs are cheaper
even than regular over-the-counter medicines, Kemp said.

“I’m trying to save money,” said Kemp, an editor for Cafe Mom, a social networking Web site for mothers. Her
husband is in the shaky banking industry.

“Just in case something bad happens to our jobs, I want more money in the bank,” she said.

Among data reflecting the trend:

_For the three months that ended Dec. 28, nationwide retail sales of vitamins and supplements totaled nearly $639
million, up almost 10 percent from the same period in 2007. That includes a nearly 6 percent increase in sales of
herbal supplements alone, according to Information Resources Inc., a Chicago-based market research firm. Its
numbers do not include Wal-Mart or club stores.

_Nationwide herbal and botanical supplement sales totaled $4.8 billion in 2007, when the recession began, up 4.3
percent over 2006. That was a marginally higher increase compared with the previous year, according to Jason
Phillips of the Nutrition Business Journal, an industry-tracking publication. Sales of animal oil supplements —
mostly fish oils — were up 29 percent from 2006. While that was a decline from the previous year, both categories
continued to show strong growth in a faltering economy.

_A government survey released in December said concerns about the cost of conventional medicine influenced
Americans’ decisions to try alternative remedies. “Nonvitamin, nonmineral natural products,” including fish oil and
herbal medicines, were the most commonly used alternatives, taken by almost 18 percent of Americans in 2007,
the report said. Among those users, roughly a quarter said they delayed or didn’t get conventional medical care
because of the cost.

Report co-author Richard Nahin of the National Institutes of Health’s National Center for Complementary and
Alternative Medicine offered cautionary advice on the topic.

People taking herbal and other supplements should let their doctor know what they’re using, said Nahin, acting
director of the center’s branch that oversees outside research the agency funds.

Supplements and other alternative treatments don’t require rigorous testing and government approval. They also
can interfere with prescription drugs, and combined, can be life-threatening in rare cases, Nahin said.

His agency also conducts its own research on alternative medicine and offers information about some of the most
popular products at its Web site, http://www.nccam.nih.gov.

For example, echinacea is sometimes used for colds and flu. The agency Web site says evidence is mixed on
whether it is effective, although one rigorous federally funded study found the herb worked no better against colds
than placebo treatment. Echinacea can cause gastrointestinal upsets and allergic symptoms in people with ragweed
allergies, the NIH site notes.

Valerian, the herb the Birleffis have used for insomnia, has been shown in some studies to help people sleep better,
but evidence from well-designed research is lacking, the agency says. Using it for several weeks is generally thought
to be safe, but long-term effects are unknown.

There’s scant Western research on fritillary bulb remedies, the ancient Chinese herbal medicine that the Kemp family
uses for colds. A test sample examined in a recent Chinese study found elevated amounts of cadmium, a heavy metal
linked with cancer.

In December, an American Academy of Pediatrics task force report unrelated to the economic downturn noted
that increasing numbers of children are using alternative remedies. It advised pediatricians to get more familiar
with some of these treatments and to talk to parents about them.

The vertical wind turbines for Ricoh’s Time Square billboard project were designed by PacWind of California.

PacWind, LLC is a wind energy innovator. Since 1998, its founders have been developing a proprietary series of Vertical Axis Wind Turbines that have had a transformative effect on the wind energy industry. The Company has designed wind turbines for a wide variety of applications – from turbines built for NASA to capture 400- mile-an-hour winds for a lander on Mars – to more common uses like the turbine that powers Jay Leno’s 20,000-square-foot Green Garage in Los Angeles. Unlike traditional propeller wind turbines, PacWind’s vertical axis turbines are silent, vibration free, maintenance free, cost-effective and visible to birds. PacWind turbines provide a swift financial return to their owners and users. They are suitable for use in both densely populated cities and rural areas, like wind farms. PacWind’s vertical turbines can be installed on buildings, homes, stand-alone poles and can blend into diverse landscapes.

Ricoh is installing an Earth-friendly billboard at it’s Time Square location. The billboard will be powered by the sun and wind. The wind trurbines are a unique design.

There are “26 blades spinning in each of the sign’s 16 turbine drums, piled in four 45-foot-high vertical stacks. When operating at their average speed of 10 miles an hour, they put out 22 kilowatts.”

The sign will reduce CO2 output by 18 tons over the next year.

Tokyo December 9, 2008, Ricoh Company, Ltd. (CEO Shiro Kondo) is pleased to announce its participation in the Poznan Communique, an initiative by 140 leading global corporations to highlight the need for action on climate change. The communiqué was developed by the Prince of Wales’s Corporate Leaders Group on Climate Change (managed by the University of Cambridge Programme for Industry). Its launch will coincide with the second week of climate negotiations taking place in Poznan, Poland.

The Communique states that “climate change poses global social, environmental and economic risks and demands a transformational change in how we manage our global economy” and that “we must deliver deep and rapid cuts in greenhouse gas emissions.” It adds that “any credible comprehensive agreement must include mechanisms to reduce topical deforestation” as the continuing destruction of these ecosystems accounts for up to one fifth of annual greenhouse emissions.

Ricoh is the only major Japanese corporation to have supported the Communique. A pioneer in corporate environmentalism, Ricoh was also the first Japanese company to come out in support of the Kyoto Protocol, under Masamitsu Sakurai’s leadership, Ricoh’s chief executive at the time.

Kiyoshi Sakai, Chief Technology Officer and Corporate Executive Vice President of Ricoh said: “We believe we must achieve a sustainable society where our environmental impact is limited to what the Earth can deal with, handing on our precious Earth to future generations. In order to do this, we must create a system enabling us to tackle climate change actively, and altogether – that’s why we signed the Poznan Communique.”

If you are having difficulty making your mortgage payment, one of the most important things you can do is seek assistance. The following resources provide information and links to agencies and organizations that may be able to help you.

If you are having difficulty making your mortgage payment, one of the most important things you can do is seek assistance. The following resources provide information and links to agencies and organizations that may be able to help you. Specific resources are also available for stabilizing communities; Systemwide information is available from the 12 Reserve Bank Foreclosure Resource Centers.

Department of Housing and Urban Development
Guide to Avoiding Foreclosure
Housing Counseling Agencies
How to Avoid Foreclosure (82 KB PDF)
Department of Justice
Credit Counseling Agencies Approved Pursuant to 11 U.S.C. § 111
Federal Housing Administration
You Can Avoid Foreclosure and Keep Your Home
Federal Reserve System
5 Tips for Protecting Your Home from Foreclosure
Federal Reserve System Foreclosure Resource Centers
Putting Your Home on the Loan Line Is Risky Business
Federal Trade Commission
Credit & Loans
Credit Repair: How to Help Yourself
Foreclosure Rescue Scams: Another Potential Stress for Homeowners
Mortgage Payments Sending You Reeling? Here’s What to Do
Internal Revenue Service
Homeowners Who Lose Homes; Tax Relief Available to Many
Q&A on Home Foreclosure and Debt Cancellation
NeighborWorks® America
Center for Foreclosure Solutions
Consumer Foreclosure Resources
NeighborWorks® America Organizations Locator
Office of the Comptroller of the Currency
Consumer Tips for Avoiding Foreclosure Rescue Scams
http://www.federalreserve.gov/consumerinfo/foreclosure_consumers.htm

Release: 5594-09
For Release: January 8, 2009

CFTC Charges Philadelphia-area Resident with Operating $50 Million Ponzi Scheme

Joseph S. Forte Confesses to Fraud Scheme and Failing to Register with the CFTC
Washington, DC – The U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) announced today that it charged Joseph S. Forte of Broomall, Pennsylvania with operating a Ponzi scheme involving approximately $50 million in connection with the unregistered Joseph Forte, L.P. commodity futures pool. Forte recently confessed to federal authorities in the wake of the scheme’s collapse. The CFTC’s complaint charges Forte with: solicitation fraud; misappropriation of pool funds; sending customers false account statements; and failing to register with the CFTC as a commodity pool operator. In conjunction with the CFTC’s filing, the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania issued a restraining order freezing assets and preserving records.

“Ponzi schemers succeed by creating an illusion of profitability through lies and deceit to lure investors to part with their money. We are committed to rooting out miscreants who, like Forte, destroy the lives of innocent victims and, ultimately, undermine the confidence of investors everywhere,” said Acting Director of Enforcement Stephen J. Obie.

The CFTC complaint alleges that from at least February 1995 through present, Forte fraudulently solicited approximately $50 million from dozens of individuals and entities to participate in a commodity futures pool to trade, among other things, S&P 500 stock index futures, foreign currency futures, and metal futures. In soliciting prospective and existing participants, Forte claimed he was a successful commodity futures trader and that his pool had a successful track record. For example, in a solicitation memorandum directed to a church, Forte represented that the eight-year annual return on the fund ranged from 18.52% to 36.19%. To conceal his ongoing fraud, Forte failed to register with the CFTC and provided quarterly account statements to pool participants showing consistently profitable returns of the pool and eventually reporting that as of late 2008, the pool had increased in value to over $154 million.

In reality, however, Forte was neither successfully trading nor making an effort to do so. When trading, Forte purportedly sustained net losses of at least $3 million trading almost exclusively the S&P 500 futures contract on behalf of the pool. However, during a 34-month period from 2004 into 2007, Forte purportedly conducted little to no trading at all.

Forte allegedly failed to deposit any funds into the trading account during a 53-month period from October 2002 to February 2007.

Instead of generating the astounding profits from high volume trading touted in solicitations and falsified in account statements, Forte used pool participants’ funds to pay off other pool participants and to pay business expenses. From the outset, Forte also paid himself purported management and incentive fees based on the falsified earnings and increased value of the pool. `While Forte confessed to taking $10-12 million of the solicited funds, information in the falsified account statements would suggest receipt of management and incentive fees totaling more than $28 million.

Efforts are ongoing to account for and locate pool participant funds.

In the continuing litigation, the CFTC seeks restitution, disgorgement, civil monetary penalties and permanent injunctions against further violations of the federal commodities laws and against further trading.

The CFTC Urges the Investing Public to Exercise Due Diligence, Watch out for the Warning Signs of Fraud, and Report Any Suspicions About Commodity Ponzi Schemes

With certain exceptions, all individuals and firms that intend to do business as future professionals must register under the Commodity Exchange Act. Registration with the National Futures Association, the industry-side self-regulatory organization for the U.S. futures industry, provides a means for screening individuals and firms for fitness to engage in business as futures professionals and identifying those whose activities are subject to federal regulation. Moreover, all individuals and firm that wish to conduct futures-related business with the public must apply for membership or associate status with the NFA and submit to rigorous background and proficiency screening do business with the public on any U.S. futures exchange. Registration and membership status may be checked via the National Futures Association website at www.nfa.futures.org.

Individuals and firms that fraudulently solicit funds from investors for commodity futures and options trading are usually not registered with the CFTC. They may operate “Ponzi” schemes in which little or none of the money sent in by investors is ever invested as promised in the commodity markets. Instead, the operator of the scam steals the funds, and creates the illusion of a successful business by using some of the money put in by later investors to pay phony “profits” to earlier investors. This tactic makes it appear to investors that the investment is actually making money, which in turn attracts additional investors. Be wary of such payouts if you do not fully understand their source. Additionally, the CFTC urges the public to watch out for these warning signs of fraud:

Get-rich-quick schemes that sound too good to be true.

Predictions or guarantees of large profits. Always get as much information as you can about a firm or individual’s track record and verify that information—even if you know the people involved or they are recommended by friends or relatives. If you can’t get solid information about your investment and the company, don’t invest. Before you invest, always check it out with someone whose financial advice you can trust.

Promises of little or no financial risk. Be suspicious if the firm or individual says there is little risk. Be suspicious if someone tells you that a written risk disclosure statement is only a routine formality. Written risk disclosure statements are important to read thoroughly and understand.

Claims of trading in the “Interbank Market.” If a firm claims that they will trade foreign currency for you in the interbank market, or that you should trade in the interbank market, be cautious. The term “interbank market” refers to a loose network of currency transactions negotiated between financial institutions, usually banks and investment banks, and other large companies.

Unsolicited telephone calls about investing. Be skeptical if someone you don’t know calls you about investment opportunities.

Someone asking you to send cash immediately. Be very cautious if someone tries to convince you to send cash or transfer money to them immediately by overnight express, the Internet, mail, or any other method.

The CFTC appreciates the assistance of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The SEC filed a related action against Forte and the pool.

The following CFTC Division of Enforcement staff members are responsible for this case: Luke B. Marsh, Kara Mucha, Gretchen L. Lowe, and Vincent McGonagle.

Last Updated: January 8, 2009

WHEAT – CHICAGO BOARD OF TRADE Code-001602
OPTION AND FUTURES COMBINED POSITIONS AS OF 01/06/09 |
————————————————————–| NONREPORTABLE
NON-COMMERCIAL | COMMERCIAL | TOTAL | POSITIONS
————————–|—————–|—————–|—————–
Long | Short |Spreads | Long | Short | Long | Short | Long | Short
——————————————————————————–
(CONTRACTS OF 5,000 BUSHELS) OPEN INTEREST: 345,164
COMMITMENTS
61,797 49,139 97,886 157,866 151,452 317,549 298,478 27,614 46,686

CHANGES FROM 12/30/08 (CHANGE IN OPEN INTEREST: 23,368)
3,195 -632 11,134 6,320 10,825 20,648 21,327 2,720 2,041

PERCENT OF OPEN INTEREST FOR EACH CATEGORY OF TRADER
17.9 14.2 28.4 45.7 43.9 92.0 86.5 8.0 13.5

NUMBER OF TRADERS IN EACH CATEGORY (TOTAL TRADERS: 297)
84 94 118 81 99 239 251

CORN – CHICAGO BOARD OF TRADE Code-002602
OPTION AND FUTURES COMBINED POSITIONS AS OF 01/06/09 |
————————————————————–| NONREPORTABLE
NON-COMMERCIAL | COMMERCIAL | TOTAL | POSITIONS
————————–|—————–|—————–|—————–
Long | Short |Spreads | Long | Short | Long | Short | Long | Short
——————————————————————————–
(CONTRACTS OF 5,000 BUSHELS) OPEN INTEREST: 1,269,024
COMMITMENTS
128,032 88,425 435,483 556,291 539,255 1119806 1063163 149,218 205,861

CHANGES FROM 12/30/08 (CHANGE IN OPEN INTEREST: 29,977)
4,576 -5,183 19,529 -2,175 7,413 21,930 21,759 8,046 8,218

PERCENT OF OPEN INTEREST FOR EACH CATEGORY OF TRADER
10.1 7.0 34.3 43.8 42.5 88.2 83.8 11.8 16.2

NUMBER OF TRADERS IN EACH CATEGORY (TOTAL TRADERS: 605)
137 146 223 236 270 499 538

OATS – CHICAGO BOARD OF TRADE Code-004603
OPTION AND FUTURES COMBINED POSITIONS AS OF 01/06/09 |
————————————————————–| NONREPORTABLE
NON-COMMERCIAL | COMMERCIAL | TOTAL | POSITIONS
————————–|—————–|—————–|—————–
Long | Short |Spreads | Long | Short | Long | Short | Long | Short
——————————————————————————–
(CONTRACTS OF 5,000 BUSHELS) OPEN INTEREST: 17,865
COMMITMENTS
666 1,654 1,173 13,845 12,553 15,684 15,380 2,180 2,485

CHANGES FROM 12/30/08 (CHANGE IN OPEN INTEREST: -196)
-61 -42 -28 -124 -32 -212 -102 16 -94

PERCENT OF OPEN INTEREST FOR EACH CATEGORY OF TRADER
3.7 9.3 6.6 77.5 70.3 87.8 86.1 12.2 13.9

NUMBER OF TRADERS IN EACH CATEGORY (TOTAL TRADERS: 43)
5 12 7 23 16 34 30

SOYBEANS – CHICAGO BOARD OF TRADE Code-005602
OPTION AND FUTURES COMBINED POSITIONS AS OF 01/06/09 |
————————————————————–| NONREPORTABLE
NON-COMMERCIAL | COMMERCIAL | TOTAL | POSITIONS
————————–|—————–|—————–|—————–
Long | Short |Spreads | Long | Short | Long | Short | Long | Short
——————————————————————————–
(CONTRACTS OF 5,000 BUSHELS) OPEN INTEREST: 395,931
COMMITMENTS
55,635 19,351 128,049 163,322 184,753 347,006 332,153 48,925 63,778

CHANGES FROM 12/30/08 (CHANGE IN OPEN INTEREST: 16,879)
3,519 241 8,376 2,423 7,478 14,318 16,095 2,561 783

PERCENT OF OPEN INTEREST FOR EACH CATEGORY OF TRADER
14.1 4.9 32.3 41.3 46.7 87.6 83.9 12.4 16.1

NUMBER OF TRADERS IN EACH CATEGORY (TOTAL TRADERS: 303)
94 70 120 99 111 255 257

SOYBEAN OIL – CHICAGO BOARD OF TRADE Code-007601
OPTION AND FUTURES COMBINED POSITIONS AS OF 01/06/09 |
————————————————————–| NONREPORTABLE
NON-COMMERCIAL | COMMERCIAL | TOTAL | POSITIONS
————————–|—————–|—————–|—————–
Long | Short |Spreads | Long | Short | Long | Short | Long | Short
——————————————————————————–
(CONTRACTS OF 60,000 POUNDS) OPEN INTEREST: 236,752
COMMITMENTS
17,680 28,369 61,982 131,756 125,854 211,418 216,206 25,334 20,546

CHANGES FROM 12/30/08 (CHANGE IN OPEN INTEREST: -8,418)
2,257 -4,874 -4,921 -8,276 -461 -10,940 -10,255 2,521 1,837

PERCENT OF OPEN INTEREST FOR EACH CATEGORY OF TRADER
7.5 12.0 26.2 55.7 53.2 89.3 91.3 10.7 8.7

NUMBER OF TRADERS IN EACH CATEGORY (TOTAL TRADERS: 186)
31 56 70 64 60 151 150

U.S. TREASURY BONDS – CHICAGO BOARD OF TRADE Code-020601
OPTION AND FUTURES COMBINED POSITIONS AS OF 01/06/09 |
————————————————————–| NONREPORTABLE
NON-COMMERCIAL | COMMERCIAL | TOTAL | POSITIONS
————————–|—————–|—————–|—————–
Long | Short |Spreads | Long | Short | Long | Short | Long | Short
——————————————————————————–
(CONTRACTS OF $100,000 FACE VALUE) OPEN INTEREST: 828,610
COMMITMENTS
57,160 156,985 53,381 580,901 458,993 691,442 669,359 137,167 159,250

CHANGES FROM 12/30/08 (CHANGE IN OPEN INTEREST: -12,255)
1,239 -22,564 7,996 -31,614 -862 -22,380 -15,430 10,124 3,175

PERCENT OF OPEN INTEREST FOR EACH CATEGORY OF TRADER
6.9 18.9 6.4 70.1 55.4 83.4 80.8 16.6 19.2

NUMBER OF TRADERS IN EACH CATEGORY (TOTAL TRADERS: 144)
23 36 30 59 73 101 120

SOYBEAN MEAL – CHICAGO BOARD OF TRADE Code-026603
OPTION AND FUTURES COMBINED POSITIONS AS OF 01/06/09 |
————————————————————–| NONREPORTABLE
NON-COMMERCIAL | COMMERCIAL | TOTAL | POSITIONS
————————–|—————–|—————–|—————–
Long | Short |Spreads | Long | Short | Long | Short | Long | Short
——————————————————————————–
(CONTRACTS OF 100 TONS) OPEN INTEREST: 135,183
COMMITMENTS
20,959 8,020 28,640 59,681 78,864 109,279 115,523 25,903 19,659

CHANGES FROM 12/30/08 (CHANGE IN OPEN INTEREST: 2,517)
1,576 674 -58 -1,545 1,350 -27 1,965 2,544 552

PERCENT OF OPEN INTEREST FOR EACH CATEGORY OF TRADER
15.5 5.9 21.2 44.1 58.3 80.8 85.5 19.2 14.5

NUMBER OF TRADERS IN EACH CATEGORY (TOTAL TRADERS: 148)
36 24 39 58 53 122 100

ROUGH RICE – CHICAGO BOARD OF TRADE Code-039601
OPTION AND FUTURES COMBINED POSITIONS AS OF 01/06/09 |
————————————————————–| NONREPORTABLE
NON-COMMERCIAL | COMMERCIAL | TOTAL | POSITIONS
————————–|—————–|—————–|—————–
Long | Short |Spreads | Long | Short | Long | Short | Long | Short
——————————————————————————–
(CONTRACTS OF 200,000 POUNDS) OPEN INTEREST: 6,552
COMMITMENTS
1,125 548 448 4,037 4,234 5,610 5,230 943 1,323

CHANGES FROM 12/30/08 (CHANGE IN OPEN INTEREST: -276)
0 96 -10 -214 -145 -224 -60 -52 -216

PERCENT OF OPEN INTEREST FOR EACH CATEGORY OF TRADER
17.2 8.4 6.8 61.6 64.6 85.6 79.8 14.4 20.2

NUMBER OF TRADERS IN EACH CATEGORY (TOTAL TRADERS: 45)
8 9 5 17 15 27 27

2-YEAR U.S. TREASURY NOTES – CHICAGO BOARD OF TRADE Code-042601
OPTION AND FUTURES COMBINED POSITIONS AS OF 01/06/09 |
————————————————————–| NONREPORTABLE
NON-COMMERCIAL | COMMERCIAL | TOTAL | POSITIONS
————————–|—————–|—————–|—————–
Long | Short |Spreads | Long | Short | Long | Short | Long | Short
——————————————————————————–
(CONTRACTS OF $200,000 FACE VALUE) OPEN INTEREST: 524,308
COMMITMENTS
64,391 87,111 11,076 378,920 354,999 454,387 453,186 69,921 71,122

CHANGES FROM 12/30/08 (CHANGE IN OPEN INTEREST: -16,605)
5,259 5,748 -1,348 -7,288 -12,501 -3,377 -8,101 -13,228 -8,504

PERCENT OF OPEN INTEREST FOR EACH CATEGORY OF TRADER
12.3 16.6 2.1 72.3 67.7 86.7 86.4 13.3 13.6

NUMBER OF TRADERS IN EACH CATEGORY (TOTAL TRADERS: 150)
24 29 13 70 73 101 108

10-YEAR U.S. TREASURY NOTES – CHICAGO BOARD OF TRADE Code-043602
OPTION AND FUTURES COMBINED POSITIONS AS OF 01/06/09 |
————————————————————–| NONREPORTABLE
NON-COMMERCIAL | COMMERCIAL | TOTAL | POSITIONS
————————–|—————–|—————–|—————–
Long | Short |Spreads | Long | Short | Long | Short | Long | Short
——————————————————————————–
(CONTRACTS OF $100,000 FACE VALUE) OPEN INTEREST: 1,328,603
COMMITMENTS
157,445 134,951 145,309 813,725 771,931 1116479 1052192 212,123 276,411

CHANGES FROM 12/30/08 (CHANGE IN OPEN INTEREST: 22,309)
8,912 21,171 4,822 -4,627 -27,978 9,107 -1,985 13,201 24,294

PERCENT OF OPEN INTEREST FOR EACH CATEGORY OF TRADER
11.9 10.2 10.9 61.2 58.1 84.0 79.2 16.0 20.8

NUMBER OF TRADERS IN EACH CATEGORY (TOTAL TRADERS: 188)
36 42 49 84 92 147 156

5-YEAR U.S. TREASURY NOTES – CHICAGO BOARD OF TRADE Code-044601
OPTION AND FUTURES COMBINED POSITIONS AS OF 01/06/09 |
————————————————————–| NONREPORTABLE
NON-COMMERCIAL | COMMERCIAL | TOTAL | POSITIONS
————————–|—————–|—————–|—————–
Long | Short |Spreads | Long | Short | Long | Short | Long | Short
——————————————————————————–
(CONTRACTS OF $100,000 FACE VALUE) OPEN INTEREST: 1,090,823
COMMITMENTS
105,424 146,807 51,135 750,636 707,519 907,196 905,462 183,627 185,361

CHANGES FROM 12/30/08 (CHANGE IN OPEN INTEREST: -58,205)
-46,154 232 -1,099 -9,641 -65,388 -56,894 -66,255 -1,312 8,050

PERCENT OF OPEN INTEREST FOR EACH CATEGORY OF TRADER
9.7 13.5 4.7 68.8 64.9 83.2 83.0 16.8 17.0

NUMBER OF TRADERS IN EACH CATEGORY (TOTAL TRADERS: 140)
21 36 29 69 63 108 110

30-DAY FEDERAL FUNDS – CHICAGO BOARD OF TRADE Code-045601
OPTION AND FUTURES COMBINED POSITIONS AS OF 01/06/09 |
————————————————————–| NONREPORTABLE
NON-COMMERCIAL | COMMERCIAL | TOTAL | POSITIONS
————————–|—————–|—————–|—————–
Long | Short |Spreads | Long | Short | Long | Short | Long | Short
——————————————————————————–
(CONTRACTS OF $5,000,000) OPEN INTEREST: 700,792
COMMITMENTS
159,048 14,552 334,526 174,584 315,793 668,159 664,872 32,633 35,920

CHANGES FROM 12/30/08 (CHANGE IN OPEN INTEREST: -194,017)
-3,615 515 -113,968 -77,105 -84,341 -194,688 -197,793 671 3,777

PERCENT OF OPEN INTEREST FOR EACH CATEGORY OF TRADER
22.7 2.1 47.7 24.9 45.1 95.3 94.9 4.7 5.1

NUMBER OF TRADERS IN EACH CATEGORY (TOTAL TRADERS: 71)
24 12 31 32 25 67 59

DOW JONES INDUSTRIAL AVERAGE – CHICAGO BOARD OF TRADE Code-124601
OPTION AND FUTURES COMBINED POSITIONS AS OF 01/06/09 |
————————————————————–| NONREPORTABLE
NON-COMMERCIAL | COMMERCIAL | TOTAL | POSITIONS
————————–|—————–|—————–|—————–
Long | Short |Spreads | Long | Short | Long | Short | Long | Short
——————————————————————————–
($10 X DJIA INDEX) OPEN INTEREST: 10,432
COMMITMENTS
2,952 3,713 12 5,694 2,258 8,657 5,983 1,775 4,449

CHANGES FROM 12/30/08 (CHANGE IN OPEN INTEREST: 478)
-128 -566 -15 2,033 -197 1,890 -778 -1,412 1,255

PERCENT OF OPEN INTEREST FOR EACH CATEGORY OF TRADER
28.3 35.6 0.1 54.6 21.6 83.0 57.4 17.0 42.6

NUMBER OF TRADERS IN EACH CATEGORY (TOTAL TRADERS: 27)
5 7 1 12 5 17 13

DOW JONES INDUSTRIAL AVG- x $5 – CHICAGO BOARD OF TRADE Code-124603
OPTION AND FUTURES COMBINED POSITIONS AS OF 01/06/09 |
————————————————————–| NONREPORTABLE
NON-COMMERCIAL | COMMERCIAL | TOTAL | POSITIONS
————————–|—————–|—————–|—————–
Long | Short |Spreads | Long | Short | Long | Short | Long | Short
——————————————————————————–
($5 X DJIA INDEX) OPEN INTEREST: 69,087
COMMITMENTS
20,790 10,291 523 37,351 42,130 58,664 52,944 10,424 16,143

CHANGES FROM 12/30/08 (CHANGE IN OPEN INTEREST: 6,566)
-1,157 1,066 -214 7,563 1,346 6,191 2,198 375 4,368

PERCENT OF OPEN INTEREST FOR EACH CATEGORY OF TRADER
30.1 14.9 0.8 54.1 61.0 84.9 76.6 15.1 23.4

NUMBER OF TRADERS IN EACH CATEGORY (TOTAL TRADERS: 81)
27 13 4 27 24 55 40

INTEREST RATE SWAPS 10YR – CHICAGO BOARD OF TRADE Code-246602
OPTION AND FUTURES COMBINED POSITIONS AS OF 01/06/09 |
————————————————————–| NONREPORTABLE
NON-COMMERCIAL | COMMERCIAL | TOTAL | POSITIONS
————————–|—————–|—————–|—————–
Long | Short |Spreads | Long | Short | Long | Short | Long | Short
——————————————————————————–
(CONTRACTS OF $100,000) OPEN INTEREST: 31,020
COMMITMENTS
17,697 7,094 187 12,911 23,608 30,795 30,889 225 131

CHANGES FROM 12/30/08 (CHANGE IN OPEN INTEREST: 2,307)
2,082 -7 74 156 2,238 2,312 2,305 -5 2

PERCENT OF OPEN INTEREST FOR EACH CATEGORY OF TRADER
57.1 22.9 0.6 41.6 76.1 99.3 99.6 0.7 0.4

NUMBER OF TRADERS IN EACH CATEGORY (TOTAL TRADERS: 41)
12 10 4 12 14 26 26

INTEREST RATE SWAPS 5YR – CHICAGO BOARD OF TRADE Code-247602
OPTION AND FUTURES COMBINED POSITIONS AS OF 01/06/09 |
————————————————————–| NONREPORTABLE
NON-COMMERCIAL | COMMERCIAL | TOTAL | POSITIONS
————————–|—————–|—————–|—————–
Long | Short |Spreads | Long | Short | Long | Short | Long | Short
——————————————————————————–
(CONTRACTS OF $100,000) OPEN INTEREST: 50,166
COMMITMENTS
31,429 1,144 1,663 16,706 47,328 49,798 50,135 368 31

CHANGES FROM 12/30/08 (CHANGE IN OPEN INTEREST: -241)
-279 107 12 -53 -338 -320 -219 79 -22

PERCENT OF OPEN INTEREST FOR EACH CATEGORY OF TRADER
62.7 2.3 3.3 33.3 94.3 99.3 99.9 0.7 0.1

NUMBER OF TRADERS IN EACH CATEGORY (TOTAL TRADERS: 34)
11 8 3 11 8 23 18

——————————————————————————–

Updated January 9, 2009

Release: 5595-09
For Release: January 8, 2009

CFTC Requests Public Comment on Application submitted by Cantor Fitzgerald, L.P. for Designation of a Contract Market and Registration of a Derivatives Clearing Organization
Washington, DC – The Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) is asking for public comment on an application submitted by Cantor Fitzgerald, L.P., for the designation of a contract market, Cantor Futures Exchange, L.P., and the registration of a derivatives clearing organization, Cantor Clearinghouse, L.P. Comments should be submitted on or before Wednesday, January 28, 2009.

Comments may be submitted electronically to secretary@cftc.gov. All comments received will be posted on the CFTC’s website.

http://cftc.gov/newsroom/generalpressreleases/2009/pr5595-09.html

Remember Lee Iacocca, the man who rescued Chrysler Corporation from its death throes? He’s now 82 years old and has a new book, ‘Where Have All The Leaders Gone?’.

Lee Iacocca Says:

‘Am I the only guy in this country who’s fed up with what’s happening? Where the hell is our outrage? We should be screaming bloody murder! We’ve got a gang of clueless bozos steering our ship of state right over a cliff, we’ve got corporate gangsters stealing us blind, and we can’t even clean up after a hurricane much less build a hybrid car. But instead of getting mad, everyone sits around and nods their heads when the politicians say, ‘Stay the course.’

Stay the course? You’ve got to be kidding. This is America, not the damned, ‘Titanic’. I’ll give you a sound bite: ‘Throw all the bums out!’

You might think I’m getting senile, that I’ve gone off my rocker, and maybe I have. But someone has to speak up. I hardly recognize this country anymore.

The most famous business leaders are not the innovators but the guys in handcuffs. While we’re fiddling in Iraq , the Middle East is burning and nobody seems to know what to do. And the press is waving ‘pom-poms’ instead of asking hard questions. That’s not the promise of the ‘America’ my parents and yours traveled across the ocean for. I’ve had enough. How about you?

I’ll go a step further. You can’t call yourself a patriot if you’re not outraged. This is a fight I’m ready and willing to have. The Biggest ‘C’ is Crisis! (Iacocca elaborates on nine C’s of leadership, with crisis being the first.)

Leaders are made, not born. Leadership is forged in times of crisis. It’s easy to sit there with your feet up on the desk and talk theory. Or send someone else’s kids off to war when you’ve never seen a battlefield yourself. It’s another thing to lead when your world comes tumbling down.

On September 11, 2001, we needed a strong leader more than any other time in our history. We needed a steady hand to guide us out of the ashes. A hell of a mess, so here’s where we stand.

We’re immersed in a bloody war with no plan for winning and no plan for leaving.

We’re running the biggest deficit in the history of the country.

We’re losing the manufacturing edge to Asia, while our once-great companies are getting slaughtered by health care costs.

Gas prices are skyrocketing, and nobody in power has a coherent energy policy. Our schools are in trouble.

Our borders are like sieves.

The middle class is being squeezed every which way.

These are times that cry out for leadership.

But when you look around, you’ve got to ask: ‘Where have all the leaders gone?’ Where are the curious, creative communicators? Where are the people of character, courage, conviction, omnipotence, and common sense? I may be a sucker for alliteration, but I think you get the point.

Name me a leader who has a better idea for homeland security than making us take off our shoes in airports and throw away our shampoo?

We’ve spent billions of dollars building a huge new bureaucracy, and all we know how to do is react to things that have already happened.

Name me one leader who emerged from the crisis of Hurricane Katrina. Congress has yet to spend a single day evaluating the response to the hurricane or demanding accountability for the decisions that were made in the crucial hours after the storm.

Everyone’s hunkering down, fingers crossed, hoping it doesn’t happen again. Now, that’s just crazy. Storms happen. Deal with it. Make a plan. Figure out what you’re going to do the next time.

Name me an industry leader who is thinking creatively about how we can restore our competitive edge in manufacturing. Who would have believed that there could ever be a time when ‘The Big Three’ referred to Japanese car companies? How did this happen, and more important, what are we going to do about it?

Name me a government leader who can articulate a plan for paying down the debit, or solving the energy crisis, or managing the health care problem. The silence is deafening. But these are the crises that are eating away at our country and milking the middle class dry.

I have news for the gang in Congress. We didn’t elect you to sit on your asses and do nothing and remain silent while our democracy is being hijacked and our greatness is being replaced with mediocrity. What is everybody so afraid of? That some bonehead on Fox News will call them a name? Give me a break. Why don’t you guys show some spine for a change?

Had Enough? Hey, I’m not trying to be the voice of gloom and doom here. I’m trying to light a fire. I’m speaking out because I have hope – I believe in America. In my lifetime, I’ve had the privilege of living through some of America ’s greatest moments. I’ve also experienced some of our worst crises: The ‘Great Depression,’ ‘World War II,’ the ‘Korean War,’ the ‘Kennedy Assassination,’ the ‘Vietnam War,’ the 1970’s oil crisis, and the struggles of recent years culminating with 9/11.

If I’ve learned one thing, it’s this: ‘You don’t get anywhere by standing on the sidelines waiting for somebody else to take action. Whether it’s building a better car or building a better future for our children, we all have a role to play. That’s the challenge I’m raising in this book. It’s a “Call to Action” for people who, like me, believe in America’. It’s not too late, but it’s getting pretty close. So let’s shake off the crap and go to work. Let’s tell ‘em all we’ve had ‘enough.’

Make your own contribution by sending this to everyone you know and care about. It’s our country, folks, and it’s our future. Our future is at stake!!