WASHINGTON - The offices of U.S. Senators John Cornyn (R-TX) and Chuck Grassley (R-IA) today celebrated 'Meat Monday' with barbeque beef brisket, ribs, and sausage from Hill Country BBQ restaurant.  The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), which oversees our nation's ranchers and farmers, recently encouraged its employees to boycott meat on Mondays:

"In some of the toughest times they've seen in recent memory, Texas cattle ranchers and farmers deserve an Administration who works with them, not one who undermines them with boneheaded decisions from bureaucrats in Washington," said Sen. Cornyn.

"This is a reminder to USDA that it's supposed to advocate for American agriculture, not against it," Sen. Grassley said.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) recently announced a proposed 60-day duck hunting season and six-duck daily bag limit for the upcoming 2012-13 late waterfowl season in the Mississippi Flyway, which extends across Alabama, Arkansas, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Ohio, Tennessee and Wisconsin.  The Service also proposed geese hunting season lengths and bag limits that vary by state and area.

The proposed late season waterfowl frameworks will appear in a mid-August edition of the Federal Register for public comment. States select their individual seasons from within the federal frameworks that establish the earliest beginning and latest ending dates and the maximum season length and bag limits.

A duck hunting season is proposed of not more than 60 days between September 22, 2012, and January 27, 2013. The proposed daily bag limit is six and may include no more than four mallards (two hens), three wood ducks, one mottled duck, two redheads, four scaup, two pintails, one black duck, and one canvasback. The proposed daily bag limit of mergansers is five, only two of which may be hooded mergansers. In states that include mergansers in the duck bag limit, the daily limit is the same as the duck bag limit, only two which may be hooded mergansers.

Generally, seasons for Canada goose would be held between September 22, 2012, and January 31, 2013, and vary in length among states and areas. States would be able to select seasons for light geese not to exceed 107 days with 20 geese daily between September 22, 2012, and March 10, 2013; for white-fronted geese the proposed season would not exceed 74 days with a two-bird daily bag limit or 88 days with a one-bird daily bag limit between September 22, 2012, and February 17, 2013; and for brant it would not exceed 70 days with a two-bird daily bag limit or 107 days with a one-bird daily bag limit between September 22, 2012, and January 31, 2012. There is no possession limit for light geese.

The Service's 2012 Waterfowl Population Status Report summarizes information on the status of duck and goose populations and habitat conditions during spring of 2012. In the traditional survey area, which includes the north-central United States, south-central and northern Canada and Alaska, the 2012 total duck population estimate was 48.6 million birds, an increase of 7 percent over last year's estimate. Despite poorer habitat conditions compared to 2011, population abundance estimates are good for this breeding season. The total pond estimate for prairie Canada and the US combined was 5.5 million, which is down 32 percent from last year.

The annual survey results guide the Service's waterfowl conservation programs under authority of the 1918 Migratory Bird Treaty Act. Each year the Service works in partnership with states from the four flyways to establish regulatory frameworks for waterfowl hunting season lengths, dates, and bag limits. All of this information represents the largest data set on any wildlife species group in the world and helps provide hunting opportunities while ensuring the long-term health of waterfowl populations.

The Status of Waterfowl report can be found at http://www.fws.gov/migratorybirds/. To view a video of the Status of Waterfowl video visit: http://flyways.us/status-of-waterfowl/video-report/.

The mission of the Service's Migratory Bird Program is to ensure long-term ecological sustainability of  migratory bird populations and their habitats for future generations, through careful monitoring, effective management, and by supporting national and international partnerships that conserve habitat for migratory birds and other wildlife.

The mission of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is working with others to conserve, protect and enhance fish, wildlife, plants and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the American people. We are both a leader and trusted partner in fish and wildlife conservation, known for our scientific excellence, stewardship of lands and natural resources, dedicated professionals and commitment to public service. For more information on our work and the people who make it happen, visit www.fws.gov.

Connect with our Facebook page at facebook.com/usfwsmidwest, follow our tweets at twitter.com/usfwsmidwest, watch our YouTube Channel at youtube.com/usfws and download photos from our Flickr page at flickr.com/photos/usfwsmidwest.

-FWS-

Digital media company calls sweet home Chicago

CHICAGO - July 30, 2012. Crediting The Onion for uniting all of its business and editorial operations in Chicago, Lt. Governor Sheila Simon will declare it "The Onion Day" on Tuesday to celebrate the digital media company's consolidation of its headquarters in Illinois.

Formerly based in Madison, Wis., with its editorial staff headquartered in New York City, The Onion consolidated its media operations in Chicago this month, which will include a new studio for digital video production. The Onion, along with its sister publication The A.V. Club, will house approximately 100 employees in its new offices and studio in River North in October.

"No matter how you slice it, The Onion brings tears to my eyes," Simon said. "From its spot-on satire of our politics, to its use of our web video tax credit, The Onion shows that Illinois is a great place to do business and that Chicago is a great comedy town. We encourage other digital media companies to make us their first choice for their international headquarters."

Among other factors, The Onion management attributes its relocation to the Illinois tax credit for web video, TV and film production, the city's vibrant comedy scene and proximity to Hot Doug's Encased Meat Emporium and Hotdog Superstore.

Meanwhile, "Chicago" loosely translates from the Native American Potowatami language to "wild onion" or "native garlic," which was surely a selling point, Simon said.

"The Onion is very happy to return to its Midwestern roots," said Steve Hannah, President and CEO of Onion, Inc. "and especially happy to land in Chicago. Our brand of journalism has a peculiarly Midwestern sensibility and, combined with the state's generous tax credit for video production, we feel that we have landed in the right place."

The declaration will come during a fundraiser for the Better Government Association emceed by WGN TV's Larry Potash and Robin Baumgarten. Simon will dedicate a country music parody to The Onion and the BGA for their work in exposing political corruption and promoting government transparency.

"Corruption isn't funny, but sometimes you have to laugh to keep from crying," said BGA president Andy Shaw, "so we'll laugh at The Onion's unique brand of journalism and the lieutenant governor's unique way of welcoming them to Illinois, and then we'll go back to our unique anti-corruption watchdog mission of shining a light on government and holding public officials accountable."

The Onion is the self-proclaimed "biggest, most powerful, most terrifying and most influential media company in the civilized world." Figures provided by company say it has an audience of approximately 3 billion people worldwide across its various media platforms, including The Onion newspaper syndicate, The Onion News Network in web video and on television, The Onion Radio Network, the pop-culture A.V. Club, Zweibel Worldwide Productions and Onion Digital Studios.

Chicago politicians, media outlets and sports teams frequently have been targets of The Onion's writers. Past headlines in The Onion include : "City of Chicago to Modernize Outdated Graft Programs"; "Chicago Cubs Sell Naming Rights to Chewing Gum Company"; and "Struggling 'Chicago Tribune' Cuts Asia Bureau, Expands Sudoku Staff". It was the only news outlet to report on the deadly 2003 "meatwave" in Chicago.

Supposedly founded by two University of Wisconsin-Madison students in 1988, The Onion is published and/or broadcast in 87 different languages in 159 countries. At any given moment approximately 80 percent of the world's population is being watched by one of The Onion News Network's cameras, its sources say.

Among other awards, The Onion has won the Thurber Prize for American Humor, numerous Webbys for the best journalism in multiple creative categories on the Internet, and the prestigious Peabody Award for excellence in broadcasting. In recent months, The Onion produced four original shows for its premium YouTube channel and, along with its staff, hired numerous members of Chicago's television community to assist in production.

Lt. Governor Simon's declaration in honor of The Onion can be found here.

While they're the place we go for healing, all hospitals have the potential to be a hotbed  for contagious infections.

But there are precautionary measures patients can take, both to reduce the need for a hospital stay and to condition the body to ward off infection and minimize pain when surgery is necessary, says Letha Hadady, a nationally-recognized herbal expert and author of Naturally Pain Free, just published by Sourcebooks (www.AsianHealthSecrets.com). Letha has been documenting in real time her recent hip replacement, preparation and recovery, in a video blog on her global website.

"We are fast approaching a time when antibiotics will be outdated because infectious bacteria - Superbugs - have become resistant," she says. "We have to protect ourselves with the gifts of nature that germs cannot adapt to - foods, minerals, herbal remedies and other natural products that build our defenses."

There are 600,000 knee-replacement and 300,000 hip-replacement surgeries performed each year in the United States, a number that has doubled in the past 10 years and continues to grow, Hadady says. As a health expert cited by NBC News, AP Radio, Newsday, the Daily News, the San Francisco Chronicle and Barbara Walters, she says she is concerned about the risks, pain and fear as many people face both major and minor surgeries.

"These surgeries are only going to become more frequent as the baby boomer generation ages. People 50 and older with osteoarthritis are most likely to need hip- and knee-placements," she says. "But plenty of younger people are affected, too. Runners, dancers, tennis players, soldiers - even high school students who suffer sports injuries. It could be you on the operating table!"

Hadady offers these tips to naturally condition the body before surgery:

· Herbal strength: A few weeks in advance of her operation, Hadady ramped up her intake of herbal supplements. A key herb was Yunnan Paiyao, a traditional  medicine used in Chinese hospitals and by their soldiers to prevent excessive bleeding. Other herbs can be taken to help build up resistance to bacteria.

· A calm and focused mind: Stress increases inflammation and is a burden on internal organs. A calm, centered mind -- attained through techniques such as meditation, deep breathing, and mineral baths - can help the body weather the trauma of surgery, she says.

· Knowledge is power: While researching "Naturally Pain Free," Letha tried alternative treatments for arthritis ranging from traditional Asian remedies to cutting-edge stem cell injections. Before her operation, Hadady asked questions and researched her hospital, doctors, the procedure, and insurance coverage. This allowed her to better prepare for the operation and gave her peace of mind.

· Follow hospital recommendations: In addition to alternative therapies, it's important to heed the advice of one's doctors, before and after a procedure, she says. With her supplements, Hadady restricted her vitamin C intake, which thins blood, and she received an antibiotic ointment to ward off MRSA -- an antibiotic-resistant superbug that can cause life-threatening infections.

· Diet and exercise: "This may seem obvious, but it's a message we cannot emphasis enough for overall health," she says. One reason why replacement procedures are so prominent is due to the "sitting lifestyle" so many now have. Muscle atrophy from too much sitting can be a cause for joint-replacement, she says. "Sitting is the new smoking!"

About Letha Hadady

Letha Hadady has been called the "Martha Stewart of herbs" for her expertise in traditional Asian and alternative health. The author of five books, including her latest "Naturally Pain Free," Letha has appeared widely on TV--including CNN, Today, The View ? talk radio, and the internet. Letha is an adjunct faculty member for New York Open Center, and The Renfield Center for Nursing Education, Beth Israel Medical Center in New York. She has led stress-management workshops and acted as a natural product consultant for Sony Entertainment Inc., Dreyfus, Ogilvy & Mather, and Consumer Eyes, Inc. in New York.