SALUTE SEEN AROUND THE WORLD

Army Cpl. Joshua Hargis, with the 3rd Ranger Battalion, salutes his commander during a Purple Heart presentation in Afghanistan. 

FROM:  U.S. DEFENSE DEPARTMENT 
Ranger's Salute Strikes Patriotic Chord Across Nation
By Elaine Sanchez
Brooke Army Medical Center

JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-FORT SAM HOUSTON, Texas, Oct. 17, 2013 - A photo of a wounded Army Ranger saluting his commander from a hospital bed in Afghanistan has become a symbol of fortitude, sacrifice and honor.

The photo of Army Cpl. Joshua Hargis, with the 3rd Ranger Battalion, went viral after his wife, Taylor, posted it on her Facebook page. It immediately struck a patriotic chord with people across the nation.

"It moves me to tears," Taylor said during an interview at Brooke Army Medical Center here, where her husband is now recovering. "I mean I think that's why it's gotten so much attention. It's moving people. It's just an amazing thing he's done and that he did it."

Hargis was injured Oct. 6 when a suicide bomb and several improvised explosive devices detonated during an operation southwest of Kandahar. Four of his fellow soldiers were killed, and several others were injured.

While Hargis was in a hospital in Afghanistan, his commander presented him with a bedside Purple Heart Medal. Those present thought Hargis was unconscious throughout the visit, but then saw his right arm stir in an effort to render the customary military salute.

"Despite his wounds, wrappings, tubes and pain, Josh fought the doctor who was trying to restrain his right arm and rendered the most beautiful salute any person in that room had ever seen," his commander recalled in a letter to Hargis' wife.

"Grown men began to weep," he wrote, "and we were speechless at a gesture that speaks volumes about Josh's courage and character."

Filled with pride, Taylor posted the commander's letter and photo to her Facebook page. "That's my husband," she said. "He's an amazing man."

The photo since has been circulated on websites and in papers across the nation. The Guardian Valor website dubbed the photo the "salute seen around the world."

Hargis' commander called it "the single greatest event I have witnessed in my 10 years in the Army."

Taylor, who is pregnant, said she's moved by the photo's popularity, but is most grateful to have her husband home. "The world should know what is happening overseas," she wrote on her Facebook site. "The world should know what true heroes and warriors are."

TRADER IN THAILAND HAS ASSETS FROZEN BY SEC FOR INSIDER TRADING IN SMITHFIELD FOODS

FROM: U.S. SECURTIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
06/06/2013 10:45 AM EDT
SEC Freezes Assets of Thailand-Based Trader for Insider Trading Ahead of Smithfield Foods Acquisition Announcement

Washington, D.C., June 6, 2013 — The Securities and Exchange Commission today announced an emergency court order to freeze the assets of a trader in Bangkok, Thailand, who made more than $3 million in profits by trading in advance of last week's announcement that Smithfield Foods agreed to a multi-billion dollar acquisition by China-based Shuanghui International Holdings.

The SEC alleges that Badin Rungruangnavarat purchased thousands of out-of-the-money Smithfield call options and single-stock futures contracts from May 21 to May 28 in an account at Interactive Brokers LLC. Rungruangnavarat allegedly made these purchases based on material, nonpublic information about the potential acquisition, and among his possible sources is a Facebook friend who is an associate director at an investment bank to a different company that was exploring an acquisition of Smithfield. After profiting from his timely and aggressive trading, Rungruangnavarat sought to withdraw more than $3 million from his account on June 3.

"The speed in which we were able to bring this emergency action exemplifies the talent, tenacity, and commitment that the SEC staff brings to bear every day to keep our markets fair and investors safe," said Andrew Ceresney, Co-Director of the SEC's Division of Enforcement.

Merri Jo Gillette, Director of the SEC's Chicago Regional Office, added, "As alleged in our complaint, not only did the defendant trade out of the money Smithfield call options, he further pumped up his profits by purchasing single-stock futures, thereby reaping a total unrealized return on his investment of 3,400 percent in the span of eight days. We will act quickly and decisively to uncover and take action against insider trading no matter where the trader resides or what types of securities are used to profit from nonpublic information."

According to the SEC's complaint filed under seal yesterday in U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, Smithfield publicly announced on May 29 that Shuanghui agreed to acquire the company for $4.7 billion, which would represent the largest-ever acquisition of a U.S. company by a Chinese buyer. Smithfield, which is headquartered in Smithfield, Va., is the world's largest pork producer and processor. Following the announcement, Smithfield stock opened nearly 25 percent higher than the previous day's closing price.

The SEC obtained the emergency court order late yesterday on an ex parte basis. The order freezes the proceeds of Rungruangnavarat's securities purchases, grants expedited discovery, and prohibits Rungruangnavarat from destroying evidence.

The SEC's complaint alleges that Rungruangnavarat violated Section 10(b) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and Rule 10b-5 thereunder. In addition to the emergency relief, the SEC is seeking disgorgement of ill-gotten gains with prejudgment interest, a financial penalty, and a permanent injunction.

The SEC's expedited investigation, which is continuing, was conducted jointly by staff in the Enforcement Division's Market Abuse Unit and the Chicago Regional Office, including Kathryn A. Pyszka, Frank D. Goldman, R. Kevin Barrett, Benjamin J. Hanauer and Steven C. Seeger. The Market Abuse Unit is headed by Chief Daniel M. Hawke, and the Chicago office leadership in this matter are Regional Director Merri Jo Gillette and Associate Regional Director Timothy Warren. The SEC acknowledges the assistance of the Options Regulatory Surveillance Authority (ORSA).

NASA LAUNCHES SPACE KNOWLEDGE GAME ON FACEBOOK

The following excerpt is from the NASA website:

WASHINGTON -- NASA has launched its first multi-player online game to 
test players' knowledge of the space program. Who was the first 
American to walk in space? Who launched the first liquid-fueled 
rocket? These are only a few of the questions players can answer in 
Space Race Blastoff. 

Available on Facebook, Space Race Blastoff tests players' knowledge of 
NASA history, technology, science and pop culture. Players who 
correctly answer questions earn virtual badges depicting NASA 
astronauts, spacecraft and celestial objects. Players also earn 
points they can use to obtain additional badges to complete sets and 
earn premium badges. 

"Space Race Blastoff opens NASA's history and research to a wide new 
audience of people accustomed to using social media," said David 
Weaver, NASA's associate administrator for communications. "Space 
experts and novices will learn new things about how exploration 
continues to impact our world." 

NASA chose to make the game available through Facebook to take 
advantage of the social media site's large audience and enable 
players to compete against others. Individuals also can play solo 
games. 

Once in the game, players choose an avatar and answer 10 
multiple-choice questions. Each correct answer earns 100 points, with 
a 20-point bonus to the player who answers first. The winner advances 
to the bonus round to answer one additional question for more points. 

Correctly answering the bonus question earns the player a badge. 

Space Race Blastoff was developed by Scott Hanger, Todd Powell and 
Jamie Noguchi of NASA's Internet Services Group in the Office of 
Communications. Play the game now at: 

http://apps.facebook.com/spacerace