Thursday, July 14, 2011

Rick Santelli's Chicago Tea Party

Rick Santelli's Chicago Tea Party

Privacy fears as police set to use hand held facial recognition technology for crime fighting

Posted: 13 Jul 2011 04:07 PM PDT

By DANIEL BATES, dailymail.co.uk

Dozens of law enforcement agencies are to be given hand held facial recognition software based on that used by soldiers to identify the Taliban.

The device, which attaches onto an iPhone, lets police officers take a picture or scan an eye then compare the photo with a database of criminals.

Hundreds of are due to be rolled out across states from Arizona to Massachusetts this September in the first deployment of its kind.

Such technology has previously only been used in a military setting and raises grave concerns over privacy and its appropriate usage.

Legal experts have said that as it is so new it will slip into a grey area that is open to abuse.

The gadget lets a policeman take a picture from up to 5ft away and scan an iris from six inches away.

To read more, visit:  http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2014369/Privacy-fears-police-US-set-use-hand-held-facial-recognition-technology-crime-fighting.html

Jeter 3,000th Hit Fan Gets Tax, Loan Help

Posted: 13 Jul 2011 04:02 PM PDT

By Eben Novy-Williams and Curtis Eichelberger, Bloomberg.com

The fan who caught Derek Jeter's home-run ball that gave him 3,000 career hits is getting help paying student loans and possible tax bills from one of the New York Yankees' chief sponsors.

Modell's Sporting Goods Inc., the official sporting goods partner of the Major League Baseball team, said it would donate 5 percent of its Yankees merchandise sales from today through July 19 to Christian Lopez, a 23-year-old mobile-phone salesman who caught the ball and returned it to Jeter, the club's shortstop and captain.

Lopez received roughly $70,000 in tickets and merchandise from the team, gifts that may be taxed by the Internal Revenue Service at fair-market value. He said that has $150,000 in college loans to repay in addition to potential taxes, which accountants cited by the New York Times said may be as high as $14,000.

"When you hear about what Christian did, it wasn't about Christian, it was really about his love for the Yankees, his love for Derek Jeter," Mitchell Modell, president of the sporting goods company, said at a presentation at the chain's Times Square store in Manhattan. "We thought it was critically important that someone think about Christian."

Modell's and Steiner Sports Marketing Inc. each guaranteed $25,000 toward the elimination of Lopez's debts. Lopez will receive whatever additional money the campaign brings in, Modell said. He won't pay taxes on the donations because this year there is a $5 million exemption on taxable gifts.

World Series Ring

Lopez also received Modell's 2009 Yankees World Series ring and a 20 percent lifetime discount at the company's stores.

"I'm absolutely speechless right now," Lopez said. "My hand is shaking. This is a surreal experience."

Doug Allen, president of Chicago-based Legendary Auctions, said that the ball may be worth as much as $250,000. Lopez said after the game that he returned the ball because "Mr. Jeter deserved it."

To read more, visit:  http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-07-13/jeter-3-000-hit-fan-gets-tax-pay-loan-help-from-yankees-sponsor-modell-s.html

Paul tries to reap Tea Party seeds he helped nourish Will yield seat in Congress for presidency bid

Posted: 13 Jul 2011 03:59 PM PDT

By Shira Schoenberg, Boston.com

WOLFEBORO, N.H. – Four years ago, Ron Paul's libertarian views became divining rods for the brand of strident antigovernment activism that grew into the Tea Party movement. Now the Texas congressman is trying to make sure the energy of that phenomenon does not bypass his presidential candidacy.

Paul's prescription for America has been consistent for three decades: shrink the federal bureaucracy, unshackle markets, cut taxes. An early oracle of bedrock Tea Party principles, Paul appears to be in a prime position to benefit from the movement's growing influence.

"Now that there's a shift in attitude, a country that's getting in worse shape by the day, all of a sudden the message becomes very appropriate,'' the 75-year-old obstetrician and 12-term representative said in an interview.

Yet obstacles have hindered Paul's attempts to harness that momentum in New Hampshire, a state his campaign considers crucial. One major impediment is philosophical: Paul and Tea Party activists may be working from the same antitax, probusiness playbook, but when matters turn to personal rights or foreign policy, their views diverge. For many conservatives, Paul's libertarian calls for decriminalizing marijuana and US withdrawal from such global flashpoints as Afghanistan are just too radical.

Perhaps of more concern to Paul's campaign is a practical matter. When he ran in 2008 for the GOP nomination, he was the main proponent of stripped-down government. This time, the candidate no longer has that stage to himself.

"I think that the conservatives who might have gone with him in the past have enough other choices this time,'' said Fran Wendelboe, a former New Hampshire state representative who is unaffiliated with any campaign.

To read more, visit:  http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2011/07/13/paul_tries_to_reap_tea_party_seeds_he_helped_nourish/

Three candidates say they won’t sign on to “The Marriage Vow”

Posted: 13 Jul 2011 03:53 PM PDT

By O. KAY HENDERSON , radioiowa.com

Three Republican presidential candidates have now refused to sign "The Marriage Vow." "The Marriage Vow" is a document created by a group of Christian conservatives.

Bob Vander Plaats of The Family Leader says the intent is to highlight the country's marriage crisis, but other issues tacked onto the pledge have sparked attention, like a section with a slavery reference that has been removed. Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney has issued a statement, saying he "strongly supports traditional marriage," but finds parts of The Family Leader's document "undignified and inappropriate."

Another candidate, Tim Pawlenty, issued a statement saying he has "deep respect" for the "sanctity" of traditional marriage, but Pawlenty declined to sign The Marriage Vow as his way of showing "compassion to those who are in broken families through no fault of their own."

Former New Mexico Governor Gary Johnson, another candidate for the presidency, last week called The Vow "offensive" and the kind of document that "gives Republicans a bad name." On Monday, Republican presidential candidate Newt Gingrich hasn't signed the pledge either, but said during an event sponsored by The Family Leader that he would suggest some edits before he'd sign it.

Candidates Michele Bachmann and Rick Santorum signed onto The Marriage Vow last week. Comedian Stephen Colbert mocked the document last night during his Comedy Central show.

Vander Plaats says critics of The Family Leader are "distorting the facts and misrepresenting" the vow. He says having presidential candidates sign the pledge "will provide Americans with evidence of a higher standard and model" that will strengthen marriages and families.

To read more, visit:  http://www.radioiowa.com/2011/07/13/three-candidates-say-they-wont-sign-on-to-the-marriage-vow/

New Port Richey couple says TSA search went too far

Posted: 13 Jul 2011 03:44 PM PDT

By: wtsp.com

New Port Richey, Florida – Airport security is a part of traveling these days, from walking through X-Ray machines to being patted down. But one New Port Richey couple contacted 10 News to say the search they received went too far.

“It was extremely thorough, almost a violation, “says Jason Steitler as he describes how a TSA official searched him at the Greater Rochester International Airport July 6th. Steitler’s disability requires he uses a wheelchair.

“They did the hair then did the neck. Then they had me do a pushup in my chair, then got down into my inner thigh around my back side. It’s the most thorough search [I've] had done in my life,” says Steitler.

Steitler and his wife, Jennifer, were heading home to New Port Richey that morning. She too is in a wheel chair and was searched by a TSA official.

“She’s been using the phrase ‘search raped’ because it was that thorough. She says it was nearly to her crotch,” says Steitler. “I feel the chair should have option of either scanner or searches, but automatically we’re being thrown to being patted down.”

Steitler says they’ve complained to the TSA about their experience at Rochester International Airport, but all they’ve received back is a standard form letter.

“Just the standard reply to everything: ‘In order to fly you have to be searched,’” says Steitler.

To read more, visit:  http://www.wtsp.com/news/topstories/article/200788/250/New-Port-Richey-couple-says-TSA-search-went-too-far

Doctors threaten Medicaid cutoff in Puerto Rico

Posted: 13 Jul 2011 03:37 PM PDT

By:  DANICA COTO, Washingtontimes.com

SAN JUAN, PUERTO RICO (AP) – Physicians are threatening to stop serving nearly a million Puerto Ricans as a result of a dispute between the island's government and an insurance company over reimbursements for treating poor people.

Gov. Luis Fortuno on Wednesday appealed to the doctors to avoid cutting off patients, saying it would be illegal. In an interview with WAPA, a local TV station, he also said the government will withhold two months of payments to the insurance company unless it settles with doctors, hospitals, laboratories and others.

Just hours after Fortuno spoke, the island's health secretary announced the government paid $57 million of the $87 million it owed Medical Card System Inc. for June. The remainder will be paid only when MCS settles its bills with medical providers, Secretary Lorenzo Gonzalez said.

"The money is and has always been available," he said. "Our concern has been to address the complaints of providers."

Physicians say MCS owes them as much as $60 million. They plan to decide soon if they will stop stop seeing Medicaid patients until they get paid, said Dr. Joaquin Vargas, president of the Independent Practice Association, which represents 38 medical groups.

"If this payment does not occur, the services will be threatened," he said. "It is a painful situation for us."

To read more, visit:  http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2011/jul/13/doctors-threaten-medicaid-cutoff-in-puerto-rico/

Bernanke Fights Ron Paul In Congress: Gold Isn’t Money

Posted: 13 Jul 2011 03:32 PM PDT

By: Agustino Fontevecchia, Forbes.com

Chairman Ben Bernanke faced-off with Fed-hating Representative Ron Paul during his monetary policy report to Congress on Wednesday. The head of the Fed was forced to respond to accusations of enriching already rich corporations while failing to help Main Street, while he was pushed on his views on gold. When asked whether gold is money, Bernanke flatly responded "No."

While most of Bernanke's reports to Congress serve politicians to pursue their own agendas by gearing the Chairman towards their issues, with Republican Rep. Bacchus talking of the unsustainability of Medicaid and Rep. Frank (D, Mass.) asking about the need to raise the debt limit without cutting spending, it was a stand-off between Bernanke and Ron Paul that took all the attention. (Read Apocalyptic Bernanke: Raise The Debt Ceiling Or Else).

Rep. Ron Paul, Republican for Texas, asked Bernanke why a capital injection of more than $5 trillion "hasn't done much" to help the consumer, who makes up about two-thirds of GDP in the U.S., and prop up the economy, while it helped boost corporate profits. "You could've given $17,000 to each citizen," Ron Paul claimed.

Gallery: The Five Stages of Greece's Financial Woes

Bernanke, clearly on the defensive, told Rep. Ron Paul that his institution hadn't spent a single dollar, rather, the Fed has been a "profit center" according to the Chairman, returning profits to the federal government. As Bernanke began to sermon Rep. Paul on the history of the Fed ("we are here to provide liquidity [in abnormal situations]," the Chairman said), he was interrupted.

"When you wake up in the morning, do you think about the price of gold," Rep. Paul asked. After pausing for a second, Bernanke responded, clearly uncomfortable. that he paid much attention to the price of gold, only to be interrupted once again.

"Gold's at about $1,580 [an ounce] this morning, what do you think of the price of gold?" asked Rep. Paul. A stern-faced Bernanke responded people bought it for protection and was once again cut-off, with Ron Paul once again on the offensive.

To read more, visit:  http://blogs.forbes.com/afontevecchia/2011/07/13/bernanke-fights-ron-paul-in-congress-golds-not-money/

‘Travel Hackers’ fly for free on government’s dollar, so to speak

Posted: 13 Jul 2011 03:27 PM PDT

By Michael Mayday, DailyCaller.com

Dollar coins may not be popular among most Americans, but they sure are for people who like to travel for free.

An NPR report cites "travel hackers" who use their credit cards, which award frequent flier miles for purchases, to purchase dollar coins from the U.S. Mint.

Once they have the coins, they can either ship them back to government reserves for free or deposit them in their bank accounts.

The act isn't illegal, but since 2008, the Mint enacted a 1,000 coin purchase limit for every ten days.

Congress mandated the minting of presidential dollar coins in 2005 in an attempt to make dollar coins popular among Americans. Since then, over $1 billion worth of coins have been stored in Federal Reserve vaults. The coins will continue to be minted, and stored if not used, under the congressional mandate.

To read more, visit:  http://dailycaller.com/2011/07/13/travel-hackers-fly-for-free-on-governments-dollar-so-to-speak/

Ron Paul asks Ben Bernake – Is Gold Money?

Posted: 13 Jul 2011 03:21 PM PDT
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