Thursday 08-04-11

Free cell phones are now a civil right

Pennsylvanians on public assistance now have a new 'civil right' -- free cell phones. Meanwhile, the rest of us get to pay higher cell bills as a result.

Recently, a federal government program called the Universal Service Fund came to the Keystone State and some residents are thrilled because it means they can enjoy 250 minutes a month and a handset for free, just because they don't have the money to pay for it. Through Assurance Wireless and SafeLink from Tracfone Wireless these folks get to reach out and touch someone while the cost of their service is paid for by everyone else. You see, the telecommunications companies are funding the Universal Service Fund to the tune of $4 billion a year because the feds said they have to and in order to recoup their money, the companies turn around and hike their fees to paying customers. But those of use paying for the free service for the poor, should be happy about this infuriating situation, says Gary Carter, manager of national partnerships for Assurance, because "the program is about peace of mind." Free cell service means "one less bill that someone has to pay, so they can pay their rent or for day care...it is a right to have peace of mind," Cater explained.

Well, the telecommunications companies don't seem to love providing this 'right' to poor folks because they are trying to renegotiate the deal with the FCC. The telecommunications companies like Verizon and AT&T want more paying customers, but their desire to reform their deal with the feds dovetails nicely with the political ideology of the current FCC chairman Julian Genachowski, who like all Obama administration flunkies sees 'rights' where others see 'priviledges'. Just listen to how the agency put the question of providing broadband and cell service to those in rural and poor communities. "The goal of reform is to provide everyone with affordable voice and broadband," the agency said.


Between 14 million and 24 million Americans lack access to broadband, "and immediate prospects for deployment to them are bleak," the FCC said in a report last year. "Many of these Americans are poor or live in rural areas that will remain unserved without reform of the universal service program and other changes," the report said.

But who says that cheap or free broadband is anything more than a luxury?

Well, another Obama flunkie, Rahm Emanuel, that's who. As we reported in June , the new mayor of Chicago was all excited to proclaim the wonderful news of free internet service to poor kids in Chicago's worst neighborhoods. And how could Mayor Emanuel pay for this new 'civil right'? Well, because the federal government extorted the money from Comcast when it wanted to buy NBC-Universal. Once again FCC chairman Genachowski was all about "helping the kids" by forcing the internet provider to give poor kids free netbooks, laptops, and internet service, indefinitely. And who is going to pay for this gift? Well, of course the rest of us poor saps who actually pay our bills.

http://www.nypost.com/p/blogs/capitol/free_cell_phones_are_civil_right_htTMcKQFrjdvyl9A6NHPdP#ixzz1TzCJvaGb

NSSF Files Suit To Stop Multi-Rifle Reporting Requirement
The National Shooting Sports Foundation has filed suit in U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia asking for preliminary and permanent injunctions against the ATF's move to require the reporting of multiple sales of certain semi-automatic rifles in the Southwest border states. They are also asking for a writ of mandamus to compel the ATF to adhere to the operative language of the Firearm Owners Protection Act of 1986. This is the first time I've seen a writ of mandamus requested in any of the gun rights suits filed since Heller. A writ of mandamus is an order from a court to an agency, in this case, ordering them to perform their duties correctly.

Their release is below. I have a copy of the suit and will be posting on it later today if time permits.

NEWTOWN, Conn. -- The National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF), the trade association for America's firearms industry, today filed a lawsuit challenging the legal authority of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) under the Gun Control Act to compel 8,500 federally licensed firearms retailers in Arizona, California, New Mexico and Texas to report the sale of two or more rifles.

Specifically, the regulation calls for reporting multiple sales of any semi-automatic rifle larger than .22 caliber and capable of accepting a detachable magazine that are purchased following an FBI background check by the same individual within five consecutive business days.

NSSF's lawsuit, filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, seeks an injunction to block ATF from implementing the reporting requirement. ATF has sent "demand letters" to firearms retailers in the four states to inform retailers they must begin reporting such sales by August 14.

NSSF Senior Vice President and General Counsel Lawrence G. Keane pointed out that if ATF can require this record-keeping and reporting requirement of law-abiding retailers in these four states simply by sending a letter demanding the information, then there is no record or report ATF cannot require of any licensee, anywhere in the country, for as long as ATF wants. "This is the proverbial 'slippery slope,' and our industry is extremely concerned about it," said Keane.

Keane added, "At the time Congress authorized the reporting of multiple sales of handguns, it could have required it for the sale of long guns, but it did not. Acting ATF Director Ken Melson himself has questioned ATF's legal authority to impose this new requirement."

Despite its lawsuit, NSSF is encouraging all retailers, not just those along the Southwest border, to continue to cooperate with law enforcement and report any suspicious activity to the ATF. "The firearms industry and NSSF take pride in having a longstanding cooperative relationship with ATF," said NSSF President and CEO Steve Sanetti. "Retailers have long been considered a vital source of information for law enforcement in combating illegal firearm trafficking."

Even if ATF had the legal authority to require multiple sales reporting for long guns, NSSF believes the policy would still be unwise to implement. "We believe the policy will make it more difficult for retailers to assist law enforcement," said Keane. Illegal firearms traffickers will simply alter their schemes to avoid and evade the reporting requirement, making it more difficult for retailers to identify and report suspicious activity. For example, traffickers could simply recruit more "straw purchasers" and have them illegally purchase firearms from multiple licensees, or simply move their illegal trafficking activities to other states where the reporting requirement does not exist.

Sanetti pointed out that for more than a decade, the firearms industry has done its part to help prevent illegal straw purchases through the Don't Lie for the Other Guy program. The program, a cooperative effort between NSSF and ATF, educates retailers on how to spot potential illegal purchasers and warns the public that it's a serious crime to attempt such a purchase. The program is active in firearms retailer shops across the country. Over the last several years, the firearms industry has solely funded the rollout of Don't Lie for the Other Guy in border-state areas to deter individuals with intent to illegally purchase firearms. See www.dontlie.org.

Also today lawyers representing the National Rifle Association filed a separate lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia challenging ATF's requirement for reporting multiple sales of rifles.

http://onlygunsandmoney.blogspot.com/2011/08/nssf-files-suit-to-stop-multi-rifle.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+NoLawyers-OnlyGunsAndMoney+%28No+Lawyers+-+Only+Guns+and+Money%29

Dieting forces brain to eat itself, scientists claim
Dieters struggle to lose weight because a lack of nutrition forces their brain cells to eat themselves, making the feeling of hunger even stronger, scientists claim.

Like other parts of the body, brain cells begin to eat themselves as a last-ditch source of energy to ward off starvation, a study found.

The body responds by producing fatty acids, which turn up the hunger signal in the brain and increase our impulse to eat.

Researchers from the Albert Einstein College of Medicine at Yeshiva University in New York said the findings could lead to new scientifically proven weight loss treatments.

Tests on mice found that stopping the brain cells from eating themselves – a process known as autophagy – prevented levels of hunger from rising in response to starvation.

The chemical change in their brains caused the mice to become lighter and slimmer after a period of fasting, the researchers reported in the journal Cell Metabolism.

Dr Rajat Singh, who led the study, said: "A pathway that is really important for every cell to turn over components in a kind of housekeeping process is also required to regulate appetite.

"Treatments aimed at the pathway might make you less hungry and burn more fat, a good way to maintain energy balance in a world where calories are cheap and plentiful."

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/science/science-news/8677200/Dieting-forces-brain-to-eat-itself-scientists-claim.html

What is the matter with the "rulers" of our country?

Jackson Man Jailed For Shingling

The shingles that Andrew Espey put up two years ago are holding up well, but the legal battle that came with them is far from over.

It all started when Espey decided to re–shingle his roof after discovering a leak.

Espey says, "The building inspector came along and told me I couldn't do it. He told me I had to quit and take off the shingles and start over because they have a code."

A Minnesota state residential code says that new asphalt shingles cannot be installed without first removing exist shingles, and on one section of the roof Espey was installing new shingles over the old.

Espey says, "They didn't tell me I couldn't overlay shingles when I got my permit...I didn't even know they had such a code."

The city served him a stop work order, but he ignored it and finished the job.

Espey says, "I was kind of getting disturbed a little bit, somebody telling me what I can do on my home."

Nevertheless, on March of last year he was found guilty of four counts of violating building code and two counts of violating a stop work order, fined over $2000 and sentenced to 90 days in jail, 60 with good behavior.

Espey says, "60 days for working on a house and a drunk can drive down the highway and get a lot less."

Espey did report to the Jackson city law enforcement center to serve his time but was let out after just 17 days as medical precaution.

Espey is claustrophobic and a doctor said staying in jail was making his hypertension worse.

The judge reduced his 73–day balance to 30, to be served on electronic home monitoring or in jail three days at a time.

Espey says, "I said no I don't want them, this isn't what we served in the military for to be tied up in our own home."

Espey is also refusing to pay his fines, maintaining that he did nothing wrong.

Espey says, "I hope they just drop it pretty soon and decide it's enough."

The City attorney declined to comment.

Espy was arrested again last week at a city council meeting where an ordinance was introduced to make violations of the building code a nuisance. He was released after 24 hours.

http://www.keyc.tv/story/15176536/jackson-man-jailed-for-shingling