Health insurer, Health Net, lost 1.5 million patient records in May but never informed patients, law enforcement or government entities, despite data breach laws in some states that require data spillers to notify victims and state officials when residents are affected by a breach. The insurer finally sent a letter to Connecticut’s attorney general and the state’s Department of Insurance this week.
Health Net claimed it took six months to determine what data was on the missing disk. The information was on a hard drive that disappeared from Health Net's Shelton office. The hard drive included all data on patients, including health information, as well as financial and personal data such as social security and bank account numbers. There were also some physicians' personal information on the disk as well. It said that data on the disk was compressed and stored in an image format that required special software to view, which was available only to HealthNet.
Health Net will provide credit monitoring for over two years - free of charge - to all impacted members who elect the service, and will provide assistance to any member who has experienced any suspicious activity, identity theft or health care fraud between May 2009 and their date of enrollment.
So, anyone having Health Net needs to start getting in line. I smell a class action suit for damages in the making.
http://www.hartfordbusiness.com/news11027.html
------------------------------------
Universal American Action Network exposes clients Medicare SS numbers
Thousands could become victims of identity theft just because a piece of mail has been sent to their homes.
Right on the front of the piece of mail, in plain view, is the Medicare recipient's Social Security number.
The postcards were from the Universal American Action Network, a subsidiary of Universal American Insurance. The data leak affected patients enrolled in the Medicare Advantage plan, which uses a patient’s Social Security number as his Medicare account number.
The company revealed that 80,000 postcards with Social Security numbers on them were sent out last Friday to Universal clients throughout the country. Universal American said that the Social Security numbers were on the postcards because of a printing error. And Universal claims it immediately terminated its contract with the printing service.
The big question is -- how did this company get the Social Security numbers? Well, in many cases, Medicare account numbers are your Social Security number. Universal American said it will send a letter to those who received the postcards notifying them of this problem and offer to provide free credit monitoring for a year. In the meantime, anyone with any questions can contact Universal American at 1 (877) 697-6228.
http://www.wgal.com/news/21655737/detail.html
Thursday, November 19, 2009
Looks as if WH Administration is padding the job numbers?
The Government Accountability Office report on stimulus fund tracking was released in Congress on November 19, 2009. http://www.gao.gov/new.items/d10223.pdf . The report states;
"As of September 30, 2009, approximately $173 billion of the $787 billion—or about 22 percent—of the total funds provided by the Recovery Act had been paid out by the federal government .....Nonfederal recipients of Recovery Act-funded grants, contracts, and loans are required to submit reports .....Of the $173 billion in funds paid out, about $47 billion—a little more than 25 percent—is covered by this recipient report requirement. Neither individuals nor recipients receiving funds through entitlement programs, such as Medicaid, or through tax programs are required to report ....the required reports cover direct jobs created or retained as a result of Recovery Act funding .....On October 30, www.recovery.gov (the federal Web site on Recovery Act spending) reported that more than 100,000 recipients reported hundreds of thousands of jobs created or retained ....."
I periodically have studied the tracker on Recovery. gov to see if the what the White House Administration was publically stating was as transparent, and as true, as had been promised all those months ago on the campaign trail. If you studied very much of it, you would come across entries that had jobs created or retained, but there was no money given to them. There was also money given to agents but no jobs listed as created or retained.
My son is the math wiz in the family, but it seemed to me that if you get at least a hundred million dollars, there should be at least a few jobs showing up somewhere. I think the people that put together the GAO report saw the same things I did. They included in the report:
"Erroneous or questionable data entries that merit further review:
• 3,978 reports that showed no dollar amount received or expended but included more than 50,000 jobs created or retained;
• 9,247 reports that showed no jobs but included expended amounts approaching $1 billion, and
• Instances of other reporting anomalies such as discrepancies between award amounts and the amounts reported as received which, although relatively small in number, indicate problematic issues in the reporting."
On the Franklin Center for Government & Public Integrity, (http://www.publicintegrity.org/ ), a watchdog site, there were a number of instances shown to go a bit beyond being tagged as a "discrepancy". In virtually all 50 states, claims were made on behalf of congressional districts that don't exist. The 'errors' counted up as nearly $6.4 billion for nearly 30,000 jobs in 440 non-existing districts (http://www.wgal.com/news/21670147/detail.html). I wonder how many in the Government Accountability Office stayed up late for the last few nights reworking the report after this info started to hit the news media?
If you want to study a more accurate accounting of where the money has gone to, then study the stimulus tracker on MSNBC page.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/33498869/#/all/all/us/all/
On the MSNBC tracker site is a statement:
"Data for the tracker, provided by Onvia, a company that tracks government contracting activity, differs from federal government data". Onvia has a site for tracking the money on http://www.recovery.org/ . That's Recovery dot ORG; not Recovery dot GOV .
Maybe this is the agency the government should use to get a true read on where the money went? ..... Wait a minute - that would mean there would be someone really making them honestly account for al those dollars the taxpayers have to shell out.
http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2009-11-19-stimulus-jobs_N.htm
------------------------------------
"As of September 30, 2009, approximately $173 billion of the $787 billion—or about 22 percent—of the total funds provided by the Recovery Act had been paid out by the federal government .....Nonfederal recipients of Recovery Act-funded grants, contracts, and loans are required to submit reports .....Of the $173 billion in funds paid out, about $47 billion—a little more than 25 percent—is covered by this recipient report requirement. Neither individuals nor recipients receiving funds through entitlement programs, such as Medicaid, or through tax programs are required to report ....the required reports cover direct jobs created or retained as a result of Recovery Act funding .....On October 30, www.recovery.gov (the federal Web site on Recovery Act spending) reported that more than 100,000 recipients reported hundreds of thousands of jobs created or retained ....."
I periodically have studied the tracker on Recovery. gov to see if the what the White House Administration was publically stating was as transparent, and as true, as had been promised all those months ago on the campaign trail. If you studied very much of it, you would come across entries that had jobs created or retained, but there was no money given to them. There was also money given to agents but no jobs listed as created or retained.
My son is the math wiz in the family, but it seemed to me that if you get at least a hundred million dollars, there should be at least a few jobs showing up somewhere. I think the people that put together the GAO report saw the same things I did. They included in the report:
"Erroneous or questionable data entries that merit further review:
• 3,978 reports that showed no dollar amount received or expended but included more than 50,000 jobs created or retained;
• 9,247 reports that showed no jobs but included expended amounts approaching $1 billion, and
• Instances of other reporting anomalies such as discrepancies between award amounts and the amounts reported as received which, although relatively small in number, indicate problematic issues in the reporting."
On the Franklin Center for Government & Public Integrity, (http://www.publicintegrity.org/ ), a watchdog site, there were a number of instances shown to go a bit beyond being tagged as a "discrepancy". In virtually all 50 states, claims were made on behalf of congressional districts that don't exist. The 'errors' counted up as nearly $6.4 billion for nearly 30,000 jobs in 440 non-existing districts (http://www.wgal.com/news/21670147/detail.html). I wonder how many in the Government Accountability Office stayed up late for the last few nights reworking the report after this info started to hit the news media?
If you want to study a more accurate accounting of where the money has gone to, then study the stimulus tracker on MSNBC page.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/33498869/#/all/all/us/all/
On the MSNBC tracker site is a statement:
"Data for the tracker, provided by Onvia, a company that tracks government contracting activity, differs from federal government data". Onvia has a site for tracking the money on http://www.recovery.org/ . That's Recovery dot ORG; not Recovery dot GOV .
Maybe this is the agency the government should use to get a true read on where the money went? ..... Wait a minute - that would mean there would be someone really making them honestly account for al those dollars the taxpayers have to shell out.
http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2009-11-19-stimulus-jobs_N.htm
------------------------------------
Sunday, November 15, 2009
Wonder why CNN doesn't have Lou Dobbs?
I followed Lou Dobbs from the first time I turned on the CNN channel in the 1980's. He was founding member of the CNN group in the 1980s. We had cable then; satellite was a little out of our pocket book's range. Dobbs anchored a business news program, “The Moneyline News Hour with Lou Dobbs,” on CNN. In June 2003, he anchored a daily program, “Lou Dobbs Tonight”, which expanded business journalism into the political news and issues which influenced and affected average life in America. In a time of 'trickle-down economics', he was one journalist who was honestly telling the truth about what was going to be trickling-down onto our heads.
His nightly program, 'Lou Dobbs Tonight' had special ongoing reports as a cornerstone of the programs. “Broken Borders" focused on border security and illegal immigration. “War on the Middle Class,” and “Exporting America,” related news on the outsourcing of American jobs and how inequitable trade was killing the manufacturing base of the U.S. economy. “Failing Grades” stressed the ongoing the problems in public education. His latest addition of special reports was "Heroes" which featured reports of individual acts of heroism, on and off the battlefield, by U.S military personnel.
Dobbs also has a highly successful national radio program. He has won almost every major award for his work in television news from the George Foster Peabody Award to the Luminary Award by the Business Journalism Review. Yes, he even won the “Father of the Year” by the National Father’s Day Committee in 1993. He has written three best-selling books. “Independents Day: Awakening the American Spirit” in 2007, “War on the Middle Class” in 2006, and “Exporting America” in 2004. He has also been a columnist for Money Magazine, U.S. News and World Report and the New York Daily News.
He would often be the first to have important and complex reports on what the three branches of U.S government and Big Business were doing. In all these years, I can only recall a few times he was ever in error on what he reported. A large portion of his indepth reporting included topics that other journalists would shy away from or skim over as it would not be P.C. to lay out the the truth of the matter. Through his advocacy of the middle class and the working class of America, Dobbs has called for more of our elected officials and leaders of businesses built by American hands to be accountable for their actions.
You would think that in light of such public recognition that CNN would strive to, not only to keep him, but promote his, and a few others, honest journalism into the depth of issues and the ensuing provocative discussions. But CNN corporate changed over the years and began standing under a banner which emphasizes that it was taking a "non-biased approach". Translation - we're going to make everyone happy with joy-joy news that is honest; but running as lean on substance. It's like eating a rice cake as the main course of your meal.
In my opinion, CNN still has a few anchors and journalists who venture over the line to bring that substance to the surface. You have to wonder how long they will be seen if there are certain groups who go after them as there were groups going after Lou Dobbs.
You didn't know that there was a coalition of malcontents campaigning to get CNN to be rid of Dobbs? Well, you won't hear about on CNN. But you don't have to check too many web sites or other news channels to see that he was targeted by illegal immigrant advocacy organizations, outsourcing business corporations, and Washington D.C. regulars.
Dobb's indepth reporting on the Mexican drug cartel's war spilling over the border into the U.S. as far as New Jersey, his reporting of the illegal immigrant status and condition in the U.S, and of the organizations and powerheads who fully aware of what is happening, had a number of organizations after CNN for his head.
Check out the op-ed and blogs of these sites:
Latinos to CNN: Dump Dobbs Now by Roberto Lovato, founder of Presente.org
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/roberto-lovato/latinos-to-cnn-dump-dobbs_b_287078.html
Media Matters - Eric Burns, president of Media Matters.
http://mediamatters.org/blog/200911120019
A “Day of Happiness”: Immigration Activists, Hispanic Press Relish Dobbs’ Exit From CNN
http://feetin2worlds.wordpress.com/2009/11/13/a-day-of-happiness-immigration-activists-hispanic-press-relish-dobbs-exit-from-cnn/
CA Senator Gil Cedillo Issues Statement of CNN's Removal of Lou Dobbs
http://www.obsnews.com/news/article100661_ca-senator-gil-cedillo-issues-statement-cnns-removal-lou-dobbs
Presente.org and our partners in the BastaDobbs.com campaign
BastaDobbs.com Announces Victory:Lou Dobbs to Leave CNN.
http://bastadobbs.com/blog/2009/nov/11/bastadobbscom-announces-victory-lou-dobbs-leave-cn/
Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund
http://maldef.org/truthinimmigration/
These are only a few of the sites online and there are many more. What they called Dobbs' 'incendiary hate speech and falsehoods' was his stating that illegal immigrants were breaking the law. These groups and others worked behind the scenes to persuade major corporations to stop advertising on Lou Dobbs Tonight. In addition to Media Matters in partnership with NDN, the coalition, representing over 2 million people, includes the National Council of La Raza, LULAC, the National Hispanic Media Coalition, America's Voice Education Fund, The Hispanic Institute, the Southern Poverty Law Center, Netroots Nation, Voto Latino, Labor Council for Latin American Advancement, the Center for New Community, Reform Immigration for America, the Dolores Huerta Foundation, the National Puerto Rican Coalition and the Georgia Association of Latino Elected Officials.
Now add to those groups, the one on Capitol Hill in D.C. who he offended by accurately telling us what the politicians were trying to hide in their bills, and what the Administration was doing behind closed doors....
Gee... no wonder CNN caved.
His nightly program, 'Lou Dobbs Tonight' had special ongoing reports as a cornerstone of the programs. “Broken Borders" focused on border security and illegal immigration. “War on the Middle Class,” and “Exporting America,” related news on the outsourcing of American jobs and how inequitable trade was killing the manufacturing base of the U.S. economy. “Failing Grades” stressed the ongoing the problems in public education. His latest addition of special reports was "Heroes" which featured reports of individual acts of heroism, on and off the battlefield, by U.S military personnel.
Dobbs also has a highly successful national radio program. He has won almost every major award for his work in television news from the George Foster Peabody Award to the Luminary Award by the Business Journalism Review. Yes, he even won the “Father of the Year” by the National Father’s Day Committee in 1993. He has written three best-selling books. “Independents Day: Awakening the American Spirit” in 2007, “War on the Middle Class” in 2006, and “Exporting America” in 2004. He has also been a columnist for Money Magazine, U.S. News and World Report and the New York Daily News.
He would often be the first to have important and complex reports on what the three branches of U.S government and Big Business were doing. In all these years, I can only recall a few times he was ever in error on what he reported. A large portion of his indepth reporting included topics that other journalists would shy away from or skim over as it would not be P.C. to lay out the the truth of the matter. Through his advocacy of the middle class and the working class of America, Dobbs has called for more of our elected officials and leaders of businesses built by American hands to be accountable for their actions.
You would think that in light of such public recognition that CNN would strive to, not only to keep him, but promote his, and a few others, honest journalism into the depth of issues and the ensuing provocative discussions. But CNN corporate changed over the years and began standing under a banner which emphasizes that it was taking a "non-biased approach". Translation - we're going to make everyone happy with joy-joy news that is honest; but running as lean on substance. It's like eating a rice cake as the main course of your meal.
In my opinion, CNN still has a few anchors and journalists who venture over the line to bring that substance to the surface. You have to wonder how long they will be seen if there are certain groups who go after them as there were groups going after Lou Dobbs.
You didn't know that there was a coalition of malcontents campaigning to get CNN to be rid of Dobbs? Well, you won't hear about on CNN. But you don't have to check too many web sites or other news channels to see that he was targeted by illegal immigrant advocacy organizations, outsourcing business corporations, and Washington D.C. regulars.
Dobb's indepth reporting on the Mexican drug cartel's war spilling over the border into the U.S. as far as New Jersey, his reporting of the illegal immigrant status and condition in the U.S, and of the organizations and powerheads who fully aware of what is happening, had a number of organizations after CNN for his head.
Check out the op-ed and blogs of these sites:
Latinos to CNN: Dump Dobbs Now by Roberto Lovato, founder of Presente.org
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/roberto-lovato/latinos-to-cnn-dump-dobbs_b_287078.html
Media Matters - Eric Burns, president of Media Matters.
http://mediamatters.org/blog/200911120019
A “Day of Happiness”: Immigration Activists, Hispanic Press Relish Dobbs’ Exit From CNN
http://feetin2worlds.wordpress.com/2009/11/13/a-day-of-happiness-immigration-activists-hispanic-press-relish-dobbs-exit-from-cnn/
CA Senator Gil Cedillo Issues Statement of CNN's Removal of Lou Dobbs
http://www.obsnews.com/news/article100661_ca-senator-gil-cedillo-issues-statement-cnns-removal-lou-dobbs
Presente.org and our partners in the BastaDobbs.com campaign
BastaDobbs.com Announces Victory:Lou Dobbs to Leave CNN.
http://bastadobbs.com/blog/2009/nov/11/bastadobbscom-announces-victory-lou-dobbs-leave-cn/
Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund
http://maldef.org/truthinimmigration/
These are only a few of the sites online and there are many more. What they called Dobbs' 'incendiary hate speech and falsehoods' was his stating that illegal immigrants were breaking the law. These groups and others worked behind the scenes to persuade major corporations to stop advertising on Lou Dobbs Tonight. In addition to Media Matters in partnership with NDN, the coalition, representing over 2 million people, includes the National Council of La Raza, LULAC, the National Hispanic Media Coalition, America's Voice Education Fund, The Hispanic Institute, the Southern Poverty Law Center, Netroots Nation, Voto Latino, Labor Council for Latin American Advancement, the Center for New Community, Reform Immigration for America, the Dolores Huerta Foundation, the National Puerto Rican Coalition and the Georgia Association of Latino Elected Officials.
Now add to those groups, the one on Capitol Hill in D.C. who he offended by accurately telling us what the politicians were trying to hide in their bills, and what the Administration was doing behind closed doors....
Gee... no wonder CNN caved.
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
Fort Hood deserves more than "political correctness" attitude
It's time to get passed the "political correctness" attitude and deal with the reality of radical religious fundamentalism. There has to be a line drawn that states the U.S, has seperation of religion and state that is to be obligatory of every religion and its practitioners - no exceptions. It must be clear that using a religion to hide behind, to preach, encourage, and/or support causing harm to Americans; that it will not be tolerated.
Scott Roeder, 51, of Kansas City Mo., confessed to the fatal shooting of abortion doctor George Tiller in Kansas, in May 2009. Roeder was an occasional contributor to a Des Moines-based newsletter that believes that killing abortion providers is justifiable homicide. Des Moines resident and anti-abortion activist Dave Leach publishes the newsletter, called “Prayer & Action News,” which declares it is “a trumpet call for the Armies of God to assemble.”
In August 1993 Dr. George Tiller was shot by Shelley Shannon. Leach told The Washington Post he visited Rachelle “Shelley” Shannon in prison several years ago. In the mid-90s, Leach’s association with the accused killer of a Florida abortion doctor helped persuade U.S. marshals to guard the Planned Parenthood clinic in Des Moines. Michael F. Griffin was found guilty of the murder of Dr. David Gunn of Pensacola, Florida. after Gunn had been the subject of wanted-style posters distributed by Operation Rescue in the summer of 1992.
Many of the incidents of arsons, attempted murders, death threats, assaults or batteries, kidnappings and murders against abortionist clinics, related personnel and the surrounding areas were connected to radical Christian organizations espousing violent action. Randall Terry, a leading conservative Christian, is the founder of anti-abortion group Operation Rescue. Paul Hill, a former Presbyterian minister and leader in Defensive Action assassinated a physician and bodyguard outside another abortion clinic. Anti-abortion groups Army of God and Christian Gallery advocate and celebrate violent clashes against clinics. These are only a few of the known radical organizations who espouse and stand on biblical and/or Christian religion.
The most recent incident that again calls religious fanaticism to the forefront is the horrendous shooting and killing of military personnel at Fort Hood in Texas. The tragic Ft. Hood shootings and murders are not an isolated incident as others have happened; a plot to kill soldiers at Ft. Dix; a case where one Islamic radical violently attacked a fellow soldier.
Major Nidal Malik Hassan opened fire on a brigade of engineers preparing for deployment to Afghanistan. Witnesses report that Major Hassan - a Muslim - was repeating "Allahu Akbar [God is great]" as he fired on his fellow military people. Major Hasan had contact late last year and this year with a radical Muslim cleric Anwar al-Aulaqi,formerly connected with Dar al Hijrah Islamic Center, a U.S. citizen now believed to be in Yemen. Hasan, from 2001, had worshiped at the suburban Virginia mosque, Dar al Hijrah Islamic Center, in Falls Church, that two of the Sept. 11 hijackers attended in 2001. al-Aulaqi applauds Hasan's murderous actions on his website.
Fellow workers report hearing Hassan compared suicide bombers '..to the noble soldiers in combat who fall on hand grenades to save fellow soldiers in the name of Allah'. He also has said that '..suicide bombers are helping Muslims kill enemy soldiers'. His web site validates their reports. Convenience store film shows Major Hassan on the day before the shooting. He was dressed head to toe in Muslim garb and complaining he did not want to go to Afghanistan and be involved in killing "fellow Muslims."
Major Hassan had received a "poor performance" rating from his superiors at Walter Reed Medical Center. As their psychiatrist, while he counseled wounded troops, he was proselytizing to patients to convert to Islam. As the military bends over backward to be tolerant of the diverse religions and spiritual ideologies; Hassan's behavior, in his capacity as a psychiatrist, of attempted religious recruitment is forbidden and highly unprofessional. Investigators are starting from the premise the suspected gunman in the Fort Hood massacre acted alone. But the FBI is keeping in mind that his communications were flagged by intelligence agencies in 2008.
To their credit, mainstream Christian religious heirarchy, while steadfastly maintaining an anti-abortion stance, have condemned the violent acts commited by the anti-abortion groups. They have done some work to actively ferret out these groups, detour them and disassociate mainstream Christianity from them. A spokesman for the Council on American Islamic Relations was trying to relay to his audience not to associate the killings on America's soil to Islam or its tenets. The Washington-based group noted that it had launched an anti-terrorism petition drive and a TV ad campaign against religious extremism, and coordinated an anti-terrorism fatwa, or religious ruling, condemning extremism and terrorism.
Many reporters, political officials and investigators are cautious to not cross the boundaries of "political correctness." In the case of Ft. Hood, we need to stop this political correctness. We have to ask our fellow Islamic Americans, Muslim Americans to step up and to recognize our division in this country between church and state, or mosque and state. We have to step up and expect them to not only condemn this in no uncertain terms; but to also take measures within their mosques to stop those of their following from believing that such actions are allowable or commendable.
It is insulting to us to have reporters and others in mainstream media admonish us as to how we are to perceive what happenned at Fort Hood. It is not a perception fueled by prejudice and fear; it is fueled by looking at the facts and proceeding accordingly. It is not a position based on fear and hatred to know that the Ft. Hood massacre wiil be exploited by groups like Al Qaeda. And that other fanatic groups will use it as a card to justify more religious extremism and violence.
Yes, the investigators can proceed cautiously and carefully with a thorough investigation. Once all the information is confirmed, it needs to be presented openly and honestly; and not through the filter of "political correctness." It's a slap in the face to think Americans can not distinguish for themselves between what they saw happening, and what they are told they saw through the filter of "political correctness". It is condescending to have investigators and political officials not to admit it is possible that this was a terrorist act. Information is coming forth that shows connections to al Qaeda and to radical elements of the Islamic religion. Don't tell us to connect the dots to come up with a picture of a poor victim instead of the one that reveals a murderer for the monster he is.
There are 13 dead people, and a number of wounded whose families, loved ones, friends and fellow soldiers live with the horrible reality that the pictures of the rest of their lives are forever changed.
Scott Roeder, 51, of Kansas City Mo., confessed to the fatal shooting of abortion doctor George Tiller in Kansas, in May 2009. Roeder was an occasional contributor to a Des Moines-based newsletter that believes that killing abortion providers is justifiable homicide. Des Moines resident and anti-abortion activist Dave Leach publishes the newsletter, called “Prayer & Action News,” which declares it is “a trumpet call for the Armies of God to assemble.”
In August 1993 Dr. George Tiller was shot by Shelley Shannon. Leach told The Washington Post he visited Rachelle “Shelley” Shannon in prison several years ago. In the mid-90s, Leach’s association with the accused killer of a Florida abortion doctor helped persuade U.S. marshals to guard the Planned Parenthood clinic in Des Moines. Michael F. Griffin was found guilty of the murder of Dr. David Gunn of Pensacola, Florida. after Gunn had been the subject of wanted-style posters distributed by Operation Rescue in the summer of 1992.
Many of the incidents of arsons, attempted murders, death threats, assaults or batteries, kidnappings and murders against abortionist clinics, related personnel and the surrounding areas were connected to radical Christian organizations espousing violent action. Randall Terry, a leading conservative Christian, is the founder of anti-abortion group Operation Rescue. Paul Hill, a former Presbyterian minister and leader in Defensive Action assassinated a physician and bodyguard outside another abortion clinic. Anti-abortion groups Army of God and Christian Gallery advocate and celebrate violent clashes against clinics. These are only a few of the known radical organizations who espouse and stand on biblical and/or Christian religion.
The most recent incident that again calls religious fanaticism to the forefront is the horrendous shooting and killing of military personnel at Fort Hood in Texas. The tragic Ft. Hood shootings and murders are not an isolated incident as others have happened; a plot to kill soldiers at Ft. Dix; a case where one Islamic radical violently attacked a fellow soldier.
Major Nidal Malik Hassan opened fire on a brigade of engineers preparing for deployment to Afghanistan. Witnesses report that Major Hassan - a Muslim - was repeating "Allahu Akbar [God is great]" as he fired on his fellow military people. Major Hasan had contact late last year and this year with a radical Muslim cleric Anwar al-Aulaqi,formerly connected with Dar al Hijrah Islamic Center, a U.S. citizen now believed to be in Yemen. Hasan, from 2001, had worshiped at the suburban Virginia mosque, Dar al Hijrah Islamic Center, in Falls Church, that two of the Sept. 11 hijackers attended in 2001. al-Aulaqi applauds Hasan's murderous actions on his website.
Fellow workers report hearing Hassan compared suicide bombers '..to the noble soldiers in combat who fall on hand grenades to save fellow soldiers in the name of Allah'. He also has said that '..suicide bombers are helping Muslims kill enemy soldiers'. His web site validates their reports. Convenience store film shows Major Hassan on the day before the shooting. He was dressed head to toe in Muslim garb and complaining he did not want to go to Afghanistan and be involved in killing "fellow Muslims."
Major Hassan had received a "poor performance" rating from his superiors at Walter Reed Medical Center. As their psychiatrist, while he counseled wounded troops, he was proselytizing to patients to convert to Islam. As the military bends over backward to be tolerant of the diverse religions and spiritual ideologies; Hassan's behavior, in his capacity as a psychiatrist, of attempted religious recruitment is forbidden and highly unprofessional. Investigators are starting from the premise the suspected gunman in the Fort Hood massacre acted alone. But the FBI is keeping in mind that his communications were flagged by intelligence agencies in 2008.
To their credit, mainstream Christian religious heirarchy, while steadfastly maintaining an anti-abortion stance, have condemned the violent acts commited by the anti-abortion groups. They have done some work to actively ferret out these groups, detour them and disassociate mainstream Christianity from them. A spokesman for the Council on American Islamic Relations was trying to relay to his audience not to associate the killings on America's soil to Islam or its tenets. The Washington-based group noted that it had launched an anti-terrorism petition drive and a TV ad campaign against religious extremism, and coordinated an anti-terrorism fatwa, or religious ruling, condemning extremism and terrorism.
Many reporters, political officials and investigators are cautious to not cross the boundaries of "political correctness." In the case of Ft. Hood, we need to stop this political correctness. We have to ask our fellow Islamic Americans, Muslim Americans to step up and to recognize our division in this country between church and state, or mosque and state. We have to step up and expect them to not only condemn this in no uncertain terms; but to also take measures within their mosques to stop those of their following from believing that such actions are allowable or commendable.
It is insulting to us to have reporters and others in mainstream media admonish us as to how we are to perceive what happenned at Fort Hood. It is not a perception fueled by prejudice and fear; it is fueled by looking at the facts and proceeding accordingly. It is not a position based on fear and hatred to know that the Ft. Hood massacre wiil be exploited by groups like Al Qaeda. And that other fanatic groups will use it as a card to justify more religious extremism and violence.
Yes, the investigators can proceed cautiously and carefully with a thorough investigation. Once all the information is confirmed, it needs to be presented openly and honestly; and not through the filter of "political correctness." It's a slap in the face to think Americans can not distinguish for themselves between what they saw happening, and what they are told they saw through the filter of "political correctness". It is condescending to have investigators and political officials not to admit it is possible that this was a terrorist act. Information is coming forth that shows connections to al Qaeda and to radical elements of the Islamic religion. Don't tell us to connect the dots to come up with a picture of a poor victim instead of the one that reveals a murderer for the monster he is.
There are 13 dead people, and a number of wounded whose families, loved ones, friends and fellow soldiers live with the horrible reality that the pictures of the rest of their lives are forever changed.
Wednesday, November 4, 2009
Credit Cards raising rates as high as 30%
If you have any accounts at any financial institution or any credit cards, you have probably received a mailing recently that has informed you that the fees and interest rates the institutions and companies will charge you in the future will change. It will be going UP!
Banks are raising fees for using an out of network ATM machine. Some overdraft fees are jumping to $45.00. Free checking accounts are going to be charged user fees. No one as yet has defined what that is, or what the fees will be.
Credit-card lenders, have been increasing fees and interest rates, raising minimum payments and cutting credit limits. Some have hiked interest rates as high as 29.99% or canceled cards altogether. Many card companies are going to impose a variable rate, based on the prime rate as reported quarterly in the Wall Street Journal, plus an additional amount for annual fees based on some formula the financial institutions have for raising your fees because they feel like it. And there is also a section in the malings stating that the new law allows you to "opt out" of a higher rate or an annual fee. However, if you do not agree with the fees and interest rate hikes; the company will cancel your card but you will still have to pay it off based on the new fees.
Supposedly, these institutions have to increase what they charge you, the person who pays their bills on time, because they have people who do not pay their bills on time or at all. HELLO...that's what T.A.R.P. dispersements were for - to cover the bad debts of companies from people who did not pay them. A number of these companies, such as Bank of America, Citigroup and so on, have benefited from T.A.R.P. dispersements. No one but the financial institutions know just how much money they received. To date, no federal or government agency can give a total accounting in dollars and cents of the money that was given to the institutions.
In an attempt to let you think that Congress was feeling your pain, they passed the Truth in Lending Act of 2009 which goes into force in February of 2010. It is suppose to curtail financial instituitons and credit card companies practices in the future from doing the same thing they are doing now - gouging the average person by nickle and diming you everytime you turn around.
It is because the Truth in Lending Act of 2009 will be going into effect that the instituitons are charging the costs to you now. Who would have thought that financial institutions would try to gouge you before the February deadline? Evidently Congress is just first waking up to that fact and has at least started to get moving on doing something about it.
Sen Dodd and other sponsors have two bills that need to get through Congress quickly.
S.1799 : A bill to amend the Truth in Lending Act, to establish fair and transparent practices related to the marketing and provision of overdraft coverage programs at depository institutions, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Sen Dodd, Christopher J. [CT] (introduced 10/19/2009)
http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/getdoc.cgi?dbname=111_cong_bills&docid=f:s1799is.txt.pdf
S.1927 : A bill to establish a moratorium on credit card interest rate increases, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Sen Dodd, Christopher J. [CT] (introduced 10/26/2009)
http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/getdoc.cgi?dbname=111_cong_bills&docid=f:s1927pcs.txt.pdf
The important part of Senat bill 1927 is in Section 2:
SEC. 2. MORATORIUM ON RATE INCREASES
During the period beginning on the date of enactment of this Act and ending 9 months after the date of enactment of the Credit Card Accountability Responsibility and Disclosure Act of 2009, in the case of any credit card account under an open end consumer credit plan—
(1) no creditor may increase any annual percentage rate, fee, or finance charge applicable to any
outstanding balance, except as permitted under subsection 171(b) of the Truth in Lending Act (as
added by Public Law 111-24); and
(2) no creditor may change the terms governing the repayment of any outstanding balance, except as set forth in section 171(c) of the Truth in Lending Act (as added by Public Law 111-24).
Send them an email and tell your reps in Congress to move their butts on this - like yesterday! Or you might just not have any money left to contribute to their 2010 campaign.
Banks are raising fees for using an out of network ATM machine. Some overdraft fees are jumping to $45.00. Free checking accounts are going to be charged user fees. No one as yet has defined what that is, or what the fees will be.
Credit-card lenders, have been increasing fees and interest rates, raising minimum payments and cutting credit limits. Some have hiked interest rates as high as 29.99% or canceled cards altogether. Many card companies are going to impose a variable rate, based on the prime rate as reported quarterly in the Wall Street Journal, plus an additional amount for annual fees based on some formula the financial institutions have for raising your fees because they feel like it. And there is also a section in the malings stating that the new law allows you to "opt out" of a higher rate or an annual fee. However, if you do not agree with the fees and interest rate hikes; the company will cancel your card but you will still have to pay it off based on the new fees.
Supposedly, these institutions have to increase what they charge you, the person who pays their bills on time, because they have people who do not pay their bills on time or at all. HELLO...that's what T.A.R.P. dispersements were for - to cover the bad debts of companies from people who did not pay them. A number of these companies, such as Bank of America, Citigroup and so on, have benefited from T.A.R.P. dispersements. No one but the financial institutions know just how much money they received. To date, no federal or government agency can give a total accounting in dollars and cents of the money that was given to the institutions.
In an attempt to let you think that Congress was feeling your pain, they passed the Truth in Lending Act of 2009 which goes into force in February of 2010. It is suppose to curtail financial instituitons and credit card companies practices in the future from doing the same thing they are doing now - gouging the average person by nickle and diming you everytime you turn around.
It is because the Truth in Lending Act of 2009 will be going into effect that the instituitons are charging the costs to you now. Who would have thought that financial institutions would try to gouge you before the February deadline? Evidently Congress is just first waking up to that fact and has at least started to get moving on doing something about it.
Sen Dodd and other sponsors have two bills that need to get through Congress quickly.
S.1799 : A bill to amend the Truth in Lending Act, to establish fair and transparent practices related to the marketing and provision of overdraft coverage programs at depository institutions, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Sen Dodd, Christopher J. [CT] (introduced 10/19/2009)
http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/getdoc.cgi?dbname=111_cong_bills&docid=f:s1799is.txt.pdf
S.1927 : A bill to establish a moratorium on credit card interest rate increases, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Sen Dodd, Christopher J. [CT] (introduced 10/26/2009)
http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/getdoc.cgi?dbname=111_cong_bills&docid=f:s1927pcs.txt.pdf
The important part of Senat bill 1927 is in Section 2:
SEC. 2. MORATORIUM ON RATE INCREASES
During the period beginning on the date of enactment of this Act and ending 9 months after the date of enactment of the Credit Card Accountability Responsibility and Disclosure Act of 2009, in the case of any credit card account under an open end consumer credit plan—
(1) no creditor may increase any annual percentage rate, fee, or finance charge applicable to any
outstanding balance, except as permitted under subsection 171(b) of the Truth in Lending Act (as
added by Public Law 111-24); and
(2) no creditor may change the terms governing the repayment of any outstanding balance, except as set forth in section 171(c) of the Truth in Lending Act (as added by Public Law 111-24).
Send them an email and tell your reps in Congress to move their butts on this - like yesterday! Or you might just not have any money left to contribute to their 2010 campaign.
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