Do Not Call Registry gets wake-up call

If you signed up for the federal or your state’s Do Not Call Registry a few years ago, you might want to think about refreshing it. Pennsylvanians this week got a wake up call, so to speak from the state’s Attorney General Tom Corbett who kicked off a public awareness campaign designed to remind people what many have forgotten or never knew - that the 2002 law set registrations to expire after five years. That is of course unless you want to start hearing from those telemarketers as you sit down to dinner. Corbett said about 2 million people signed up in the immediate aftermath of the law taking effect and those who do not act by Sept. 15 will have their numbers dropped from the registry on Nov. 1. The Pennsylvania action is a reminder that the National Do Not Call Registry has a five year life span as well. The Federal Trade Commission is set to being a nation campaign in Spring 2008 to remind all US citizens to refresh their federal Do Not Call Registry standing.The FTC has also warned landline and cell users to be on the lookout for Do Not Call Registry scams. A recent report said emails have been circulating saying cell phone numbers are being released to telemarketing companies and a separate cell phone registry has been set up in conjunction with the national Do Not Call Registry. The FTC says neither of these actions are true. In congressional testimony this week the FTC said of the Do Not Call Registry: While the Commission appreciates the high rate of compliance with the Do Not Call provisions, it vigorously enforces compliance to ensure the program’s ongoing effectiveness. Violating the Do Not Call requirements subjects telemarketers to civil penalties of up to $11,000 per violation. Twenty-seven of the Commission’s telemarketing cases have alleged Do Not Call violations, resulting in $8.8 million in civil penalties and $8.6 million in redress or disgorgement ordered. A Harris Interactive Survey released in January 2006 showed that 94% of American adults have heard of the Registry and 76% have signed up for it .”The testimony states that the committee is in the process of reauthorizing the Do Not Call Implementation Act. “The Commission believes that the bill can be strengthened by statutorily mandating the fees to be charged to telemarketers accessing the National Registry, and specifically mandating such fees in an amount sufficient to enable the Commission to enforce the registry.”

 

This was found at Network World.

Technorati Tags: Business, Laws, Privacy

Dog Shoots Owner in the Back

Find out how an easily excitable pet accidentally shot it's owner in the back.

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USA Files Suit Against John Ford's Rolex

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (WHBQ FOX13 myfoxmemphis.com)  -- 

The federal government is suing former State Senator John Ford’s Rolex, claiming the watch was seized during the commitment of an unlawful offense and that confiscating it is within the law.

A lawsuit, filed in federal court Tuesday, sets the watch itself as defendant and establishes its value at $70,000. It’s not clear why federal attorneys decided to sue the watch and not its wearer.

According to a lengthy affidavit, sworn to by FBI agent Mark Jackson – one of the planners of the Tennessee Waltz – Ford accepted the pricey watch as part of an exchange with Memphis developer Rusty Hyneman. Ford had – according to the affidavit – offered to help Hyneman with an outstanding environmental claim levied by the State of Tennessee.

The matter came up during Ford’s public corruption trial several months ago. He was convicted on a single bribery count and his sentencing is scheduled for the end of August.

 

This was found at myfoxmemphis.com

Technorati Tags: Justice, Lame, Politics, Sad, Weird

The shopkeeper who sounds a WWII air-raid siren when a traffic warden is spotted

When traffic wardens started to blitz a quiet corner of suburban London, one shopkeeper decided it was his duty to fight back.

Martin Herdman put up a 1,000-watt public address system outside his shop near Twickenham and recruited a network of "spies" to alert him the instant they spotted a parking attendant in the area.

Siren warning: Martin Herdman and his PA system, which alerts customers to parking wardens

Then, as soon as the alarm was raised, he started playing a recording of a Second World War-style air raid siren over the system.

Mr Herdman's early warning system gives customers a chance to move their cars before they are ticketed by the warden.

The 50-year-old carpet shop owner and former part-time actor and musician said: "I put it up a few weeks ago. I get a phone call from other shop owners or residents whenever wardens are around, so everyone knows they are about to be nicked.

"It does work - it lets everyone know and then it's up to them if they get a fine or not."

Mr Herdman said that within a few days of his PA system starting, the number of wardens in the area had gone down, "although there were seven of them around this morning".

He said he had resorted to the "deterrent" because he feared trade at his shopping parade would be destroyed by over-zealous officers.

He said: "Richmond council put in 19 parking bays for the 39 shops on the parade. They are very busy, interesting shops that include art galleries and herbal clinics as well as butchers and cafés. It is a really useful, trendy place to go shopping.

"We have had roadworks for two months now that have knocked out five or six of the bays, but the wardens are still hounding the remaining bays.

"Now there is talk about turning the single yellow lines into double yellows, so there would be no parking at night as well."

He accused the Liberal Democrat-controlled council of favouring big supermarket chains such as Tesco, which has an Express store nearby.

Mr Herdman said: "If we ask the council for a loading bay for Crown Road, they would tell us to forget it but Tesco have got two loading bays in a road which is totally unsuitable for them."

He said that it was only fair his road should be allowed to have 39 parking bays so that each shop had access to one, particularly as supermarkets were routinely granted planning permission for huge free car parks.

Without urgent action, the traders would be driven out of business, leaving yet another corner of London bereft of the local independent shops that provide character.

Mr Herdman said: "I shouldn't have to do things like this to get attention - I'm just trying to make it a better place for our customers and, hopefully, the council will come back with a sensible solution that will stop the decimation of our community."

David Trigg, Richmond's cabinet member for traffic, transport and parking, said: "Ideally, we would like to provide more parking for business but we have to juggle priorities.

"If we can benefit them that's what we will do."

 

This was found at Daily Mail.

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