Thanks Straight Talkin Mike.....

CISPA: the controversy surrounding it and how it might affect you

By Rachel Rose Hartman | The Ticket – 21 hrs ago  

While much of America was gearing up to watch the NFL draft picks Thursday night, the House of Representatives passed a controversial cybersecurity bill to increase information sharing between private companies and the federal government.

The bill—H.R. 3523, the Cyber Intelligence Sharing and Protection Act (CISPA)—passed at 6:30 p.m. by 248 to 168, boosted by a Republican majority (206 Republicans voted for it, along with 42 Democrats). Debate on the bill was expected Thursday, but the vote was a surprise because it had been scheduled for Friday.

Here's a look at the controversy surrounding the bill, what's in store for its future and how it might affect you:

Check out our explainer below to find out more about CISPA :

• What is the purpose of CISPA? Michigan Republican Rep. Mike Rogers and Maryland Democratic Rep. Dutch Ruppersberger sponsored and, along with supporters, crafted CISPA to offer private companies new ways to protect themselves from potential economic cyberspies hailing from countries such as Russia and China. To accomplish this, the bill amends the National Security Act of 1947 (which contains no cyberthreat provisions) to increase information-sharing permission between U.S. businesses and the federal government. Supporters say information regarding cyberthreats will be more quickly and easily disseminated under CISPA.

• Why is it controversial? Opponents aren't arguing against discussing cyberthreats, but they're concerned about the scope of sharing and privacy issues. Under CISPA, companies will be permitted to share information with entities such as the Department of Homeland Security and the National Security Agency and won't be required to protect Internet users' personal data. The shared information is supposed to be related to cyberthreats, but many opponents argue that term is too broad and offers too many exemptions to current privacy laws.

• How does CISPA differ from SOPA? CISPA has been dubbed "the new SOPA," in reference to the Stop Online Piracy Act, a bill designed to curb copyright infringement by restricting sites that host pirated content. Congressional action on SOPA was postponed Jan. 20 after fierce protests from technology companies and others. SOPA centered around piracy, while CISPA is about cybersecurity. And while SOPA cracked down on domestic sites, CISPA is focused on overseas entities. Constitutional rights advocates, civil liberties groups and others oppose both bills. Unlike with SOPA, many tech companies, such as Facebook and Microsoft, support CISPA. The bill has already advanced in one chamber of Congress with a majority of support after amendments were added to define cyberthreats.

• Who opposes and who supports CISPA?

Against: The American Civil Liberties Union and other advocacy groups such as the Sunlight Foundation, the American Library Association and the Electronic Frontier Foundation are staunchly opposed to CISPA as a potential threat to Americans' constitutional rights. The White House on Wednesday threatened to veto the bill in part over privacy issues and has backed a competing cybersecurity bill offered in the Senate. A majority of House Democrats and 28 Republicans voted against the bill Thursday due to privacy issues and other factors. Rep. Ron Paul of Texas voted no on the bill, saying on Monday that it would create a "Big Brother" culture.

For: Many companies and groups including Facebook, AT&T, Intel, Microsoft, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the conservative Heritage Foundation and tech associations back CISPA as an effective way to combat overseas cyberthreats. Select members of Congress support CISPA for the same reason.

• What is the future of CISPA? Don't expect the Democratic-controlled Senate to rush to pass CISPA after the White House's veto threat. In addition to the president's opposition, CISPA must now compete with the Senate's own cybersecurity legislation.

http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/ticket/cispa-controversy-surrounding-might-affect-173913974.html

http://www.thestraighttalkexpress.com/1/post/2012/04/cispa-the-controversy-surrounding-it-and-how-it-might-affect-you.html

Identity Theft 

Here’s How Your Identity Will Be Stolen: The Top 10 Scams

By Martha C. White | April 5, 2012


ID Theft

• 1. Phishing
• 2. Pretexting
• 3. Fake Job Offers
• 4. Skimming
• 5. Dumpster Diving
• 6. Pickpocketing and Purse-Snatching
• 7. Malware and Spyware
• 8. Fake Tax Filing
• 9. Change of Address
• 10. Data Breaches
  

From Straight Talkin Mike
Source 

http://moneyland.time.com/2012/04/17/10-ways-youre-going-to-get-your-identity-stolen/#1-phishing#ixzz1tLJE1xqR

Cell Phones for Soldiers Poised for Second Act in Reverse Legacy Apr 19, 2012  

Written by Louis Altman Created on Wednesday, 18 April 2012 14:00

Source: Patriot Ledger

http://www.nonprofitquarterly.org/policysocial-context/20171-cell-phones-for-soldiers-poised-for-second-act-in-reverse-legacy.html

The nonprofit Cell Phones for Soldiers collects more than 100,000 cell phones for recycling monthly, with proceeds paying for cell phone minutes for those serving in Iraq and Afghanistan. The idea came about one morning in 2004 when two Norwell, Mass. seventh graders, siblings Brittany and Robbie Bergquist, caught a news feature about a Natick, Mass. soldier who had racked up a $7,500 cell phone bill calling home from the Iraqi warfront. The kids sprang into action that day and exhorted schoolmates to fork over their snack money to help pay for the soldier’s bill. They didn’t collect enough to buy so much as a few Extra Value meals at McDonalds, but they returned home and the Bergquist family, parents Bob and Gail included, dreamed up a venture to provide American soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan with cell phones with prepaid minutes.

The original Cell Phones for Soldiers plan—to mail phones to soldiers abroad—fell flat after the Pentagon nixed the notion because of safety issues. Fearless and enterprising, the Bergquists soon discovered a workable strategy to collect discarded cell phones, sell them to a recycler, and use the resulting funds to purchase cell phone minutes for soldiers at base phone banks. The younger Bergquists were instant media darlings, and over the next eight years, their pet project produced astounding numbers; Cell Phones for Soldiers has become a multi-million dollar nonprofit serving 600,000 soldiers annually. To date, it has provided over 150 million minutes of talk time paid for by the recycling of over 10 million cell phones and corporate donations, with approximately 100,000 more used phones collected every month.

Bob and Gail are now planning to retire from long teaching careers to run Cell Phones for Soldiers on a full-time basis. Their kids have flown the nest and are contemplating post-graduate careers in nonprofit management. Hemmed in by news vans, classmates initially teased the young entrepreneurs as the “cell phone kids”, and now, as public figures, they have to watch what they say via social media and the world at large. But they don’t plan to stand down as the troops in Iraq and Afghanistan are returning. Instead, they hope to launch a venture this summer that they are calling “Helping Heroes Home,” which will connect returning soldiers—particularly those with injuries or those suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder—with free phone access. Bob Bergquist says, “We just want to make sure we still care for them after they come home...they’re still our heroes, even if they’re not on foreign soil.” The Bergquists have $180,000 in seed money for the new venture from AT&T. Nonprofit Quarterly wishes the Bergquist family good luck with their second act in serving the nation’s soldiers, this time on the home front. –Louis Altman

Additional Information:

Mission:
Help Our Troops Call Home Cell Phones for Soldiers is a non-profit organization dedicated to providing deployed and returning troops cost-free methods to communicate with family while serving in the United States military.

http://cellphonesforsoldiers.com/

Request FREE Talk Time for Troops Send American heroes free means of communication by providing an APO address below. To request calling cards for a deployed service member, please fill out and submit the forms below.

http://www.cellphonesforsoldiers.com/request_calling_card.php   Set Up a Drop-Off Site or Limited Time Drive Calling all businesses, schools, civic groups and organizations to become an official collector for Cell Phones for Soldiers.

Collections can be private for members or employees of your organization or public for walk-in traffic to drop off cell phones during regular business hours.

Please show your support for the brave service men and women risking their lives to keep America safe! Refer to the frequently asked questions and answers for additional details.

http://cellphonesforsoldiers.com/drop_off.php  

DONATE A PHONE INSTRUCTIONS:   http://cellphonesforsoldiers.recellular.com/shippinglabel-generic.html          

Please send in your letter to Congress TODAY...THANKS DAVE FOR SENDING THIS IMPORTANT INFORMATION...IF NOT AVAILABLE I WOULD BE DEAD TODAY....SAD FACT BUT TRUE.

Over 60 Billion Doses a Year and Not ONE Death, But Still Not Safe?

April 23 2012

By Dr. Mercola

    Vitamins, minerals and herbal supplements have a tremendously safe track record, yet they are often singled out as being potentially dangerous by government agencies like the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

    This – the notion that dietary supplements are unsafe -- is the premise behind the FDA's Draft Guidance on New Dietary Ingredients, which would require the supplement industry to prove the safety of natural ingredients that, in many cases, have been on the market and used safely for decades.

    As new research from the American Association of Poison Control Centers' National Poison Data System reveals, there were zero deaths linked to nutritional supplements in 2010, the most current data available.

Zero Deaths Linked to Vitamin Supplements

    However, in the FDA's new Draft Guidance, the FDA is essentially claiming that dietary supplements are unsafe, and implying that in order to "protect consumers" the agency must place a stranglehold on the dietary supplement industry by requesting exorbitant safety testing.

    These ludicrous safety thresholds are in excess of those required by pharmaceutical drugs -- despite extensive toxicological data showing supplements are far safer than drugs.

    The most recent data comes from the U.S. National Poison Data System's annual report, which tracked data from 57 U.S. poison centers and showed vitamin and mineral supplements caused zero deaths in 2010.i

    As noted by Orthomolecular Medicine News Service, Americans easily take more than 60 billion doses of nutritional supplements every year, and with zero related deaths this is an outstanding safety record:

        "Well over half of the U.S. population takes daily nutritional supplements. Even if each of those people took only one single tablet daily, that makes 165,000,000 individual doses per day, for a total of over 60 billion doses annually. Since many persons take far more than just one single vitamin or mineral tablet, actual consumption is considerably higher, and the safety of nutritional supplements is all the more remarkable.

        Over 60 billion doses of vitamin and mineral supplements per year in the USA, and not a single fatality. Not one. If vitamin and mineral supplements are allegedly so "dangerous," as the FDA and news media so often claim, then where are the bodies?"

    In striking contrast, drugs are known to cause well over 125,000 deaths per year when taken correctly as prescribed – yet the FDA allows "fast-track" approvals and countless new additions to the marketplace. So why are dietary supplements on the chopping block?

Why is the FDA Attacking Dietary Supplements That Have Been Used Safely for Decades?

    Back in the early 1990s, the FDA threatened the availability of dietary supplements to the point that consumers staged a massive revolt, which resulted in the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act of 1994 (DSHEA).

    The law specifically protects your access to dietary supplements by classifying them as foods, not food additives or drugs, and it grand-fathered in dietary supplements that were already in use as of 1994. Only novel ingredients introduced after October 15, 1994 are required to seek FDA approval.

    The FDA's new proposed mandates directly contradict what DSHEA sought to prevent, and the FDA is using its authority in direct violation of Congressional intent. As explained in an article by Alliance for Natural Health, the proposed regulations turn what was clearly supposed to be a pre-market notification system into a pre-approval system, just like that of drugs.ii

    As a result, dietary supplements that have been freely available for nearly two decades can now be forced off the market until they receive New Dietary Ingredient (NDI) approval. And the NDI approval process is a lengthy affair that may take months or years to complete, and cost a small fortune. Bringing a drug from the pre-clinical (or discovery phase) all the way to market can easily take more than a decade and cost significantly more than $1 billion! This despite the fact that contrary to drugs, fatalities from vitamins and other supplements are minuscule.

    According to the 2001 report of the American Association of Poison Control Centers (AAPCC), of the substances implicated in fatal poisonings in 2001, 84.6 percent were pharmaceutical drugs, with analgesics being implicated as the primary cause of death in 32 percent of fatalities or 341 deaths. This compares with 0.8 percent for all dietary supplements combined, even including substances such as dinitrophenol, a dangerous (and illegal) substance banned in 1938, as well as the central nervous system stimulant Ma Huang (Ephedra). Interestingly, the anti-asthma drug theophylline alone was responsible for 15 deaths, 66 percent more than all the available dietary supplements combined.

    What might make an "old" ingredient "new," under the new regulation?

    The methods of production and extraction, for example … As bizarre as that sounds, the mere fact that a product is being extracted or produced by improved means compared to methods used in the past, could reclassify any grandfathered nutrient as an NDI that would now have to undergo the same type of safety testing and approval process as a drug.

FDA Seeking Outrageous Safety Studies from Tried and True Supplements

    In some cases, the FDA will require manufacturers to conduct outrageously expensive studies using absurdly high doses, in some situations multiplied by a "safety factor" up to 2,000-times the recommended dosage on a per product basis. Further, the FDA proposes that new dietary supplement ingredients should adhere to aggressive safety margins, which are typically reserved for chemical compounds known to be dangerous in all but the most miniscule concentrations.

    Since food additives or preservatives such as aspartame, monosodium glutamate, and sodium nitrate are known to cause cancer or other severe health problems, the FDA has implemented safety guidelines that limit allowable concentrations of these food additives to levels that are supposed to be physiologically inert.

    The fact that the FDA is trying to impose the same limits upon dietary supplements seems to be arbitrary and completely unfounded. In fact, when someone takes a dietary supplement, their intent is to positively affect the structure or function of their bodies in some way -- limiting dosages of dietary supplements to physiologically inert levels defeats the entire purpose of supplementation with health-sustaining nutrients.

    And, since supplements are not patented drugs, virtually no supplement manufacturers will be able to afford these "safety" studies, which means that many of the nutrients you now purchase at low prices will convert into high-priced drugs, or simply disappear from the market entirely.

The Drug Industry is the Real Safety Threat

    While the U.S. National Poison Data System's annual report showed zero deaths from nutritional supplements, this was not the case for prescription and over-the-counter drugs. The top categories associated with the largest number of fatalities were ALL medications, including:

        Analgesics, sedatives, hypnotics, and antipsychotics
        Cardiovascular drugs
        Opioids
        Acetaminophen combinations
        Antidepressants

    Slightly lower down on the list were more drugs, including muscle relaxants, anti-inflammatory drugs, hormones, antacids, anticoagulants, antihistamines and more. Out of a total 1,366 reported fatalities, pharmaceuticals were involved in over 1,100 of these deaths (again, compared to zero for supplements). Keep in mind that this is not an estimate of all the deaths attributed to pharmaceuticals in the U.S., only those reported to 57 poison control centers. The total figure is closer to 125,000 deaths from pharmaceuticals per year. iii

    If you extrapolate this number out over 30 years this is well in excess of 3 million people who died from taking appropriately prescribed legal drugs. It is simply incomprehensible that any rational approach would seek to vilify supplements over drugs when the data in no way, shape or form supports it. The most likely motive for this position is financial greed that can put your life in jeopardy.

Defend Your Right to Continue Taking Safe Supplements

    No one can sit on the sidelines with an emergency of this magnitude about to befall everyone who depends on dietary supplements. As citizens, we have the constitutional right to petition the government to redress our grievances. In this case, the FDA NDI proposals pose a direct threat to our health and longevity by threatening free access to dietary supplements with exemplary safety records.

    We therefore have to take extraordinary measures to defend our right to continue using supplements that our very lives depend on, and to gain access to new natural ingredients that demonstrate efficacy in scientific studies. I ask each one of you to contact your representatives by following this link:

    Recall how consumers revolted back in 1994 and the result was a glorious victory over FDA tyranny! Let your voice be heard by exercising your right to petition the government against these serious violations of the law and scientific principle. Please be sure to call, fax, or send a certified letter to your representative -- emails can be easily dismissed. Here is a set of talking points for your consideration:

        My name is [Name] and I am a constituent of [Congress Member's name].
        I am very concerned about the new FDA draft guidance on dietary supplements and new dietary ingredients.
        I request that Congress hold hearings and take action to review the FDA's draft guidance and stop their overreach of power.
        The FDA's draft guidance flies in the face of the original congressional intent of the Dietary Supplement Health Education Act: The guidance turns what was meant to be a simple notification system for new dietary ingredients into a preapproval scheme that Congress did not intend to create.
        Congress recognized that dietary supplements are natural ingredients and therefore inherently safer than drugs and chemical food ingredients. It did not intend that the FDA would have the power to approve or reject dietary supplements.
        The FDA's draft guidance creates unnecessary regulations that limit my access to dietary supplements I rely on. The expensive and burdensome process will force between 20,000 and 42,000 dietary supplements to be removed from the market and will increase the cost of those supplements that remain.
        The draft guidance hurts our economy. Expert analyses show that this guidance will cause a total economic loss of $21.2 billion to $39.8 billion annually.
        Thank you for your time.

    Tips:

        Be courteous and respectful.
        Keep your comments brief and focused on the facts.
        Always thank the staff member for their time taking your call.

    SAMPLE LETTER TO CONGRESS:

    The Honorable _________________________ Washington, D.C.

    In direct violation of the law, the FDA is threatening to ban my access to new dietary supplements.

    The FDA defines dietary supplements as being "new" if they were introduced after October 15, 1994. That means that nutrients that I have been safely using over the course of three decades will be subject to the FDA's oppressive policies that mandate costly animal testing, which translates into forced withdrawal from the market, and higher prices for me if the supplement is ever allowed to be sold again.

    The Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act of 1994 states that:

        "The Federal Government should not take any actions to impose unreasonable regulatory barriers limiting or slowing the flow of safe products and accurate information to consumers."

    It says that Congress finds that:

        "dietary supplements are safe within a broad range of intake, and safety problems with the supplements are relatively rare."

    And it says that:

        "legislative action that protects the right of access of consumers to safe dietary supplements is necessary in order to promote wellness."

    This draft guidance does the exact opposite of what Congress intended. It imposes unreasonable barriers that limit and slow the flow of safe products and accurate information to consumers. I call upon Congress to:

        Uphold the landmark legislation it passed seventeen years ago, and to direct the FDA to revise its New Dietary Ingredient draft guidelines to reflect DSHEA's (and Congress's) stated values and goals.
        Vote against the newly introduced Dietary Supplement Labeling Act as this would give the FDA even greater arbitrary powers to remove safe dietary supplements from the market, and will profoundly impact this nations' health in a negative way.

    All of these proposals result in wasteful federal spending, while at the same time impose a massive new "regulatory tax" on consumers and the vitamin industry.

    Kindly let me know what actions you are taking in response to the urgent issues raised in this letter.

    Sincerely,

    Name________________________________________

    Address______________________________________

    City______________________ST____ Zip__________

References:

    i 2010 Annual Report of the American Association of Poison Control Centers' National Poison Data System (NPDS): 28th Annual Report
    ii Alliance for Natural Health July 12, 2011
    iii U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Poisoning Factsheet

Source:  Orthomolecular December 28, 2011

SOURCE

Another Great Site to Check about Scams and Frauds and How to Prevent you from being taken...

FAKE CHECKS.ORG


Scams

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Rental Schemes
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Work-at-Home

http://www.fakechecks.org/prevention.html    

Take the Fraud Tests

http://www.fakechecks.org/fraudtest.html


FAQ'S

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Why do the scammers want cash to be sent using a money transfer service?
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http://www.fakechecks.org/prevention-faqs09.html

Intelligence Note

Prepared by the Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3)

March 11, 2011

Tips On Avoiding Fraudulent Charitable Contribution Schemes

Recently several natural disasters, including tornadoes, floods, and earthquakes, have devastated lives and property. In the wake of these events that have caused emotional distress and great monetary loss to numerous victims, individuals across the nation often feel a desire to help these victims, frequently through monetary donations.

These disasters prompt individuals with criminal intent to solicit contributions purportedly for a charitable organization or a good cause. Therefore, before making a donation of any kind, consumers should adhere to certain guidelines, to include the following:

• Do not respond to unsolicited (SPAM) e-mail.
• Be skeptical of individuals representing themselves as officials soliciting via e-mail for donations.
• Do not click on links contained within an unsolicited e-mail.
• Be cautious of e-mail claiming to contain pictures in attached files, as the files may contain viruses. Only open attachments from known senders.
• To ensure contributions are received and used for intended purposes, make contributions directly to known organizations rather than relying on others to make the donation on your behalf.
• Validate the legitimacy of the organization by directly accessing the recognized charity or aid organization's website rather than following an alleged link to the site.
• Attempt to verify the legitimacy of the non-profit status of the organization by using various Internet-based resources, which also may assist in confirming the actual existence of the organization.
• Do not provide personal or financial information to anyone who solicits contributions: providing such information may compromise your identity and make you vulnerable to identity theft.

To obtain more information on charitable contribution schemes and other types of online schemes, visit www.LooksTooGoodToBeTrue.com.

If you believe you have been a victim of a charity related scheme, contact the National Center for Disaster Fraud by telephone at (866) 720-5721, or by fax at (225) 334-4707, or by e-mail at disaster@leo.gov.1 You can also report suspicious e-mail solicitations or fraudulent websites to the Internet Crime Complaint Center at www.IC3.gov.

1 National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) was originally established by the Department of Justice to investigate, prosecute, and deter fraud in the wake of Hurricane Katrina. Its mission has expanded to include suspected fraud from any natural or man-made disaster. More than 20 federal agencies, including the FBI, participate in the NCDF, allowing it to act as a centralized clearinghouse of information related to relief fraud.

http://www.ic3.gov/media/2011/110311.aspx