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29 Dec 2011 15:06

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Biz: Verizon plans to add fee for non-automatic online payments

  • $2 fee to pay your bill online, as planned by Verizon Wireless source
  • » Nickel and diming, redux: To be clear, this fee wouldn’t be instituted in every case — people using automatic bill-pay wouldn’t be subject to it, nor would people paying by electronic check (at least according to the initial source of this news, a leaked memo obtained by Engadget). That said, if you’re looking to make a one-off payment, or aren’t scheduled for automatic payments, you can expect  a tidy little $2 charge starting January 15th. What reaction consumers will have is yet unclear; it has, however, been a bad year for companies trying to slip extra fees onto customers.
Posted by Chris Tognotti • 0 Comments • Permalink

29 Dec 2011 15:02

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U.S.: Federal prosecutors preparing case against BP

  • The oil spill examined: The first criminal charges to be filed against BP, regarding the explosion and subsequent oil leak at the Deepwater Horizon well, are being prepared by federal prosecutors. The charges, to come out next year, are expected to center on a group of engineers and whether false or misleading information about the safety of drilling at such deep depths in the Gulf of Mexico was submitted on federal documents. The spill in totality is very relevant right now — a couple months ago, the Obama administration approved BP for more drilling in the Gulf, despite no changes to spill-related financial liability laws. (Photo courtesy of ideum) source
Posted by Chris Tognotti • 0 Comments • Permalink

29 Dec 2011 14:23

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World: Arab League monitors witness to gunfire in Homs

  • Not so “quiet”: As we mentioned yesterday, the leader of the group of monitors from the Arab League currently visiting Syria is a Sudanese general named Mohammed al-Dabi (whose record in that capacity has led human rights activists to denounce his role). Yesterday he insisted the violence stricken city of Homs was quiet, and that the monitors had not witnessed anything “frightening.” Today brought reports that, heading to the city hall in the capitol suburb of Douma, the monitors arrived as security forces opened fire on “tens of thousands.” source
Posted by Chris Tognotti • 0 Comments • Permalink

29 Dec 2011 13:43

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Politics: Bachmann claims defected Iowa co-chair paid off by Paul campaign

  • Kent Sorenson personally told me he was offered a large sum of money to go to work for the Paul campaign. Kent campaigned with us earlier this afternoon and went immediately afterward to a Ron Paul event and announced he is changing teams. Kent said to me yesterday that ‘everyone sells out in Iowa, why shouldn’t I?’, then he told me he would stay with our campaign. The Ron Paul campaign has to answer for its actions.
  • Michele Bachmann • Trying to explain the late-stage defection of campaign co-chair Kent Sorenson, who yesterday jumped to the Ron Paul camp. In trying to explain this situation, which carries a big political cost to her already sub-tier candidacy, Bachmann is leveling a pretty loaded claim. It’s also one that Sorenson has flatly denied — he says the conversation Bachmann recounts never happened. source
Posted by Chris Tognotti • 0 Comments • Permalink

29 Dec 2011 13:17

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Tech: D’Addario founder speaks out against perceived support of SOPA

  • In the last few days, we have seen countless comments on various forms of social media and received many email messages, both pro and con on this issue. While the D’Addario family is committed to protecting its trademarks and family name, that commitment does not take priority over our respect for the U.S. Constitution and our right to free speech under the First Amendment.
  • D’Addario & Company, Inc. founder Jim D’Addario • Discussing his company’s perceived support of SOPA, as a result of having been placed on an alleged list of supporters of the act. D’Addario (which makes great guitar strings that sound really good with Cm7 chords) has dealt with numerous counterfeiting issues in the past (“7 out of 10 sets of D’Addario strings sold in Chinese music stores are fakes!”), and when his company signed onto a list asking for further help in fighting against counterfeiting, his company did not assume the result would be SOPA. We spotted his letter because he cited our defense of the companies on a list distributed by the Chamber of Commerce, but we think  — again — it’s worth pointing out that when D’Addario and other companies signed onto the list, they were asking for something far different than SOPA. Protest with care. source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

29 Dec 2011 12:57

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World: Wildlife group: Despite worldwide ban, ivory seizures hit record levels in 2011

  • 23 tons amount of ivory acquired from 13 major seizures in 2011
  • 2,500+ number of elephants that died to produce that much ivory source
  • » This despite a global ban on ivory trade: What’s causing the black-market trade of ivory? According to Traffic, a group that monitors wildlife trading, much of this is as a result of larger Asian influence on the continent. “We’ve reached a point in Africa’s history where there are more Asian nationals on the continent than ever before,” said Traffic official Tom Milliken, based in Zimbabwe. “They have contacts with the end-use market and now they are at the source in Africa. This is all adding up to an unprecedented assault on elephants and other wildlife.”
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

29 Dec 2011 11:32

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World: Syrian opposition activists cynical about Arab League observers

  • The people of Homs and the youth activists have no faith in the Arab League mission. It is clear now they are just another ploy by the Syrian regime to buy time. They are ineffective and have no resources to change the situation. But we are doing our part showing them what is happening in Homs, submitting evidence of killing and arbitrary arrest, and showing them what is happening.
  • Syrian opposition activist Khaled Abo Saleh • Criticizing the Arab League’s monitoring of the military’s crackdown in Homs. Saleh said that the killings in the region have declined since the Arab League got there, but they haven’t stopped completely. Activists have been critical of the choice of a Sudanese military official, Lt. Gen. Mohamed Ahmed Mustafa al-Dabi, as one of the observers. source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink
 

29 Dec 2011 11:15

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U.S.: New audio from Dallas-area Christmas day shooting surfaces

  • “I am shooting people.” That’s what Azizolah Yazdanpanah could be heard whispering on a 911 recording — while, dressed as Santa Claus, he shot six of his family members, before turning the trigger on himself. Grapevine, Texas police investigators initially thought the recording was blank, but after enhancing the audio, they were able to pick up new details, painting a fuller picture of the situation as it happened. Also of note: Yazdanpanah’s niece, Sara Fatemeh Zarei, texted a friend prior to the shooting, dismissively noting her uncle’s costume and saying, “Now he wants to be all fatherly and win father of the year.” Yazdanpanah reportedly suffered from financial hardships prior to the shooting, but investigators say they may never know what caused him to fire upon his own family. source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

29 Dec 2011 00:16

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Politics: Michele Bachmann loses Iowa campaign chairman days before caucus

  • Kent said to me yesterday that ‘everyone sells out in Iowa, why shouldn’t I.’ Then he told me he would stay with our campaign. The Ron Paul campaign has to answer for its actions.
  • Michele Bachmann • Discussing the surprise departure of her Iowa campaign chairman, Iowa state Sen. Kent Sorenson, who defected to the Ron Paul camp. This is not good news for Bachmann, especially since the move comes less than a week before the Iowa caucus. Ever since Bachmann won the straw poll in Iowa back in August, it’s been diminishing returns, to the point where some are calling for her to drop out. They’re also calling for Rick Santorum to drop out, but that’s probably not going to happen because Santorum is suddenly on an upswing. For Bachmann, however, she might be reaching her endgame. source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink
 
 
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