<![CDATA[Niteshare Forums - All Forums]]> http://www.niteshareforums.com/forums/ Sun, 01 Aug 2010 09:30:41 +0000 MyBB <![CDATA[Sharkey]]> http://www.niteshareforums.com/forums/showthread.php?tid=6848 Sat, 31 Jul 2010 01:27:22 -0400 http://www.niteshareforums.com/forums/showthread.php?tid=6848 Friends Best wishes to you. Happy birthday! Candles]]> Friends Best wishes to you. Happy birthday! Candles]]> <![CDATA[The right to sue]]> http://www.niteshareforums.com/forums/showthread.php?tid=6847 Fri, 30 Jul 2010 12:54:54 -0400 http://www.niteshareforums.com/forums/showthread.php?tid=6847 Everyone has the right to file a lawsuit. Judges have the right to toss them out of court. [/color]The following article tells yet another story of an inmate suing the victim.

Inmate sues man he's convicted of burglarizing


ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. – A Florida inmate is suing the man he's convicted of burglarizing, claiming the man and two others roughed him up during a citizen's arrest.

Michael Dupree is serving a 12-year sentence for burglary and cocaine possession stemming from a 2007 break-in of a van in St. Petersburg. Dupree allegedly stole a bicycle locked inside and was apprehended after the owner, Anthony McKoy, saw him with the bike down the street.

Dupree says McKoy and two others pointed a gun at him, handcuffed him and placed a knee painfully in his back. He's seeking $500,000 for disabilities and distress suffered during the takedown.

Dupree filed the civil lawsuit on his own, without the help of an attorney.

After being served with the suit, McKoy said, "I thought it was a joke. I'm the victim."

What is your opinion on cases where the criminal sues a victim? Should a judge throw out a case out for the reasons (pain & suffering) in this case? Should cases that go forward have stronger criteria?


I see a little pain as a consequence to the burgler-in-action's activity. He was tried and convicted of the crime. I see no need for the case to go forward.

Had the victim needlessly seriously harmed the burgler while restraining him ... like beating the crap out of him after he's restrained or intentionally breaking his bones or shooting him, then I would say the lawsuit needs to move forward. ]]> Everyone has the right to file a lawsuit. Judges have the right to toss them out of court. [/color]The following article tells yet another story of an inmate suing the victim.

Inmate sues man he's convicted of burglarizing


ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. – A Florida inmate is suing the man he's convicted of burglarizing, claiming the man and two others roughed him up during a citizen's arrest.

Michael Dupree is serving a 12-year sentence for burglary and cocaine possession stemming from a 2007 break-in of a van in St. Petersburg. Dupree allegedly stole a bicycle locked inside and was apprehended after the owner, Anthony McKoy, saw him with the bike down the street.

Dupree says McKoy and two others pointed a gun at him, handcuffed him and placed a knee painfully in his back. He's seeking $500,000 for disabilities and distress suffered during the takedown.

Dupree filed the civil lawsuit on his own, without the help of an attorney.

After being served with the suit, McKoy said, "I thought it was a joke. I'm the victim."

What is your opinion on cases where the criminal sues a victim? Should a judge throw out a case out for the reasons (pain & suffering) in this case? Should cases that go forward have stronger criteria?


I see a little pain as a consequence to the burgler-in-action's activity. He was tried and convicted of the crime. I see no need for the case to go forward.

Had the victim needlessly seriously harmed the burgler while restraining him ... like beating the crap out of him after he's restrained or intentionally breaking his bones or shooting him, then I would say the lawsuit needs to move forward. ]]> <![CDATA[Explosion & Wildfires: Los Angeles]]> http://www.niteshareforums.com/forums/showthread.php?tid=6846 Fri, 30 Jul 2010 12:15:11 -0400 http://www.niteshareforums.com/forums/showthread.php?tid=6846 10 mins ago

LOS ANGELES – Fire officials say at least one person has died in a suspected natural gas explosion that rocked a large South Los Angeles commercial building and hurled people into the street.

Fire Capt. Steve Ruda says the explosion shook the two-story building housing a welding operation at 6:15 a.m. Friday and much of the structure collapsed. There were victims in the street when 100 firefighters arrived.

Ruda told KNX news radio that one person died and the department's urban search and rescue team was called in to search the collapsed structure for other possible victims. He says search dogs are at the scene because the splintered wreckage of the building posed a danger to firefighters.

He says two people were hurled out of the building and were wedged under cars. At least one was pinned under the axle of a car.

THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. Check back soon for further information. AP's earlier story is below.

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Fire officials say a suspected natural gas explosion rocked a large South Los Angeles commercial building and hurled people into the street, wedging at least one man beneath a parked car.

Fire Capt. Steve Ruda says the violent explosion shook the two-story building housing a welding operation at 6:15 a.m. Friday and much of the structure collapsed. There were victims in the street when 100 firefighters arrived.

The explosion blew three people into the street. At least one person was pinned under the axle of a car.

They are hospitalized in unknown condition.

The fire was extinguished in 25 minutes and teams were searching the collapsed structure for possible victims. Ruda says search dogs were being sent in because the splintered wreckage of the building posed a danger to firefighters.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100730/ap_o...sion/print for updates ...

Hope this is far way from where G's family moves around...]]> 10 mins ago

LOS ANGELES – Fire officials say at least one person has died in a suspected natural gas explosion that rocked a large South Los Angeles commercial building and hurled people into the street.

Fire Capt. Steve Ruda says the explosion shook the two-story building housing a welding operation at 6:15 a.m. Friday and much of the structure collapsed. There were victims in the street when 100 firefighters arrived.

Ruda told KNX news radio that one person died and the department's urban search and rescue team was called in to search the collapsed structure for other possible victims. He says search dogs are at the scene because the splintered wreckage of the building posed a danger to firefighters.

He says two people were hurled out of the building and were wedged under cars. At least one was pinned under the axle of a car.

THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. Check back soon for further information. AP's earlier story is below.

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Fire officials say a suspected natural gas explosion rocked a large South Los Angeles commercial building and hurled people into the street, wedging at least one man beneath a parked car.

Fire Capt. Steve Ruda says the violent explosion shook the two-story building housing a welding operation at 6:15 a.m. Friday and much of the structure collapsed. There were victims in the street when 100 firefighters arrived.

The explosion blew three people into the street. At least one person was pinned under the axle of a car.

They are hospitalized in unknown condition.

The fire was extinguished in 25 minutes and teams were searching the collapsed structure for possible victims. Ruda says search dogs were being sent in because the splintered wreckage of the building posed a danger to firefighters.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100730/ap_o...sion/print for updates ...

Hope this is far way from where G's family moves around...]]> <![CDATA[Need Help?]]> http://www.niteshareforums.com/forums/showthread.php?tid=6845 Thu, 29 Jul 2010 17:21:00 -0400 http://www.niteshareforums.com/forums/showthread.php?tid=6845
I saw a yard sign that said:







NEED HELP, CALL JESUS
1-800-005-3787









Out of curiosity, I did.
A Mexican showed up with a lawnmower.
]]>
I saw a yard sign that said:







NEED HELP, CALL JESUS
1-800-005-3787









Out of curiosity, I did.
A Mexican showed up with a lawnmower.
]]> <![CDATA[Steve Wynn talks about $$$]]> http://www.niteshareforums.com/forums/showthread.php?tid=6844 Thu, 29 Jul 2010 16:02:56 -0400 http://www.niteshareforums.com/forums/showthread.php?tid=6844 I know media is monitored but it sure didn't take long for the principal to call the student to the carpet!

Subject: Steve Wynn's Interview on CNBC

It was just two hours after Steve Wynn's interview that he received a "invitation" from the tenants at 1600 Pennsylvania AV, Washington, DC. 20500 wanting him to explain, in person, why he said what he'd said.

Below is a short interview with Steve Wynn. Some of you know of him. He's a Multi-Billionaire, Hotelier and Real Estate Investor in Las Vegas (owns the Wynn Hotel and Encore Hotel), Asia and Macau. He's been a guest from time to time on all the network financial news programs.

If you listen to this recent CNBC interview (short & to the point) and nothing else today, you will be better informed than your neighbor about the State of the Union.

>target="_blank">http://www.infowars.com/steve-wynn-takes-on-washington/


(video is less than 5 minutes)]]> I know media is monitored but it sure didn't take long for the principal to call the student to the carpet!

Subject: Steve Wynn's Interview on CNBC

It was just two hours after Steve Wynn's interview that he received a "invitation" from the tenants at 1600 Pennsylvania AV, Washington, DC. 20500 wanting him to explain, in person, why he said what he'd said.

Below is a short interview with Steve Wynn. Some of you know of him. He's a Multi-Billionaire, Hotelier and Real Estate Investor in Las Vegas (owns the Wynn Hotel and Encore Hotel), Asia and Macau. He's been a guest from time to time on all the network financial news programs.

If you listen to this recent CNBC interview (short & to the point) and nothing else today, you will be better informed than your neighbor about the State of the Union.

>target="_blank">http://www.infowars.com/steve-wynn-takes-on-washington/


(video is less than 5 minutes)]]> <![CDATA[R.I.P. Tigerguy]]> http://www.niteshareforums.com/forums/showthread.php?tid=6843 Thu, 29 Jul 2010 15:42:34 -0400 http://www.niteshareforums.com/forums/showthread.php?tid=6843 <![CDATA[Car dealer fianancing..]]> http://www.niteshareforums.com/forums/showthread.php?tid=6841 Wed, 28 Jul 2010 18:33:45 -0400 http://www.niteshareforums.com/forums/showthread.php?tid=6841
July 22, 2010
Car dealers mostly escape CFPB, but may face scrutiny elsewhere
Despite appeals from consumer groups and others, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau created by the new financial reform law will not have jurisdiction over most car dealer-arranged financing.

But that doesn’t necessarily mean car dealers won’t see additional federal regulation and enforcement.

The Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, signed by President Obama on July 21, gives the Federal Trade Commission improved powers to enact rules to regulate dealer financing.

The law authorizes the FTC to use the same rule-making procedures for dealers as other federal agencies use generally. That will reduce the FTC’s rulemaking to around one year, compared to an average seven years under its traditional rulemaking procedures. Those procedures have discouraged the FTC from rulemaking in the past.


Consumer groups say the change could mean that dealers will face stronger and faster regulation than had they been placed under the CFPB, which must focus on many areas of consumer protection, as well as establish itself as a new autonomous body within the Federal Reserve.

“I think the auto dealers are going to rue what they wished for. The FTC can now just focus on auto dealers,” said Lauren Saunders, managing attorney of the National Consumer Law Center.
Consumer groups had hoped that under the CFPB, dealers would have seen new rules and tough enforcement in connection with a variety of unfair practices in which some engage when obtaining loans for car buyers.

But dealers had lobbied Congress fiercely to exempt them from the CFPB, which they predicted would have burdened them with additional regulation, potentially limiting dealer-assisted financing as an option for consumers.

“The Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform legislation includes language that preserves dealer-assisted financing, which will continue to provide more convenience, more competition and more choices for car buyers,” the National Automobile Dealers Association said in a statement on its website.

The final legislation gives the CFPB authority only over dealers who make direct loans to consumers and who don’t traditionally transfer their loans to third parties, as most dealers do. The CFPB also would have authority over the lenders themselves, including major banks and auto finance companies such as Ally Financial Inc., formerly GMAC.

Also under the new law, the Federal Reserve will continue to oversee dealer compliance with the Truth in Lending Act, authority over which will move to the CFPB for other types of lenders. Unlike the Federal Reserve, the FTC will not automatically lose staff to the CFPB.

Effect remains to be seen

Consumer groups say it remains to be seen how aggressive the Federal Reserve Board, and especially the FTC, will be.

“I think the FTC has a real opportunity here in a long time to protect consumers in the area of auto financing,“ said Cora Ganzglass, legislative director of the National Association of Consumer Advocates.

The FTC itself did not take a position on whether oversight of car dealer financing should be transferred to the CFPB. But now that Congress has decided, the FTC welcomes the quicker rule-making authority, said Joel Winston, associate director of the FTC’s division of financial practices.

Winston said the FTC is concerned about possible deceptive and discriminatory practices involving dealer-assisting financing.

“Whether or not we would do a rulemaking depends on the extent of the problem,” he said.

He pointed out that the FTC retains its power to take legal action against dealers under its long-held authority to fight deceptive practices. Because dealers typically are local businesses, he noted, most actions are brought by the states.

Military concerns addressed

The new law also attempts to address complaints by the military that service members and their families are sometimes victimized by the financing practices of dealers located near military bases.

The law requires the Federal Reserve and FTC to coordinate with a newly-formed CFPB Office of Service Member Affairs to monitor dealer financing complaints from service members and to make sure military personnel “are educated and empowered to make better informed decisions” about dealer financial products and services."

That protection would be in addition to other protections provided by the FTC and the Fed to the general public.

The Defense Department had joined consumer groups in calling on Congress to place dealers under the CFPB.—Anthony Giorgianni]]>
July 22, 2010
Car dealers mostly escape CFPB, but may face scrutiny elsewhere
Despite appeals from consumer groups and others, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau created by the new financial reform law will not have jurisdiction over most car dealer-arranged financing.

But that doesn’t necessarily mean car dealers won’t see additional federal regulation and enforcement.

The Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, signed by President Obama on July 21, gives the Federal Trade Commission improved powers to enact rules to regulate dealer financing.

The law authorizes the FTC to use the same rule-making procedures for dealers as other federal agencies use generally. That will reduce the FTC’s rulemaking to around one year, compared to an average seven years under its traditional rulemaking procedures. Those procedures have discouraged the FTC from rulemaking in the past.


Consumer groups say the change could mean that dealers will face stronger and faster regulation than had they been placed under the CFPB, which must focus on many areas of consumer protection, as well as establish itself as a new autonomous body within the Federal Reserve.

“I think the auto dealers are going to rue what they wished for. The FTC can now just focus on auto dealers,” said Lauren Saunders, managing attorney of the National Consumer Law Center.
Consumer groups had hoped that under the CFPB, dealers would have seen new rules and tough enforcement in connection with a variety of unfair practices in which some engage when obtaining loans for car buyers.

But dealers had lobbied Congress fiercely to exempt them from the CFPB, which they predicted would have burdened them with additional regulation, potentially limiting dealer-assisted financing as an option for consumers.

“The Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform legislation includes language that preserves dealer-assisted financing, which will continue to provide more convenience, more competition and more choices for car buyers,” the National Automobile Dealers Association said in a statement on its website.

The final legislation gives the CFPB authority only over dealers who make direct loans to consumers and who don’t traditionally transfer their loans to third parties, as most dealers do. The CFPB also would have authority over the lenders themselves, including major banks and auto finance companies such as Ally Financial Inc., formerly GMAC.

Also under the new law, the Federal Reserve will continue to oversee dealer compliance with the Truth in Lending Act, authority over which will move to the CFPB for other types of lenders. Unlike the Federal Reserve, the FTC will not automatically lose staff to the CFPB.

Effect remains to be seen

Consumer groups say it remains to be seen how aggressive the Federal Reserve Board, and especially the FTC, will be.

“I think the FTC has a real opportunity here in a long time to protect consumers in the area of auto financing,“ said Cora Ganzglass, legislative director of the National Association of Consumer Advocates.

The FTC itself did not take a position on whether oversight of car dealer financing should be transferred to the CFPB. But now that Congress has decided, the FTC welcomes the quicker rule-making authority, said Joel Winston, associate director of the FTC’s division of financial practices.

Winston said the FTC is concerned about possible deceptive and discriminatory practices involving dealer-assisting financing.

“Whether or not we would do a rulemaking depends on the extent of the problem,” he said.

He pointed out that the FTC retains its power to take legal action against dealers under its long-held authority to fight deceptive practices. Because dealers typically are local businesses, he noted, most actions are brought by the states.

Military concerns addressed

The new law also attempts to address complaints by the military that service members and their families are sometimes victimized by the financing practices of dealers located near military bases.

The law requires the Federal Reserve and FTC to coordinate with a newly-formed CFPB Office of Service Member Affairs to monitor dealer financing complaints from service members and to make sure military personnel “are educated and empowered to make better informed decisions” about dealer financial products and services."

That protection would be in addition to other protections provided by the FTC and the Fed to the general public.

The Defense Department had joined consumer groups in calling on Congress to place dealers under the CFPB.—Anthony Giorgianni]]> <![CDATA["Jailbreaking" is legal]]> http://www.niteshareforums.com/forums/showthread.php?tid=6840 Wed, 28 Jul 2010 18:31:25 -0400 http://www.niteshareforums.com/forums/showthread.php?tid=6840
The U.S. Copyright Office, a division of the Library of Congress, has authorized several new exemptions to the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA), one of which will allow mobile phone users to "jailbreak" -- or hack into -- their devices to use apps not authorized by the phone's manufacturer. The new rules will be published on Tuesday in the Federal Register.

iPhones in order to download apps that are unavailable in Apple's App Store had been a legal gray area: Apple technically had the right to request a $2,500 government fine for damages every time a user violated the law that bans "circumvention of technological measures" controlling access to copyrighted works -- in this case, the iPhone's iOS software.

Apple (AAPL, Fortune 500) never actually requested that a fine be levied on an iPhone customer. But it fought to preserve its right to: Apple filed an objection last year to the rule the Copyright Office has now adopted.

The Copyright Office's decision means that jailbreakers will not face legal sanctions, but phone makers are still free to fight back technologically against the practice. Apple typically voids the warranty on iPhones that owners have hacked. The company maintains that tampering with the iPhone can introduce bugs and glitches.

"Apple's goal has always been to insure that our customers have a great experience with their iPhone, and we know that jailbreaking can severely degrade the experience," a company spokeswoman said in response to the Copyright Office ruling. "The vast majority of customers do not jailbreak their iPhones."

The Copyright Office also renewed and expanded its 2006 decision allowing mobile phone users to jailbreak their phones in order to switch carriers. Previously, the office allowed firmware updates to enable network-switching; this week, it added a provision allowing software hacks as well. In other words, iPhone users can now legally download software that will enable their phones to join a non-AT&T (T, Fortune 500) network.

The Copyright Office conducts an extensive rulemaking process every three years to determine what exemptions should be granted to the DMCA's anti-circumvention provisions. Each cycle, the office's previous exemptions expire unless they are renewed.

This time around, the Copyright Office granted six exemptions. In addition jailbreaking provisions, it renewed an exemption allowing e-book copy controls to be circumvented to enable read-aloud functions or to render the text into a specialized format. That's a clause advocates for the blind fought for.

The agency also granted an exemption allowing users to break DVD copyright controls to extract snippets of copyrighted movies for the purpose of incorporating them into new works, so long as the new creation is noncommercial. Known as "vidding," such remixing is a popular hobby among fan artists, and their creations are widely available for viewing on YouTube.

The ruling doesn't remove all of the legal murk around vidding. Creators still need to ensure that their clips meet "fair use" guidelines, and the Copyright Office specified that its exemption applies only to motion-picture snippets extracted "for the purpose of criticism or comment."

But advocates say the decision is a big step forward. Hollywood movie studios had long held that ripping DVDs for any purpose whatsoever is a violation of the DMCA.

"This ruling is useful because it removes a tool that was able to be deployed over and above copyright law that already has fair-use safety valves," said Rebecca Tushnet, a law professor at Georgetown University who testified in favor of the exception at a Library of Congress rulemaking hearing last year. "Now we're back to where we should have been all along, and we can continue the conversation about what's reasonable fair use."

Google (GOOG, Fortune 500) declined to comment on the implications for YouTube of the new exemption.

Lobbying group Electronic Frontier Foundation, which requested and backed the jailbreaking and remixing exemptions, celebrated its victory on Monday.

"We are thrilled to have helped free jailbreakers, unlockers and vidders from this law's overbroad reach," Jennifer Granick, EFF's civil liberties director, said in a prepared statement. "The Copyright Office recognizes that the primary purpose of the locks on cell phones is to bind customers to their existing networks, rather than to protect copyright."

http://money.cnn.com/2010/07/26/technolo.../index.htm]]>
The U.S. Copyright Office, a division of the Library of Congress, has authorized several new exemptions to the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA), one of which will allow mobile phone users to "jailbreak" -- or hack into -- their devices to use apps not authorized by the phone's manufacturer. The new rules will be published on Tuesday in the Federal Register.

iPhones in order to download apps that are unavailable in Apple's App Store had been a legal gray area: Apple technically had the right to request a $2,500 government fine for damages every time a user violated the law that bans "circumvention of technological measures" controlling access to copyrighted works -- in this case, the iPhone's iOS software.

Apple (AAPL, Fortune 500) never actually requested that a fine be levied on an iPhone customer. But it fought to preserve its right to: Apple filed an objection last year to the rule the Copyright Office has now adopted.

The Copyright Office's decision means that jailbreakers will not face legal sanctions, but phone makers are still free to fight back technologically against the practice. Apple typically voids the warranty on iPhones that owners have hacked. The company maintains that tampering with the iPhone can introduce bugs and glitches.

"Apple's goal has always been to insure that our customers have a great experience with their iPhone, and we know that jailbreaking can severely degrade the experience," a company spokeswoman said in response to the Copyright Office ruling. "The vast majority of customers do not jailbreak their iPhones."

The Copyright Office also renewed and expanded its 2006 decision allowing mobile phone users to jailbreak their phones in order to switch carriers. Previously, the office allowed firmware updates to enable network-switching; this week, it added a provision allowing software hacks as well. In other words, iPhone users can now legally download software that will enable their phones to join a non-AT&T (T, Fortune 500) network.

The Copyright Office conducts an extensive rulemaking process every three years to determine what exemptions should be granted to the DMCA's anti-circumvention provisions. Each cycle, the office's previous exemptions expire unless they are renewed.

This time around, the Copyright Office granted six exemptions. In addition jailbreaking provisions, it renewed an exemption allowing e-book copy controls to be circumvented to enable read-aloud functions or to render the text into a specialized format. That's a clause advocates for the blind fought for.

The agency also granted an exemption allowing users to break DVD copyright controls to extract snippets of copyrighted movies for the purpose of incorporating them into new works, so long as the new creation is noncommercial. Known as "vidding," such remixing is a popular hobby among fan artists, and their creations are widely available for viewing on YouTube.

The ruling doesn't remove all of the legal murk around vidding. Creators still need to ensure that their clips meet "fair use" guidelines, and the Copyright Office specified that its exemption applies only to motion-picture snippets extracted "for the purpose of criticism or comment."

But advocates say the decision is a big step forward. Hollywood movie studios had long held that ripping DVDs for any purpose whatsoever is a violation of the DMCA.

"This ruling is useful because it removes a tool that was able to be deployed over and above copyright law that already has fair-use safety valves," said Rebecca Tushnet, a law professor at Georgetown University who testified in favor of the exception at a Library of Congress rulemaking hearing last year. "Now we're back to where we should have been all along, and we can continue the conversation about what's reasonable fair use."

Google (GOOG, Fortune 500) declined to comment on the implications for YouTube of the new exemption.

Lobbying group Electronic Frontier Foundation, which requested and backed the jailbreaking and remixing exemptions, celebrated its victory on Monday.

"We are thrilled to have helped free jailbreakers, unlockers and vidders from this law's overbroad reach," Jennifer Granick, EFF's civil liberties director, said in a prepared statement. "The Copyright Office recognizes that the primary purpose of the locks on cell phones is to bind customers to their existing networks, rather than to protect copyright."

http://money.cnn.com/2010/07/26/technolo.../index.htm]]> <![CDATA[ATM "skimmers" From]]> http://www.niteshareforums.com/forums/showthread.php?tid=6839 Wed, 28 Jul 2010 18:28:24 -0400 http://www.niteshareforums.com/forums/showthread.php?tid=6839
More July 23, 2010
Warning: Summer upswing in gas-pump and ATM "skimmers"

If you’re hitting the road for summer vacation, there’s more reason than ever to be on guard for skimmers, devices that thieves install on ATMs and gas pumps to steal the account data stored on the magnetic stripe of credit or debit cards.

In recent months, banks have reported a sharp rise in this type of crime, especially at gas pumps, where some crooks are using Bluetooth devices to make their job even easier. They can simply park near a station where they’ve tampered with a pump and then download the stolen data onto a laptop.

Why the surge in skimming? Avivah Litan, a senior analyst at Gartner Research specializing in fraud detection and prevention, told us that organized criminal gangs from Eastern Europe have been coming to the U.S. to set up skimming operations and their primary target is the data stored on the magnetic stripe of your debit or ATM card.


“Organized criminals have discovered how easy it is,” Litan says. “Collecting PINs and ATM card data is as good as getting cash. It’s much easier and more lucrative than stealing credit card data and then selling it on the black market.”

In Arizona, problems with skimming at gas stations have become so widespread that the governor recently ordered state inspectors to conduct inspections of gas pumps to detect and remove the devices. Another recent report about skimmers installed on pumps at gas stations along Interstate 75 in Florida noted that crooks were using devices equipped with Bluetooth to transmit the stolen data.
Wireless technology also reportedly was used in a wave of skimming at gas pumps earlier this year in Utah. KrebsonSecurity.com provides detailed descriptions of how Bluetooth was used in a rash of recent cases of skimming at gas pumps in Colorado.

Consumer Reports has provided advice previously about steps you can take to avoid becoming a victim or mitigating the damage if your data is stolen.
But the bottom line is that if you must use a debit card at the gas pump, select the option that pops up on the screen to have your purchase processed as a credit card transaction rather than typing in your PIN. And of course you can avoid risk altogether if you pay with cash when you fill up.—Andrea Rock]]>
More July 23, 2010
Warning: Summer upswing in gas-pump and ATM "skimmers"

If you’re hitting the road for summer vacation, there’s more reason than ever to be on guard for skimmers, devices that thieves install on ATMs and gas pumps to steal the account data stored on the magnetic stripe of credit or debit cards.

In recent months, banks have reported a sharp rise in this type of crime, especially at gas pumps, where some crooks are using Bluetooth devices to make their job even easier. They can simply park near a station where they’ve tampered with a pump and then download the stolen data onto a laptop.

Why the surge in skimming? Avivah Litan, a senior analyst at Gartner Research specializing in fraud detection and prevention, told us that organized criminal gangs from Eastern Europe have been coming to the U.S. to set up skimming operations and their primary target is the data stored on the magnetic stripe of your debit or ATM card.


“Organized criminals have discovered how easy it is,” Litan says. “Collecting PINs and ATM card data is as good as getting cash. It’s much easier and more lucrative than stealing credit card data and then selling it on the black market.”

In Arizona, problems with skimming at gas stations have become so widespread that the governor recently ordered state inspectors to conduct inspections of gas pumps to detect and remove the devices. Another recent report about skimmers installed on pumps at gas stations along Interstate 75 in Florida noted that crooks were using devices equipped with Bluetooth to transmit the stolen data.
Wireless technology also reportedly was used in a wave of skimming at gas pumps earlier this year in Utah. KrebsonSecurity.com provides detailed descriptions of how Bluetooth was used in a rash of recent cases of skimming at gas pumps in Colorado.

Consumer Reports has provided advice previously about steps you can take to avoid becoming a victim or mitigating the damage if your data is stolen.
But the bottom line is that if you must use a debit card at the gas pump, select the option that pops up on the screen to have your purchase processed as a credit card transaction rather than typing in your PIN. And of course you can avoid risk altogether if you pay with cash when you fill up.—Andrea Rock]]> <![CDATA[Pissed Off?]]> http://www.niteshareforums.com/forums/showthread.php?tid=6838 Wed, 28 Jul 2010 17:54:00 -0400 http://www.niteshareforums.com/forums/showthread.php?tid=6838
Seriously now ... share a 'pet peeve' if you've got one. maybe something at work, play, home, online, etc.]]>
Seriously now ... share a 'pet peeve' if you've got one. maybe something at work, play, home, online, etc.]]> <![CDATA[LIfe is a highway]]> http://www.niteshareforums.com/forums/showthread.php?tid=6837 Wed, 28 Jul 2010 17:50:34 -0400 http://www.niteshareforums.com/forums/showthread.php?tid=6837
Share a new adventure or experience that's come your way or that your emebarking on. Come back and share another whenever you please. What excites you about it? What makes you nervous. Emote ...it's free.]]>
Share a new adventure or experience that's come your way or that your emebarking on. Come back and share another whenever you please. What excites you about it? What makes you nervous. Emote ...it's free.]]> <![CDATA[Hey Ms Ripps]]> http://www.niteshareforums.com/forums/showthread.php?tid=6836 Wed, 28 Jul 2010 17:27:23 -0400 http://www.niteshareforums.com/forums/showthread.php?tid=6836
Why? Just cuz.]]>
Why? Just cuz.]]> <![CDATA[Kiss Freedom of Information Act Goodbye]]> http://www.niteshareforums.com/forums/showthread.php?tid=6835 Wed, 28 Jul 2010 12:00:46 -0400 http://www.niteshareforums.com/forums/showthread.php?tid=6835 Dunstan Prial

- FOXBusiness

- July 28, 2010

SEC Says New FinReg Law Exempts It From Public Disclosure

Under a little-noticed provision of the recently passed financial-reform legislation, the Securities and Exchange Commission no longer has to comply with virtually all requests for information releases from the public, including those filed under the Freedom of Information Act.


So much for transparency.

Under a little-noticed provision of the recently passed financial-reform legislation, the Securities and Exchange Commission no longer has to comply with virtually all requests for information releases from the public, including those filed under the Freedom of Information Act.

The law, signed last week by President Obama, exempts the SEC from disclosing records or information derived from "surveillance, risk assessments, or other regulatory and oversight activities." Given that the SEC is a regulatory body, the provision covers almost every action by the agency, lawyers say. Congress and federal agencies can request information, but the public cannot.

That argument comes despite the President saying that one of the cornerstones of the sweeping new legislation was more transparent financial markets. Indeed, in touting the new law, Obama specifically said it would “increase transparency in financial dealings."

The SEC cited the new law Tuesday in a FOIA action brought by FOX Business Network. Steven Mintz, founding partner of law firm Mintz & Gold LLC in New York, lamented what he described as “the backroom deal that was cut between Congress and the SEC to keep the SEC’s failures secret. The only losers here are the American public.”

If the SEC’s interpretation stands, Mintz, who represents FOX Business Network, predicted “the next time there is a Bernie Madoff failure the American public will not be able to obtain the SEC documents that describe the failure,” referring to the shamed broker whose Ponzi scheme cost investors billions.

The SEC didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.

Criticism of the provision has been swift. “It allows the SEC to block the public’s access to virtually all SEC records,” said Gary Aguirre, a former SEC staff attorney-turned-whistleblower who had accused the agency of thwarting an investigation into hedge fund Pequot Asset Management in 2005. “It permits the SEC to promulgate its own rules and regulations regarding the disclosure of records without getting the approval of the Office of Management and Budget, which typically applies to all federal agencies.”

Aguirre used FOIA requests in his own lawsuit against the SEC, which the SEC settled this year by paying him $755,000. Aguirre, who was fired in September 2005, argued that supervisors at the SEC stymied an investigation of Pequot – a charge that prompted an investigation by the Senate Judiciary and Finance committees.

The SEC closed the case in 2006, but would re-open it three years later. This year, Pequot and its founder, Arthur Samberg, were forced to pay $28 million to settle insider-trading charges related to shares of Microsoft (NASDAQ:MSFT). The settlement with Aguirre came shortly later.

“From November 2008 through January 2009, I relied heavily on records obtained from the SEC through FOIA in communications to the FBI, Senate investigators, and the SEC in arguing the SEC had botched its initial investigation of Pequot’s trading in Microsoft securities and thus the SEC should reopen it, which it did,” Aguirre said. “The new legislation closes access to such records, even when the investigation is closed.

“It is hard to imagine how the bill could be more counterproductive,” Aguirre added.

FOX Business Network sued the SEC in March 2009 over its failure to produce documents related to its failed investigations into alleged investment frauds being perpetrated by Madoff and R. Allen Stanford. Following the Madoff and Stanford arrests it, was revealed that the SEC conducted investigations into both men prior to their arrests but failed to uncover their alleged frauds.

FOX Business made its initial request to the SEC in February 2009 seeking any information related to the agency’s response to complaints, tips and inquiries or any potential violations of the securities law or wrongdoing by Stanford.

FOX Business has also filed lawsuits against the Treasury Department and Federal Reserve over their failure to respond to FOIA requests regarding use of the bailout funds and the Fed’s extended loan facilities. In February, the Federal Court in New York sided with FOX Business and ordered the Treasury to comply with its requests.

Last year, the network won a legal victory to force the release of documents related to New York University’s lawsuit against Madoff feeder Ezra Merkin.

FOX Business’ FOIA requests have so far led the SEC to release several important and damaging documents:

•FOX Business used the FOIA to obtain a 2005 survey that the SEC in Fort Worth was sending to Stanford investors. The survey showed that the SEC had suspicions about Stanford several years prior to the collapse of his $7 billion empire.

•FOX Business used the FOIA to obtain copies of emails between Federal Reserve lawyers, AIG and staff at the Federal Reserve Bank of New York in which it was revealed the Fed staffers knew that bailing out AIG would result in bonuses being paid.

Recently, TARP Congressional Oversight Panel chair Elizabeth Warren told FOX Business that the network’s Freedom of Information Act efforts played a “very important part” of the panel’s investigation into AIG.

Warren told the network the government “crossed a line” with the AIG bailout.

“FOX News and the congressional oversight panel has pushed, pushed, pushed, for transparency, give us the documents, let us look at everything. Your Freedom of Information Act suit, which ultimately produced 250,000 pages of documentation, was a very important part of our report. We were able to rely on the documents that you pried out for a significant part of our being able to put this report together,” Warren said.

The SEC first made its intention to block further FOIA requests known on Tuesday. FOX Business was preparing for another round of “skirmishes” with the SEC, according to Mintz, when the agency called and said it intended to use Section 929I of the 2000-page legislation to refuse FBN’s ongoing requests for information.

Mintz said the network will challenge the SEC’s interpretation of the law.

“I believe this is subject to challenge,” he said. “The contours will have to be figured out by a court.”

If you want to read the law included in this article you can click here http://www.foxbusiness.com/markets/2010/...sure/print]]> Dunstan Prial

- FOXBusiness

- July 28, 2010

SEC Says New FinReg Law Exempts It From Public Disclosure

Under a little-noticed provision of the recently passed financial-reform legislation, the Securities and Exchange Commission no longer has to comply with virtually all requests for information releases from the public, including those filed under the Freedom of Information Act.


So much for transparency.

Under a little-noticed provision of the recently passed financial-reform legislation, the Securities and Exchange Commission no longer has to comply with virtually all requests for information releases from the public, including those filed under the Freedom of Information Act.

The law, signed last week by President Obama, exempts the SEC from disclosing records or information derived from "surveillance, risk assessments, or other regulatory and oversight activities." Given that the SEC is a regulatory body, the provision covers almost every action by the agency, lawyers say. Congress and federal agencies can request information, but the public cannot.

That argument comes despite the President saying that one of the cornerstones of the sweeping new legislation was more transparent financial markets. Indeed, in touting the new law, Obama specifically said it would “increase transparency in financial dealings."

The SEC cited the new law Tuesday in a FOIA action brought by FOX Business Network. Steven Mintz, founding partner of law firm Mintz & Gold LLC in New York, lamented what he described as “the backroom deal that was cut between Congress and the SEC to keep the SEC’s failures secret. The only losers here are the American public.”

If the SEC’s interpretation stands, Mintz, who represents FOX Business Network, predicted “the next time there is a Bernie Madoff failure the American public will not be able to obtain the SEC documents that describe the failure,” referring to the shamed broker whose Ponzi scheme cost investors billions.

The SEC didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.

Criticism of the provision has been swift. “It allows the SEC to block the public’s access to virtually all SEC records,” said Gary Aguirre, a former SEC staff attorney-turned-whistleblower who had accused the agency of thwarting an investigation into hedge fund Pequot Asset Management in 2005. “It permits the SEC to promulgate its own rules and regulations regarding the disclosure of records without getting the approval of the Office of Management and Budget, which typically applies to all federal agencies.”

Aguirre used FOIA requests in his own lawsuit against the SEC, which the SEC settled this year by paying him $755,000. Aguirre, who was fired in September 2005, argued that supervisors at the SEC stymied an investigation of Pequot – a charge that prompted an investigation by the Senate Judiciary and Finance committees.

The SEC closed the case in 2006, but would re-open it three years later. This year, Pequot and its founder, Arthur Samberg, were forced to pay $28 million to settle insider-trading charges related to shares of Microsoft (NASDAQ:MSFT). The settlement with Aguirre came shortly later.

“From November 2008 through January 2009, I relied heavily on records obtained from the SEC through FOIA in communications to the FBI, Senate investigators, and the SEC in arguing the SEC had botched its initial investigation of Pequot’s trading in Microsoft securities and thus the SEC should reopen it, which it did,” Aguirre said. “The new legislation closes access to such records, even when the investigation is closed.

“It is hard to imagine how the bill could be more counterproductive,” Aguirre added.

FOX Business Network sued the SEC in March 2009 over its failure to produce documents related to its failed investigations into alleged investment frauds being perpetrated by Madoff and R. Allen Stanford. Following the Madoff and Stanford arrests it, was revealed that the SEC conducted investigations into both men prior to their arrests but failed to uncover their alleged frauds.

FOX Business made its initial request to the SEC in February 2009 seeking any information related to the agency’s response to complaints, tips and inquiries or any potential violations of the securities law or wrongdoing by Stanford.

FOX Business has also filed lawsuits against the Treasury Department and Federal Reserve over their failure to respond to FOIA requests regarding use of the bailout funds and the Fed’s extended loan facilities. In February, the Federal Court in New York sided with FOX Business and ordered the Treasury to comply with its requests.

Last year, the network won a legal victory to force the release of documents related to New York University’s lawsuit against Madoff feeder Ezra Merkin.

FOX Business’ FOIA requests have so far led the SEC to release several important and damaging documents:

•FOX Business used the FOIA to obtain a 2005 survey that the SEC in Fort Worth was sending to Stanford investors. The survey showed that the SEC had suspicions about Stanford several years prior to the collapse of his $7 billion empire.

•FOX Business used the FOIA to obtain copies of emails between Federal Reserve lawyers, AIG and staff at the Federal Reserve Bank of New York in which it was revealed the Fed staffers knew that bailing out AIG would result in bonuses being paid.

Recently, TARP Congressional Oversight Panel chair Elizabeth Warren told FOX Business that the network’s Freedom of Information Act efforts played a “very important part” of the panel’s investigation into AIG.

Warren told the network the government “crossed a line” with the AIG bailout.

“FOX News and the congressional oversight panel has pushed, pushed, pushed, for transparency, give us the documents, let us look at everything. Your Freedom of Information Act suit, which ultimately produced 250,000 pages of documentation, was a very important part of our report. We were able to rely on the documents that you pried out for a significant part of our being able to put this report together,” Warren said.

The SEC first made its intention to block further FOIA requests known on Tuesday. FOX Business was preparing for another round of “skirmishes” with the SEC, according to Mintz, when the agency called and said it intended to use Section 929I of the 2000-page legislation to refuse FBN’s ongoing requests for information.

Mintz said the network will challenge the SEC’s interpretation of the law.

“I believe this is subject to challenge,” he said. “The contours will have to be figured out by a court.”

If you want to read the law included in this article you can click here http://www.foxbusiness.com/markets/2010/...sure/print]]> <![CDATA[Boat Crash Creates New Spill]]> http://www.niteshareforums.com/forums/showthread.php?tid=6833 Tue, 27 Jul 2010 14:10:51 -0400 http://www.niteshareforums.com/forums/showthread.php?tid=6833 http://www.fox40.com/news/headlines/ktxl...7802.story

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national...et_in.html

I don't know how well heads are marked and why a boat doesnt' know it's there, but I hope this company can afford to clean up their mess.]]> http://www.fox40.com/news/headlines/ktxl...7802.story

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national...et_in.html

I don't know how well heads are marked and why a boat doesnt' know it's there, but I hope this company can afford to clean up their mess.]]> <![CDATA[Here ya go, Cool]]> http://www.niteshareforums.com/forums/showthread.php?tid=6832 Tue, 27 Jul 2010 12:37:50 -0400 http://www.niteshareforums.com/forums/showthread.php?tid=6832
celebrities in Playboy

http://wcbstv.com/slideshows/celebrities...96189.html]]>
celebrities in Playboy

http://wcbstv.com/slideshows/celebrities...96189.html]]> <![CDATA[Avenged Sevenfold - Nightmare]]> http://www.niteshareforums.com/forums/showthread.php?tid=6831 Tue, 27 Jul 2010 00:23:41 -0400 http://www.niteshareforums.com/forums/showthread.php?tid=6831
]]>
]]> <![CDATA[Moment of Clarity]]> http://www.niteshareforums.com/forums/showthread.php?tid=6830 Mon, 26 Jul 2010 14:15:04 -0400 http://www.niteshareforums.com/forums/showthread.php?tid=6830 ]]> ]]> <![CDATA[It was the worst of times, it was the best of times ...]]> http://www.niteshareforums.com/forums/showthread.php?tid=6829 Mon, 26 Jul 2010 06:27:52 -0400 http://www.niteshareforums.com/forums/showthread.php?tid=6829
What do you view as being the best thing we gain as we get older?]]>
What do you view as being the best thing we gain as we get older?]]> <![CDATA[Cary Ann Hearst - Hells Bells]]> http://www.niteshareforums.com/forums/showthread.php?tid=6828 Mon, 26 Jul 2010 02:15:13 -0400 http://www.niteshareforums.com/forums/showthread.php?tid=6828
If you watch True Blood, you will recognise this song. It played at the end credits of tonite's episode. If you don't watch, you should. Not only is it a great show, but every single episode has stellar music.



This one here was in last week's episode...
http://www.niteshareforums.com/forums/sh...p?tid=6626]]>
If you watch True Blood, you will recognise this song. It played at the end credits of tonite's episode. If you don't watch, you should. Not only is it a great show, but every single episode has stellar music.



This one here was in last week's episode...
http://www.niteshareforums.com/forums/sh...p?tid=6626]]> <![CDATA[101 banks fail this year... so far]]> http://www.niteshareforums.com/forums/showthread.php?tid=6827 Sun, 25 Jul 2010 10:55:07 -0400 http://www.niteshareforums.com/forums/showthread.php?tid=6827 http://money.cnn.com/2010/07/23/news/eco..._failures/

Bank failure tally passes 100 for the year
By Ben Rooney, staff reporterJuly 23, 2010: 6:55 PM ET


NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) -- A Minnesota bank was closed by government regulators Friday, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. said, bringing the total number of failed banks this year past 100.

Community Security Bank of New Prague, Minn., was the 101st in a string of small, regional banks to fail this year. While conditions have improved for many of the nation's largest banks, the lingering effects of the financial crisis continue to take a toll on local lenders across the country.

The FDIC expects the wave of bank failures that started in 2008 to peak sometime this year. Lending activity has picked up in some areas and many troubled firms have found new sources of capital.

FDIC spokesman Andrew Gray said the agency expects the number of failed banks to exceed last year's total of 140, though he added that failures this year will not approach the historic levels seen during the savings and loan crisis. In 1989, a record 534 banks were closed by regulators.

Still, banks have been failing at a rapid pace this year. At this time in 2009, regulators had closed a total of 57 banks.


0:00 /2:25Stress tests: EU compared to U.S (video)

Analysts expect small banks to remain the most likely to fail. Regional lenders continue to suffer from mounting loan losses, particularly in areas like commercial real estate. Big financial firms, on the other hand, have largely returned to profitability.

Meanwhile, there is evidence to suggest that the banking industry has recovered from the worst of the financial crisis.

The FDIC said in May that the number of firms on its "problem bank list" fell to 775 during the first quarter of this year from 702 in the same period in 2009.

Banks and other institutions insured by the FDIC collectively earned approximately $18 billion during the quarter. That's the highest profit since the first quarter of 2008 and was a more than three-fold increase from a year ago.

As of the first quarter, the fund had a deficit of $20.7 billion. But that's including money the agency has set aside in anticipation of future bank failures. In addition, the fund grew by $145 million during the quarter -- the first increase in two years.]]> http://money.cnn.com/2010/07/23/news/eco..._failures/

Bank failure tally passes 100 for the year
By Ben Rooney, staff reporterJuly 23, 2010: 6:55 PM ET


NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) -- A Minnesota bank was closed by government regulators Friday, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. said, bringing the total number of failed banks this year past 100.

Community Security Bank of New Prague, Minn., was the 101st in a string of small, regional banks to fail this year. While conditions have improved for many of the nation's largest banks, the lingering effects of the financial crisis continue to take a toll on local lenders across the country.

The FDIC expects the wave of bank failures that started in 2008 to peak sometime this year. Lending activity has picked up in some areas and many troubled firms have found new sources of capital.

FDIC spokesman Andrew Gray said the agency expects the number of failed banks to exceed last year's total of 140, though he added that failures this year will not approach the historic levels seen during the savings and loan crisis. In 1989, a record 534 banks were closed by regulators.

Still, banks have been failing at a rapid pace this year. At this time in 2009, regulators had closed a total of 57 banks.


0:00 /2:25Stress tests: EU compared to U.S (video)

Analysts expect small banks to remain the most likely to fail. Regional lenders continue to suffer from mounting loan losses, particularly in areas like commercial real estate. Big financial firms, on the other hand, have largely returned to profitability.

Meanwhile, there is evidence to suggest that the banking industry has recovered from the worst of the financial crisis.

The FDIC said in May that the number of firms on its "problem bank list" fell to 775 during the first quarter of this year from 702 in the same period in 2009.

Banks and other institutions insured by the FDIC collectively earned approximately $18 billion during the quarter. That's the highest profit since the first quarter of 2008 and was a more than three-fold increase from a year ago.

As of the first quarter, the fund had a deficit of $20.7 billion. But that's including money the agency has set aside in anticipation of future bank failures. In addition, the fund grew by $145 million during the quarter -- the first increase in two years.]]>