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THE FLORIDA LAW BLOG http://www.florida-lawblog.com/ All Content Copyright S & F Media LLC en-US 2015-04-30T11:10:41-04:00 BEWARE OF INJURY LAWYERS COMING TO YOUR HOUSE http://www.florida-lawblog.com/2015/04/beware-of-injury-lawyers-coming-to-your-house.html Don't be fooled by television advertisements that claim a "lawyer" will come to your house
The TV Advertisement Said, "A Lawyer Will Come to Your House"

I recently saw an advertisement for a lawyer, that said if you call that lawyer, the lawyer will come to your house, even after business hours.  If that was true, it would be a nice convenience for the potential injury client, but if a "lawyer" is not coming to your house, and instead it is a "contract runner" or other non-lawyer, then the advertisement is false, misleading and deceptive at best.

When you hire a lawyer, you are entitled to meet with a lawyer to discuss your case and sign a contract for legal representation. You should be able to sit down face to face with the lawyer you are hiring to discuss your case and sign the contract for representation. This meeting is perhaps the most important meeting you will have with your lawyer. In addition, when a lawyer comes to your house, you miss out on the opportunity to see what the lawyers office looks like,  meet the legal staff, and see how you are treated when you visit the firm.  The only contact you may  have is with the person that came to your house or hospital room.

Often high volume law firms that advertise on television employ contract runners, but may call them "investigators". These are usually non-lawyers, anyone with a drivers license, that will come out to your home or hospital room, sometimes in the middle of the night, with a contract for legal representation.

You should be aware that only a lawyer is legally allowed to give legal advice, including answering questions you might have about signing the contact to hire the lawyer.  If a non-lawyer is advising you about a legal agreement, that would be a violation of the Florida Bar rules.

You should not agree to meet with a contract runner, and avoid hiring this type of firm. You should insist that you meet with the lawyer you are hiring. Unless the contract runner (investigator) is also a lawyer, that person is not allowed by law to answer any legal questions you might have about the contract or about the representation.

If your first contact with a law firm is a non-lawyer "contract runner" coming to your house at night, this should be a red flag, this should raise concern over whether you should hire this law firm. Only agree to meet with a real lawyer, not a contact runner, and if possible, meet at the lawyers office.
 S & F Media LLC. 2015-04-30T11:10:41-04:00 SPYING ON YOUR SPOUSE - SHOULD YOU DO IT? http://www.florida-lawblog.com/2015/01/spying-on-your-spouse-should-you-do-it.html In my practice as a divorce lawyer, I occasionally have a client tell me that he, or she, has been spying on their spouse, and has some potentially damaging evidence. Spying may be in the form of recording telephone calls,...
In my practice as a divorce lawyer, I occasionally have a client tell me that he, or she, has been spying on their spouse, and has some potentially damaging evidence.  Spying may be in the form of recording telephone calls, using GPS tracking devices, hacking their spouses cell phone, use of  hidden video cameras, hidden tape recorders, or hacking into their spouses social media accounts.

The problem with this "evidence" is that it may be illegal, and the client may have violated federal or state law in the process of gathering the evidence.  As such the client may face potential penalties, both civil and possibly criminal as a result. Further the lawyer must consider whether it is ethical and legal to present any such "evidence" in a court proceeding.

As a lawyer, I must  consider several issues when a client comes to me with any such spying evidence: Has the client violated federal or state law? Will they need to take the Fifth Amendment if their deposition is taken? Can I use the evidence in court? What are the potential penalties the  client may face?

My general advice to these clients is that they should not illegally spy on their spouse, do not record phone or voice without permission, and do not hack into social media accounts, and do not place tracking devices on their spouses car or otherwise.

With regard to social media accounts, if your spouse is "friends" with you on a social media account, or posts messages that are public, any such postings are fair game and may be used as evidence, so long as you do not need to hack into your spouses account to access the postings. Similarly if your spouse sends you text messages or email messages, these are allowable evidence and may be used in court, as are messages left on voice mail or answering machines. However recording your spouse during a phone conversation, or in person,  without their knowledge, would not be legal.

Another example of allowable spying is a video security system that does not record voice or sound, and which your spouse is aware of. For example a home video security system that records video only, may be allowable evidence in a court proceeding and would not violate your spouses privacy rights, especially if your spouse is aware of the video security system. If you installed the video system solely to spy on your spouse, and your spouse is totally unaware of the video system, you may have violated your spouses privacy rights.  One good way around this issue is a sticker on the front door that clearly states "video recording 24 hours a day on this property" or similar type of warning.

Another fairly safe way to obtain evidence is by hiring a licensed private investigator to do investigation work or surveillance. This type of professional will not gain evidence illegally and will probably be allowed to testify in court.
 S & F Media LLC. 2015-01-22T11:47:40-05:00 Florida recognizes same-sex marriage. http://www.florida-lawblog.com/2015/01/florida-recognizes-same-sex-marriage.html The first same-sex marriages to take effect on January 6, 2015. A HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE Florida banned same-sex marriage by statute in 1977 and added a prohibition on the recognition of marriages from other jurisdictions in 1997. In 1997, the Florida...
The first same-sex marriages to take effect on January 6, 2015.

A HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE

Florida  banned same-sex marriage by statute in 1977 and added a prohibition on the recognition of marriages from other jurisdictions in 1997. In 1997, the Florida Legislature overwhelmingly adopted its own Defense of Marriage Act, which states marriage is the "union between one man and one woman" and prevented the state from recognizing same-sex marriages performed in other states.

On November 4, 2008, voters approved Florida Amendment 2, a constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage and civil unions in the state. The amendment passed by 62% of voters, passage required approval by 60% of the voters. Voters approved an amendment that banned both same-sex marriage and civil unions on November 4, 2008. The state also imposed criminal penalties on any court clerk who issues a marriage license to a same-sex couples.

MAKING HISTORY

State courts in two cases challenging the state's denial of marriage rights to same-sex couples have agreed that Florida's statutes and constitution violate the federal constitution. Those courts in Miami-Dade County (Pareto v. Ruvin) and Monroe County (Huntsman v. Heavilin) have stayed enforcement of their decisions pending appeal. Other lawsuits in state court have sought recognition of an individual same-sex marriage with varying results.

According to a legal opinion provided to the Florida Court Clerks' Association in December 2014 in anticipation of an injunction in the case of Brenner v. Scott, a clerk who grants a marriage license to a same-sex couple faces criminal penalties, a legal provision it called "apparently unique" to Florida. Penalties can include fines as high as $1,000 and up to a year in prison.

Two courts have ordered state officials to recognize a specific marriage established outside of Florida, a federal court in Brenner v. Scott and a state court in Estate of Bangor.

BRENNER V. SCOTT

- On February 28, 2014, civil rights attorneys filed a lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida on behalf of a Florida same-sex couple who married in Canada. The case, Brenner v. Scott, was assigned to Judge Robert Lewis Hinkle. On March 13, 2014, attorneys for the American Civil Liberties Union filed a similar suit, Grimsley v. Scott, in the same court on behalf of a Miami-Dade LGBT advocacy group and eight same-sex couples already married in other states asking the courts to order Florida to recognize their marriages. It named Governor Rick Scott and three other state officials as defendants.

Judge Hinkle consolidated Brenner and Grimsley on April 21, 2014.  On August 21, 2014 the judge ruled that Florida's statutory and constitutional bans on same-sex marriage are unconstitutional. His stay on the enforcement of his decision expires on January 5, 2015.  He also  ordered the state to recognize the marriage in New York in 2011 of the late Carol Goldwasser and plaintiff Arlene Goldberg and to revise the former's death certificate to reflect that marriage. The state defendants  appealed to the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals under the case style Brenner v. Armstrong. On December 3, 20014 the Eleventh Circuit denied a request to extend the stay from Hinkle's earlier ruling and the U.S. Supreme Court on December 19, 2014 rejected Florida's request.

On January 1, 2015, Judge Hinkle clarified his order after one defendant, the Washington County Clerk, inquired whether he was ordering her to issue more than the one marriage license specified in his preliminary injunction. Hinkle explained that his order applied only to the specific circumstances presented by the plaintiffs seeking relief, but that all Florida clerks should understand from his ruling that the U.S. Constitution required them to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples.

So starting tomorrow January 6, 2015, gay couples can, and will, legally marry in the State of Florida.
 S & F Media LLC. 2015-01-05T11:03:53-05:00 IMPORTANT THINGS TO DO WHEN IN CONTACT WITH POLICE http://www.florida-lawblog.com/2014/12/important-things-to-do-when-in-contact-with-police.html With all the recent allegations of civil rights violations by police across the country, I thought it might be good to review some important actions to take if you find yourself in contact with the police. Remember officers' badge and...
With all the recent allegations of civil rights violations by police across the country, I thought it might be good to review some important actions to take if you find yourself in contact with the police.

Remember officers' badge and patrol car numbers. Write down everything you remember ASAP. Try to find witnesses and their names and phone numbers. If you are injured, take photographs of the injuries as soon as possible, but make sure you seek medical attention first. F.O.I.A. Freedom of Information Act: Can be used to get information, records, videos, meeting minutes, etc. Get onboard police videos by filling out form and turning it in to city attorney's office.

IF YOU FEEL YOUR RIGHTS HAVE BEEN VIOLATED

You can file a written complaint with police department's internal affairs division or civilian complaint board.

1. What you say to the police is always important. What you say can be used against you, and it can give the police an excuse to arrest you, especially if you bad-mouth a police officer.

2. You must show your driver's license and registration when stopped in a car. Otherwise, you don't have to answer any questions if you are detained or arrested, with one important exception. The police may ask for your name if you have been properly detained.

3. You don't have to consent to any search of yourself, your car or your house. If you DO consent to a search, it can affect your rights later in court. If the police say they have a search warrant, ASK TO SEE IT.

4. Do not interfere with, or obstruct the police -- you can be arrested for it.

IF YOU ARE STOPPED FOR QUESTIONING

1. It's not a crime to refuse to answer questions, but refusing to answer can make the police suspicious about you. If you are asked to identify yourself, see paragraph 2 above.

2. Police may "pat-down" your clothing if they suspect a concealed weapon. Don't physically resist, but make it clear that you don't consent to any further search.

3. Ask if you are under arrest. If you are, you have a right to know why. 4. Don't bad-mouth the police officer or run away, even if you believe what is happening is unreasonable. That could lead to your arrest.

IF YOU'RE STOPPED IN YOUR CAR

1. Upon request, show them your driver's license, registration, and proof of insurance. In certain cases, your car can be searched without a warrant as long as the police have probable cause. To protect yourself later, you should make it clear that you do not consent to a search. It is not lawful for police to arrest you simply for refusing to consent to a search.

2. If you're given a ticket, you should sign it; otherwise you can be arrested. You can always fight the case in court later.

3. If you're suspected of drunk driving (DWI) and refuse to take a blood, urine or breath test, your driver's license may be suspended.

IF YOU'RE ARRESTED OR TAKEN TO A POLICE STATION

1. You have the right to remain silent and to talk to a lawyer before you talk to the police. Tell the police nothing except your name and address. Don't give any explanations, excuses or stories.

2. Ask to see a lawyer immediately. If you can't pay for a lawyer, you have a right to a free one, and should ask the police how the lawyer can be contacted. Don't say anything without a lawyer.

3. Within a reasonable time after your arrest, or booking, you have the right to make a local phone call: to a lawyer, bail bondsman, a relative or any other person. The police may not listen to the call to the lawyer.

4. Sometimes you can be released without bail, or have bail lowered. Have your lawyer ask the judge about this possibility. You must be taken before the judge on the next court day after arrest.

5. Do not make any decisions in your case until you have talked with a lawyer.

IN YOUR HOME

1. If the police knock and ask to enter your home, you don't have to admit them unless they have a warrant signed by a judge.

2. However, in some emergency situations (like when a person is screaming for help inside, or when the police are chasing someone) officers are allowed to enter and search your home without a warrant.

3. If you are arrested, the police can search you and the area close by. If you are in a building, "close by" usually means just the room you are in. We all recognize the need for effective law enforcement, but we should also understand our own rights and responsibilities -- especially in our relationships with the police. Everyone, including minors, has the right to courteous and respectful police treatment.

If your rights are violated, don't try to deal with the situation at the scene, just cooperate with the police. Any failure to cooperate can result in additional charges against you.  You can discuss the matter with an attorney afterwards, or file a complaint with the Internal Affairs office of your local police of Sheriff.
 S & F Media LLC. 2014-12-29T13:31:34-05:00 DID YOU EVER WONDER HOW INSURANCE COMPANIES VALUE ACCIDENT CLAIMS? http://www.florida-lawblog.com/2014/11/did-you-ever-wonder-how-insurance-companies-value-accident-claims.html If you have been in an accident and were injured, the insurance company magically comes up with a dollar amount to pay for your injury, pain and suffering. Often that number seems low and doesn't even cover your medical bills....
If you have  been in an accident and were injured, the insurance company magically comes up    with a dollar amount to pay for your injury,  pain and suffering.  Often that number seems low and doesn't even cover your medical bills.  Clients ask how did they come up with that number?

Insurance companies use a computer program called Colossus to value your accident claim. Colossus is a piece of software that about 25 auto insurance companies use to determine how much to pay people who are in accidents.  The claims adjuster inputs codes describing your  injury  (Approximately 600 possible codes) and the computer comes up with the value the insurance company should pay out for the injury.

When it comes to paying claims,  insurance companies goal is to minimize their losses.  This can be accomplished by simply  reducing payments paid out per accident.  It is widely believed that Colossus is designed to "minimize payout variance" which  means that your particular injury isn't treated as unique to you and is combined into a number along with anyone who has suffered your type of injury in a car accident.  You aren't treated as an individual and there is little consideration of the pain, and suffering  you've been through.  It does not take in to consideration anything that has to do with the human experience.

Data Input

Colossus is only as good as the adjuster who inputs the data.  If the adjuster uses an incorrect  code, or overlooks a significant injury code for the type of injury you've received, the settlement amount could be significantly reduced.  Many insurance companies are using Colossus as not the starting point for negotiations, but as the final amount they're willing to cover.

It is also widely believed that Colossus  has listings of attorneys who are willing to take insurance companies to court if an inferior offer is presented, and  uses that data to come up with a number that might be more acceptable to an attorney. It is also widely believed that Colossus maintains  a record of lawyers who won't take a case to court, and settlement offers may also be adjusted accordingly.  Colossus may also adjust settlement offers according to the jurisdiction of where the accident occurred, which has nothing to do with your injury, or your pain and suffering. Often the only consideration is how much they can get away with in terms of keeping the settlement low.

Who Uses Colossus?

Almost all insurance companies have some sort of software that figures out adjustments like Colossus, but who exactly has Colossus is hard to say, and most insurance companies aren't forthcoming. However, Allstate is one of the primary users of the software. It is also believed that Aetna, Farmers, Hartford, Travelers, USAA, MetLife, CNA, Erie, Ohio Casualty, Metropolitan, and Zurich use Colossus or some version of it.
 S & F Media LLC. 2014-11-24T12:47:17-05:00 Choosing the Right Accident Lawyer For Your Case http://www.florida-lawblog.com/2014/11/choosing-the-right-accident-lawyer-for-your-case.html Important questions to ask when choosing an accident or injury lawyer.
An accident lawyer is not hard to find, you see dozens of television ads, billboards, and internet ads everyday for lawyers, and lawyer referral services. How do you find an accident lawyer who will personally handle your case, return your calls, meet with you to discuss your case, and is qualified, competent, and experienced ?

Here are several questions that you should ask any lawyer you are considering hiring:

* How many years experience do they have handing auto accident cases?

* Will you meet with the lawyer that will actually be handling your case?

* Will a lawyer sit down at their your first meeting, or do they send out a contract runner?

* Do paralegal secretaries do most of the work on accident cases or do the lawyers handle the

cases personally?

* Does the firm handle property damage claims for free as part of their handling of your accident claim?

* Does the firm resolve medical bills and liens as part of their handling of your accident claim?

* Is the firm willing to reduce their fees at the end of the case if they make more than you on your own case?

* Will you speak with a lawyer when you call, or just speak with paralegal secretaries?

* Does the firm have an relationship with a legal or medical referral service?

* Will you be required to see only doctors that the Lawyer recommends?

The answers to these questions are critically important when you choose a lawyer to handle your accident or injury claim.  You should not be afraid to ask these questions, and you should not accept anything but honest answers to these questions.

For more information or a free consultation on your legal issue contact Scott and Fenderson PLLC, your injury law and family law attorneys, at 727-321-0099. http://www.scottandfenderson.com
 S & F Media LLC. 2014-11-12T14:58:44-05:00 THE AGGRESSIVE LAWYER http://www.florida-lawblog.com/2014/10/the-aggressive-lawyer.html In law school, we are taught that ours is a noble and civil profession populated by genteel intellectuals guided in their every action by the rule of law. What a shock it is, then, when we encounter an "aggressive lawyer"...
In law school, we are taught that ours is a noble and civil profession populated by genteel intellectuals guided in their every action by the rule of law. What a shock it is, then, when we encounter an "aggressive lawyer" for the first time, that one attorney who is the complete opposite of what we have been taught to expect. We are in a deposition, and this aggressive attorney may be rude, condescending, hostile, disruptive, vulgar, and/or disrespectful. We are caught by surprise and may not be prepared for how to react or respond. How we handle the situation reflects on the type of attorney we are, on our firms, on our clients, and on our profession in general.

For the general public, finding the right  lawyer can be a daunting task. For some clients it may be their first experience with the legal system, aside from a traffic ticket.

It can be tempting to look for a lawyer who claims that he or she is aggressive.   It is common to see on attorney's website, or during your meeting with an attorney, the self-proclaimed declaration about how "aggressive" they are;  a real "pit-bull" lawyer who loves to cross-examine the police, the defendant, the opposing party, or to make unreasonable demands to a claims adjuster.   This is done with the belief that being "aggressive" will somehow get you, the client,  a better result.

Here are some reasons to consider a calm, cool and confident lawyer:

1. Aggressive does not mean effective - An aggressive attorney often makes few friends in the courthouse. The judges often have little patience for certain aggressive tactics, such as refusing to agree to a new hearing date. An effective attorney will compromise on procedural issues, realizing that a case is won or lost with arguments and facts, not tricks. You will also find that fighting over such procedural issues often does little more than waste time and money. Ask any judge, and they will tell you that they are tired of lawyers who cannot get along with one another, who argue over the most minute aspects of their case, who accuse other lawyers of misdeeds, who complain about imagined slights, who hold hard-and-fast to deadlines without accommodation or courtesy, and the list goes on.

2. Aggressive attorneys have a harder time reaching settlements - You may think there is no way that you will settle your current case, however statistics show otherwise; upwards of 90 percent of cases settle before trial. Settling a case is far cheaper than going to trial, and attorneys fees are higher for trial, not to mention the extra cost of expert witnesses.  Aggressive tactics, especially when dealing with claims adjusters may result in the claims adjuster digging in their heels and sticking with a low ball offer, ultimately resulting in your case having to go to trial rather than settle.

3. Aggressive attorneys are often not realistic - A good attorney will help you understand what the court is likely to consider in your case. He or she will explain the factors the court (or jury )  will consider in determining an award in your case.   An aggressive attorney may not give you a reasonable or realistic assessment of the likely outcome, leaving you unprepared for the final settlement or jury award.

4. Aggressive attorneys may alienate the opposition -  claims adjusters and defense lawyers are turned off by aggressive tactics, which may thereby reduce or eliminate the possibility of a reasonable settlement, and may result in low settlement offers.

5.  "Aggressive" lawyers are often hated by other lawyers - Lawyers discuss among themselves how to handle these obnoxious fellow lawyers, and try to mentor younger lawyers to not behave that way.  Good Lawyers Don't Just "Try" Cases; Good Lawyers Try to "Resolve" Cases. If other lawyers hate you, then you will have an uphill battle when trying to resolve your clients case.

Family law attorneys can probably attest to this fact the most. Aggressive lawyers run up legal fees, eliminate any likelihood of cooperation between parents, and leave children as the victims of litigation. The same is true for civil litigation. Sparing with opposing counsel or writing aggressive letters or emails is useless.  Engaging in aggressive behaviors does not change the facts or the law of your case

Overall, while it might initially be tempting to find an aggressive attorney for your case, you may ultimately find that a more calm and reasonable attorney will better suit your long term needs.

To be an effective lawyer, you need to win people over. You do that by being prepared, courteous, and firm. You don't do it by being aggressive.

For more information or a free consultation on your legal issue contact Scott and Fenderson PLLC, your injury law and family law attorneys, at 727-321-0099. http://www.scottandfenderson.com
 S & F Media LLC. 2014-10-27T16:51:13-04:00 SHOULD THE LAWYER MAKE MORE THAN THE CLIENT ON AN INJURY CLAIM? http://www.florida-lawblog.com/2014/09/should-the-lawyer-make-more-than-the-client-on-an-injury-claim.html Almost every lawyer advertisement you see claims something like this; No Fees Unless We Win" or "You don't owe us anything unless we win". These statements are really just repeating the standard Florida Bar contingency fee agreement, in which the...
Almost every lawyer advertisement you see claims something like this; No Fees Unless We Win" or "You don't owe us anything unless we win". These statements are really just repeating the standard Florida Bar contingency fee agreement, in which the fees are specified for all lawyers.  Every lawyer that handles contingency fee cases makes no fees unless you win, or obtain a settlement.  So advertising this point is really not saying much or differentiating the lawyer.

What those advertisements to not promise is that the lawyer wont make more on your accident case than you do. Have you heard a lawyer make that claim? While it may sound hard to believe, it is entirely possible that a personal injury lawyers fees turn out to be more than the client gets in the end.

How this happens is as follows; a typical car accident claim with a bodily injury liability policy of $10,000.00, and the injured client has $5,000.00 in unpaid medical bills. If the lawyer takes his 1/3 fee the lawyer gets $3,333.33 and the client gets the remainder or about $1,666.67.

For many personal injury clients this comes as quite a shock that the lawyer made more then they did on their case. Is this legal? Is this Ethical? Unfortunately the answer is yes, it is legal and ethical according to the Florida Bar rules.

If you don't want this to happen to you, ask your lawyer if they will reduce their fees at the end of the case so that the lawyer does not make more than you. Ask them to give you this promise in writing at the start of the case.

If the lawyer wont give you this promise in writing, they probably wont reduce their fees at the end and the above scenario could happen to you.

For more information or a free consultation on your legal issue contact Scott and Fenderson PLLC, your injury law and family law attorneys, at 727-321-0099. http://www.scottandfenderson.com
 S & F Media LLC. 2014-09-25T17:27:58-04:00 RIDE SHARING SERVICE OR TAXI, WHAT ARE THE RISKS? http://www.florida-lawblog.com/2014/09/ride-sharing-service-or-taxi-what-are-the-risks.html Thinking of using a ride-sharing service, here are some considerations
A recent Tampa Bay Transportation Forum put on by the Tampa Bay Partnership raised the issue of having ride-share companies operate in Tampa Bay.  Ride sharing companies will be able to operate in the Tampa Bay area only with support from local governments. Ride sharing services  allow users to connect with nearby drivers using a smartphone app. The drivers use their own personal vehicles, and riders pay with credit cards through the app. Some county regulators say that the service is illegal and the companies don't meet insurance and background check requirements currently required of licensed taxi companies.

Controversy over insurance coverage has become a sort of Achilles' heel for the fast-growing ride-service industry as it fights numerous regulatory battles in multiple cities and states. In January, the California Department of Insurance issued a warning to ride-service drivers about potential gaps in coverage that could leave them liable in an accident.

It's one reason the taxi industry is so angry: They pay for primary insurance, which is more expensive because it covers more claims than excess insurance. As a result of insurance requirements, licensing, and back ground checks, taxi fares tend to be higher than ride sharing fares. Typical ride sharing drivers carry non commercial private insurance on their own vehicles, but rely on the ride sharing service to provide excess coverage or secondary insurance. A problem arises when drivers' own policies refuse to  cover commercial use of the auto. Most personal auto insurance policies contain an exclusion for transporting passengers for hire, use of the vehicle as a taxi, or any other commercial use. If a ride sharing driver had to pay for a commercial use or taxi type policy they would have to pay much more or their insurance, thus making the concept of individuals using their own vehicles as taxi cabs less cost effective.

This puts ride sharing drivers in a tricky spot. They could tell their insurance carrier the truth about their commercial use of the car and run the risk of the insurance carrier canceling their policy, or fail to mention their rides-for-rent operation and hope the insurance company didn't ask what they were doing with the vehicle in the event of a claim.

As long as drivers are on a call, (logged in to the app) they are supposed to be covered by the ride sharing insurance policy, but questions arise regarding coverage when they are not carrying a passenger, or on the way to a call. Some insurance companies exclude commercial activity only when a paid passenger is in the vehicle, but some  have policy language that excludes any commercial activity, even if a driver is simply out looking for a paid passenger. Drivers should ask insurers,  if they are covered during the period when they are looking for paid passengers but haven't found one yet, and should be completely up front and honest with their insurance carriers letting them know that they are using their personal vehicle as a taxi.

If you are considering using a ride sharing service, here are some questions to ask yourself; What kind of driving record does the driver have?  What insurance coverage is available in the event of an accident? Has the driver undergone a background check or have a criminal history? How well has the vehicle been maintained and is it safe?  What coverage would exist if I am injured while riding in the ride sharing vehicle?

While you may save a couple bucks by taking a ride sharing service instead of a licensed taxi, that savings could be more than offset by the risk you are taking when you get in that vehicle.

For more information or a free consultation on your legal issue contact Scott and Fenderson PLLC, your injury law and family law attorneys, at 727-321-0099. http://www.scottandfenderson.com
 S & F Media LLC. 2014-09-25T17:14:22-04:00 Beware of the Grandparent Scam! http://www.florida-lawblog.com/2014/07/beware-of-the-grandparent-scam.html An old scheme to separate elderly grandparents from their money is again rearing its head. The so-called "grandparent scam," in which a con artist pretending to be a victim's grandchild claims to be hospitalized or imprisoned and in need of...
An old scheme to separate elderly grandparents from their money is again rearing its head. The so-called "grandparent scam," in which a con artist pretending to be a victim's grandchild claims to be hospitalized or imprisoned and in need of emergency cash. The anxious grandparent rushes to wire money to the impostor or loads it onto a prepaid card and then hands over the personal identification number.

It's an old con that's seeing a resurgence nationwide. Instances of such impostor scams doubled from 2009 to 2013, costing Americans more than $73 million annually, according to the Federal Trade Commission, and it's called the Grandparent Scam also called the Granny Scam.

Here is how it works, a grandparent receives a phone call from someone claiming to be their grandson or granddaughter, and says they are in jail and need money to get out of jail. The usual amount is between $1,500.00 and $2,500.00.

A friend of mine, Elizabeth (not her real name)  called me today and said that their grand daughter was in California on an unexpected trip to attend a funeral. They get a call allegedly from a public defenders office, explaining that their grand daughter was arrested for drug possession and they need $2,000.00 for bail. They need it right away because the court is closing for the day and their grand daughter will have to spend the night in jail. They were about to run out the door to the bank and I told them, wait a minute, lets call your grand daughter and see if that was really her or a scam. Sure enough, their grand daughter was home and not in jail.

The advent of social media sites has enabled such scammers to proliferate by having access to information about families, including photographs, personal bios, and other family information including identifying the grand parents, and even being able to know if a grand child is traveling and where they are traveling.

This scam is so effective the Federal Bureau of Investigation has a warning on their web page. It said to keep from becoming a victim you should resist pressure to act quickly and that you should try to make contact with your family member before you send any money - because once you wire that cash, you can't get it back.

Victims are vulnerable because someone is playing on their emotions and doing it with a sense of urgency. Elderly family members can be an easy target if they're being misled to believe that someone they care about is in trouble, the last thing they're thinking about is the money aspect of it. Scammers try to take advantage of someone whose hearing or memory or decision-making may not be the sharpest. Scamers target seniors because they're most likely to have "nest eggs," own their homes and have excellent credit.

Here are some tips to prevent becoming victimized:

• Ask the caller a personal question only you and that family member would know, or ask about something that happened in the past or for a nickname.

• Ask for details. The caller makes it seem urgent but if someone is sitting in jail somewhere, chances are they're not going anywhere for a while.

• Take the time to verify the information, ask for a call-back number and call the parent to verify the predicament.

• If they ask you to send money via wire transfer it's a red flag -- wire transfers are untraceable.

Most importantly, take time to do a little checking before you run to the bank.  Call your grand child or their parents and see if they are home, or if they really are in trouble. Don't rely on a call from someone demanding that you send money immediately.

If you get a call that doesn't sit right with you, call the local police department.  Also, if you start asking questions, that's when the (scammer) starts feeling uncomfortable. If it seems like something's not right, it's OK to hang up the phone.

For more information or a free consultation on your legal issue contact Scott and Fenderson PLLC, your injury law and family law attorneys, at 727-321-0099. http://www.scottandfenderson.com
 S & F Media LLC. 2014-07-22T17:37:45-04:00


text: Featured comments + Add comment Comments (9) Featured Akuma- "miyamoto isnt the father of modern video games and ill explain. video games were available before miyamoto was around working at nintendo. to hear such rubbish discredits the real ones that ushered gaming as we know it into a thriving billion dollar industry ...." 960d ago BlackWolf "This man is responsible for creating a legacy so great that's hard to explain in short words. Long live Miyamoto!!!!! " 960d ago ronin4life "Naughty dog wouldn't have an industry to be in without the industry revival ushered in by Nintendo. Which was only possible because of Miyamoto. In modern gaming, his influence is still heavily felt. Most industry bigwigs atribute their sucess or entry to ma..." 960d ago

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Hmm, I'm not very up to date with the performance figures of these ARM devices; so what would the OUYA be roughly equivalent to, in terms of previous consoles? The original Xbox?
No announcement yet.
Ouya Game Console Performance Is Disappointing
new posts
Originally posted by GreatEmerald View PostHmm, I'm not very up to date with the performance figures of these ARM devices; so what would the OUYA be roughly equivalent to, in terms of previous consoles? The original Xbox?
Originally posted by BO$$ View PostThe main reason Google chose Java is because it's easier to code in it than in C++ (plus from what I've heard Google loves everything Java) and that the performance hit isn't that big. It's just a tradeoff so they can get more people coding for it.
Originally posted by philip550c View PostNah, it could do that now, with XBMC for android, it works well on my old phones with worse hardware than the OUYA.Originally posted by deanjo View PostStripping Android from it would actually hurt it's functions as a HTPC. As it has been mentioned, xbmc already works fine with the Ouya and sticking with Android means that you can still utilize services like Netflix/Hulu and still utilize features that they offer like "SuperHD" and AC-3 surround. Those features are missing on the PC web browser versions of those services. Switching it to linux would actually reduce those capabilities. I've got an Ouya and eagerly awaiting it for just plain HTPC purposes and never wanted it for games in the first place.
Originally posted by scionicspectre View PostGaming history is littered with underpowered devices that have achieved amazing gaming experiences despite their limitations. I don't expect there are too many games that will force OUYA over the edge, but I may just be out of touch with Android gaming. To suggest we should expect something like the graphics we see on the PS3 or XBOX 360 become common on Android in the short-term is a bit unrealistic, although in a couple years things may have accelerated at an exceptional pace.
I think the OUYA has played its cards right by focusing on a low price-point and developers, since there will be plenty of people willing to get a cheap home console for fun, not for graphics. I'm not sure if they would get more business by focusing on high-end graphics at a higher price.
It's also not going to work because game devs are too used to having ample resources, they aren't forced to squeeze blood from a stone like they where with everything Nintendo64/Playstation/Sega Saturn era and older.
Its further not going to work for the same reason as the Sony Xperia doesn't work, while there are tons of games already made for Android, they will not be updated to work with a non touch screen device. If you wanted o use it as an emulation box you'd still be stuck with the on screen controls since the emulator would still be written exclusively to run on a touch screen.
Originally posted by Kivada View PostHulu doesn't have anything worth watching, my library and Red Box does as good a job as Netflix would since where I live bandwidth enough for decent quality streaming is way too damn expensive. I also don't use any first party Google software, no Android, no Chrome and no ChromeOS, I'm not willing to take an advertiser's word that they wont violate my right to privacy even if they are giving away open source software.
I am sorry but as the developer of RetroArch (an app where we NEED relatively good audio and video latency to maintain any kind of decent audio-video synchronization), I can tell you that you couldn't be more wrong about this.
Oh BTW - please do 'debate me' on this - I'm looking quite forward to seeing you defend the absolutely terrible runtime performance that this piece of garbage - Android - delivers to developers who are actually going to the effort of writing non-managed code for it - it will be quite amusing to see the amount of denial about this particular piece of crapware.
It's a shame though that you can't do native apps on Android like you say. Even webOS allowed that.
Originally posted by Mike Frett View PostIt's not about performance, it's about content. And, if you have seen the amount of Games and Apps available at launch for the Ouya, it's quite spectacular. But hey, the PS3 and 360 specs are quite disappointing by todays standards also. Besides, you've all had a year to study this, being surprised of the performance is ignorance and laziness; in which case we probably don't want you developing for it anyway.
Originally posted by deanjo View PostBut you would trust the likes of MS/Sony with your right to privacy?
That was so biased and based on rumors and not even a single fact that one may think it is sponsored by no other but Steam themselves
I don't think you have played a single OUYA game to speak about it's performance nor you have done a comparison
I am not an OUYA advocate but I have always been against throwing stick and stones without anything actual
You have been bashing OUYA since its first announcement as is you did accept it as a personal archenemy
Originally posted by nikiiv View PostThat was so biased and based on rumors and not even a single fact that one may think it is sponsored by no other but Steam themselves
I don't think you have played a single OUYA game to speak about it's performance nor you have done a comparison
I am not an OUYA advocate but I have always been against throwing stick and stones without anything actual
You have been bashing OUYA since its first announcement as is you did accept it as a personal archenemy
+1 what scionicspectre said
+1 what przemoli said
+2 what Mike Frett said
I wish the project success, but I think Tegra 3 will really hurt it.
Android is an absolute piece of garbage for any kind of realtime app.It was the absolute worst idea on Earth to base an OS (INTENDED FOR A MOBILE PLATFORM) around some piece of garbage Java VM
Audio latency does seem to have been a legitimate issue. Android 4.2 claims to address this depending on hardware support from manufacturers. From the official Android dev site:
"Android 4.2 improves support for low-latency audio playback, starting from the improvements made in Android 4.1 release for audio output latency using OpenSL ES, Soundpool and tone generator APIs. These improvements depend on hardware support � devices that offer these low-latency audio features can advertise their support to apps through a hardware feature constant. New AudioManager APIs are provided to query the native audio sample rate and buffer size, for use on devices which claim this feature."
As OpenSL ES is a native C API, non-Dalvik application threads which call OpenSL ES have no Dalvik-related overhead such as garbage collection pauses. However, there is no additional performance benefit to the use of OpenSL ES other than this. In particular, use of OpenSL ES does not result in lower audio latency, higher scheduling priority, etc. than what the platform generally provides.
Android is taking performance and latency very seriously. Look at the Project Butter 60 FPS locked interface improvements in 4.1. You can also see tons of more detailed performance analysis and improvements on the Android dev site.
I don't see any evidence that Dalvik or their choice of the Java language has been some kind of permanent problem with Android performance. I would also point out that even console games use some higher level programming language like Lua in some sandbox type runtime to process game logic and it doesn't seem to have disastrous performance consequences.
Ouya as a whole... The Tegra 3 is just lower performance hardware than what you get with a PS3/360 console. Also, the game selection seems mostly warmed over ports. I am cheering for the Ouya, but this first version doesn't seem like something people would want to buy.
I guess it would be interesting to see the fps min/max range to check variability. That's where GC stalls will hit you. But anyone claiming that java is up to the task of real time hard requirements is deluding themselves. When you want to push the envelope that's where this stuff will bite you.
About lua: that's a different animal. Lua is typically embedded inside c/c++ applications and not the other way around, and it's also tailored more towards game logic only, not managing memory. Very different animals entirely.
One advantage the ouya has is that they have their own android distro. They can make sure there's nothing like gmail or other misbehaving applications waiting around to trash out the GC, and I would hope OUYA doesn't put useless uninstallable crapware like you see on many vendor built firmwares.
Perhaps next gen ouya would ship with a c/c++ pure control and performance oriented system with an android compatibility layer on top to get the best of both worlds (well we can hope, right?).Last edited by bnolsen; 04-18-2013, 03:03 PM.


text:
Follow the example of the young Gerald Ford.
Flags up in the morning, down at sunset.
Have a good, safe and joyful Fourth of July.
Follow the example of the young Gerald Ford.
Flags up in the morning, down at sunset.
Have a good, safe and joyful Fourth of July.
"The Second Day of July 1776 will be the most memorable Epocha, in the History of America. . . . It ought to be solemnized with Pomp and Parade, with Shews, Games, Sports, Guns, Bells, Bonfires, and Illuminations from one End of this Continent to the other from this Time forward forever more."
— John Adams to Abigail Adams, July 3, 1776
Surely John Adams knew that July 4 would be Independence Day, didn't he?
In writing to his wife Abigail on July 3, John Adams committed one of those grand errors even he would laugh at afterward. We'll forgive him when the fireworks start firing.
1776 filled the calendar with dates deserving of remembrance and even celebration. John Adams, delegate from Massachusetts to the Second Continental Congress, wrote home to his wife Abigail that future generations would celebrate July 2, the date the Congress voted to approve Richard Henry Lee's resolution declaring independence from Britain for 13 of the British colonies in America.
Two days later, that same Congress approved the wording of the document Thomas Jefferson had drafted to announce Lee's resolution to the world.
Today, we celebrate the date of the document Jefferson wrote, and Richard Henry Lee is often a reduced to a footnote, if not erased from history altogether.
Who can predict the future?
(You know, of course, that Adams and Jefferson both died 50 years to the day after the Declaration of Independence, on July 4, 1826. In the 50 intervening years, Adams and Jefferson were comrades in arms and diplomacy in Europe, officers of the new government in America, opposing candidates for the presidency, President and Vice President, ex-President and President, bitter enemies, then long-distance friends writing almost daily about how to make a great new nation. Read David McCullough's version of the story, if you can find it.)
(Yes, this is mostly an encore post.)
More, and Related articles:
Three great historical figures passed on June 29 — and I'll wager there are others, but I stumbled on these three in the past day.
Historian Michael Beschloss noted Madison's passing:
Madison was born in 1751.
Henry Clay falls into that history between the founding and the Civil War, when he won the name "the Great Compromiser" for his ability to put together agreements and laws that patched things up for a while — holding the south in the union, but not giving in to expansions of slavery, for example. Clay wanted to preserve the union, but he wanted full support from citizens in all corners of the nation. He wrote words perhaps relevant to political contretemps of today:
I implore, as the best blessing which Heaven can bestow upon me upon earth, that if the direful and sad event of the dissolution of the Union shall happen, I may not survive to behold the sad and heart-rending spectacle.
"On the Compromise Resolutions,"
speech before the U.S. Senate,
February 5 and 6, 1850,
The Life and Speeches of Henry Clay (Littleton, Colorado: Fred B. Rothman, 1987), 2: 664.
Henry Clay died June 29, 1852, perhaps within weeks of this photo:
There's a longer article on Clay's amazing life and achievements at LOC's "Today in History." The Library of Congress also gives a brief summary of Clay's history:
Republican Senator from Kentucky, 1806-1807, 1810-1811; Congressman, 1811-1814, 1815-1821, 1823-1825; U.S. Secretary of State, 1825-1829; Whig Senator, 1831-1842, 1849-1852; Democratic Republican candidate for President, 1824; National Republican candidate for President, 1832; Whig candidate for President, 1844.
Clay was born in 1777.
Thomas Huxley's passing, on June 29, 1895, earns a spot on the calendar of events at Smithsonian.com
Thomas Henry Huxley, a British biologist and firm believer in evolution, dies at age 70. The greatest defender of Darwinism in Britain, he once said,
"The deepest sin against the human mind is to believe things without evidence."
Huxley's quote is one more indictment of people affected by the Dunning Kruger effect, something I just became aware of yesterday. Yes, I need to source it better.
Upon reading Darwin's big book, Origin of Species, Huxley wrote Darwin on November 23, 1859, one week after the book was published:
I finished your book yesterday. . . Since I read Von Baer's Essays nine years ago no work on Natural History Science I have met with has made so great an impression on me & I do most heartily thank you for the great store of new views you have given me. . .
As for your doctrines I am prepared to go to the Stake if requisite. . .
I trust you will not allow yourself to be in any way disgusted or annoyed by the considerable abuse & misrepresentation which unless I greatly mistake is in store for you. . . And as to the curs which will bark and yelp — you must recollect that some of your friends at any rate are endowed with an amount of combativeness which (though you have often & justly rebuked it) may stand you in good stead —
I am sharpening up my claws and beak in readiness
Huxley, born in 1825, lived 70 great years in science.
Who else died on June 29 whom we should remember?
Here are the key paragraphs of the majority's decision (links added here), as written by Chief Justice John Roberts:
Reliance on context and structure in statutory interpretation is a "subtle business, calling for great wariness lest what professes to be mere rendering becomes creation and attempted interpretation of legislation becomes legislation itself." Palmer v. Massachusetts, 308 U. S. 79, 83 (1939). For the reasons we have given, however, such reliance is appropriate in this case, and leads us to conclude that Section 36B allows tax credits for insurance purchased on any Exchange created under the Act. Those credits are necessary for the Federal Exchanges to function like their State Exchange counterparts, and to avoid the type of calamitous result that Congress plainly meant to avoid.
* * *
In a democracy, the power to make the law rests with those chosen by the people. Our role is more confined—"to say what the law is." Marbury v. Madison, 1 Cranch 137, 177 (1803). That is easier in some cases than in others. But in every case we must respect the role of the Legislature, and take care not to undo what it has done. A fair reading of legislation demands a fair understanding of the legislative plan.
Congress passed the Affordable Care Act to improve health insurance markets, not to destroy them. If at all possible, we must interpret the Act in a way that is consistent with the former, and avoids the latter. Section 36B can fairly be read consistent with what we see as Congress's plan, and that is the reading we adopt.
The judgment of the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit is
Go read the rest of the 47 pages (in the .pdf from the Supreme Court), if you wish to be well-informed. The case probably isn't at all what's being reported in most venues.
June 25 is Virginia Statehood Day. The U.S. Flag Code urges Americans to fly the U.S. flag on the statehood date of their states.
Virginia is counted as the 10th state, by virtue of the Virginia ratifying convention's having voted to ratify the U.S. Constitution on June 25, 1788 — over the strong objections of Gov. Patrick Henry, and with the skilled legislative work of James Madison.
The Constitution became effective upon the ninth state's ratification, but Virginia, being the largest state in the union at the time, was considered a make-or-break vote.
June 25 is the last U.S. flag flying date in June 2015.
So, Virginians: Fly your U.S. flags on June 25, as Col. Van T. Barfoot did every day until his death.You may remember the story of Col. Barfoot. As a veteran of World War II, Korea and Vietnam, he flew Old Glory every day. In 2009 his Henrico County, Virginia homeowners association complained, ordered him to stop flying the U.S. flag and take down his flag pole, erected in violation of HOA "curb appeal" rules.
Col. Barfoot refused. Eventually the public outcry, including pressure from President Barack Obama, got the HOA to back down. Obama said Barfoot was a good example, and had earned the right to fly Old Glory.
Barfoot had a particularly compelling case to fly the flag. Barfoot was awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor for his service in Italy, against German troops, in 1944. The Washington Post explained:
Early in the war, he participated in the Army's invasion of Italy. As his unit moved inland, the soldiers took up defensive positions near Carano.
On May 23, 1944, Col. Barfoot was ordered to lead an assault on German positions. He went out alone and crawled to within feet of a German bunker.
According to his Medal of Honor citation, he tossed a grenade inside, killing two Germans and wounding three others. He then moved to another bunker nearby and killed two more German soldiers with his submachine gun while taking three others prisoner. A third machine gun crew, watching Col. Barfoot's methodical assault, surrendered to him. In all, 17 Germans gave themselves up to Col. Barfoot.
In retaliation, the Germans organized a counterattack on Col. Barfoot's position, sending three tanks toward him.
Col. Barfoot grabbed a bazooka grenade launcher and stood 75 yards in front of the leading tank. His first shot stopped it in its tracks. He then killed three of the German tank crew members who had attempted to escape.
The other two tanks, witnessing the destruction, abruptly changed directions, moving away from Col. Barfoot. Returning to his platoon, he helped carry two wounded U.S. soldiers almost a mile to safety.
Commending his "Herculean efforts," Col. Barfoot's citation praised his "magnificent valor and aggressive determination in the face of pointblank fire."
Col. Barfoot served in the Korean War and later in Vietnam as a helicopter pilot. His other military decorations included the Silver Star; two awards of the Legion of Merit; the Bronze Star; three awards of the Purple Heart; and 11 awards of the Air Medal.
So, Virginians, would it inconvenience you much to fly your U.S. flags today — in honor of Col. Van T. Barfoot, as well as in honor of your state's entry into the Union?
What do we do to deserve the loyalty and service of such men?
This is an excerpt from EPA's official shorthand history, online since the 1990s. I include this part here, dealing with the EPA's famous regulation of the pesticide DDT, because I refer to it and link to it in several posts — and because over three different administrations, the URL has changed several times. I fear it will one day go dark. Here it is for history's sake, found on June 24, 2015 at http://www2.epa.gov/aboutepa/guardian-epas-formative-years-1970-1973#pest.
Opening to the entire piece; links to subsections go to EPA's site:
The Guardian: EPA's Formative Years, 1970-1973
September 1993
by Dennis C. Williams
Table of Contents
The section on DDT hearings and regulation:
Pesticides and Public Health
Unlike the air controversy, which erupted after the agency's establishment, EPA's creation coincided with the culmination of the public debate over DDT (dichloro-diphenyl-trichloro-ethane). A chlorinated hydrocarbon, DDT proved to be a highly effective, but extremely persistent organic pesticide. Since the 1940s, farmers, foresters, and public health officials sprayed it across the country to control pests such as Mexican boll weevils, gypsy moths, and pesky suburban mosquitoes. Widespread public opposition to DDT began with the publication of Rachel Carson's influential Silent Spring. Reporting the effects of DDT on wildlife, Carson demonstrated that DDT not only infiltrated all areas of the ecological system, but was exponentially concentrated as it moved to higher levels in the food web. Through Carson, many citizens learned that humans faced DDT-induced risks. By 1968 several states had banned DDT use. The Environmental Defense Fund, which began as a group of concerned scientists, spearheaded a campaign to force federal suspension of DDT registration–banning its use in the United States. Inheriting Department of Agriculture (USDA) pesticide registration functions, under the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA) of 1964, EPA was born in the midst of the DDT storm.
In January 1971, a tribunal of the U.S. Court of Appeals in the District of Columbia ordered Ruckelshaus to begin the process of suspending DDT's registration, and to consider suspending its registration immediately. At the end of a sixty-day review process, the administrator reported that he had found no good reason to suspend DDT registration immediateIy. It and several other pesticides–including 2, 4, 5-T (Agent Orange), Dieldrin, Aldrin, and Mirex–did not appear to constitute imminent health threats. This action infuriated many environmentalists.
By 1971, the Environmental Defense Fund had mobilized effective public opposition to DDT. The furor created by Ruckelshaus's refusal to stop DDT use prompted many to look for sinister political motivations. Some suggested that Mississippi Congressman Jamie Whitten had used his position as chairman of the agricultural appropriations subcommittee of the House Appropriations Committee to make Ruckelshaus conform to the interests of the agrichemical lobby. While actually, Ruckelshaus took his cautious stance for less menacing reasons.
At its creation, EPA not only inherited the function of pesticide registration from USDA, but also the staff that served that function. The USDA economic entomologists who designed the pesticide registration process in the first place preached the advantages of effective pesticides and minimized discussion of debatable health risks. The same staff that had backed USDA Secretary Clifford Hardin's earlier claim that DDT was not "an imminent hazard to human health or to fish and wildlife" 8 provided Ruckelshaus with the same counsel.
Between March 1971 and June 1972, American newspapers reported both sides of the pesticide debate. Some articles recalled the glory days when pesticides saved thousands of lives in World War II; how they had increased agricultural productivity and allowed relatively few farmers to feed the world's growing population; and how the most besieged insecticides, such as DDT and Mirex, had little human toxicity. Other journalists praised alternative approaches to pest management such as biological controls (predator introduction, sterile males, and pheromone traps), integrated controls (crop rotation and carefully delimited pesticide use), and refinement of other, less persistent chemicals. Some reported the near panic of Northwestern fruit growers facing beeless, and therefore fruitless, seasons. They attributed the lack of pollinating insects to pesticide use.
Throughout the spring of 1972, Ruckelshaus reviewed the evidence EPA had collected during the agency's hearings on DDT cancellation and the reports prepared by two DDT study groups, the Hilton and Mrak Commissions. Both studies suggested that DDT be phased out due to the chemical's persistent presence in ecosystems and noted studies suggesting that DDT posed a carcinogenic risk to humans. In June, he followed the route already taken by several states he banned DDT application in the United States. Though unpopular among certain segments of EPA's constituency, his decision did serve to enhance the activist image he sought to create for the agency, and without prohibitive political cost.
The DDT decision was important to EPA for several reasons. While it did not stop the debate over what constituted appropriate pesticide use, DDT demonstrated the effect public pressure could have on EPA policy decisions. It also made very visible the tightrope act a regulatory agency performs when it attempts to balance the demands for protection of human and environmental health against legitimate economic demands. Furthermore, EPA's decision set a precedent for regulatory decision-making. As an advocate of the environment, Ruckelshaus and the agency chose to risk erring on the side of protecting human health at the expense of economic considerations–a course that would bring the agency under heavy criticism before the end of its first decade.
Fry and Laurie go back a lot farther than you may have expected.
Stephen Fry's Wikipedia entry explains, Fry "secured a place at Queens' College, Cambridge, where he studied English literature. While at university, Fry became involved with the Cambridge Footlights, where he met his long-time collaborator Hugh Laurie. As half of the comic double act Fry and Laurie, he co-wrote and co-starred in A Bit of Fry & Laurie, and took the role of Jeeves (with Laurie playing Wooster) in Jeeves and Wooster."


text:
Le Dîner à San Francisco 2015
- Food & Drink
- San Francisco
RSA Conference Tweetup: VMware and Trend Micro - Securing Your Customers Journey to the Cloud
Tuesday, February 28, 2012 from 5:00 PM to 5:30 PM (PST)
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VMware is the leader in virtualization and cloud infrastructure solutions that enable businesses to thrive in the Cloud Era. Customers rely on VMware to help them transform the way they build, deliver and consume Information Technology resources in a manner that is evolutionary and based on their specific needs. The company is headquartered in Silicon Valley with offices throughout the world and can be found online at www.vmware.com
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Comment: Re:Thank God! (Score 1) 79 79
If a Tripadvisor app got installed that way, I would have thought that its requirements had been reduced to the rights it already had.
If a Tripadvisor app got installed that way, I would have thought that its requirements had been reduced to the rights it already had.
That could end up being the lesser evil, and would end up making a hell of a statement.
Of course the consequences with countries like China or Russia would have to be thunk through - they would be encouraged to pass similar laws so as to get Google out of their countries.
The balkanisation of the Internet.
So far.
They are probably watching this rather closely.
Alas, while the Chinese rulers are pragmatic enough to accept things they don't really like but can't control, the French rulers are idiots who believe nothing is beyond their power, because, after all, they're French....
The U.S. authorities have a history of this type of behaviour. Just think of the case Microsoft is currently fighting, the one where they do not want to give the U.S access to emails being held in the E.U. (Ireland), or the case where some NYC judge imposed a massive fine - and confiscation of assets - on the Iran for some terrorist attack they patently had nothing to do with.
The U.S. mostly try to be a "force for good", but accept no outside authority in the many cases where they failed - often maliciously.
For the record, I am not particularly happy with the "right to be forgotten".
Giving him a particularly tough sentence for something he was not even charged with should be enough to get the judge disbarred and the verdict automatically overturned. Won't happen though.
to the Nazi's battle to burn as much "degenerate art" as they could find
The "degenerate art" removed from the museums headed in all sorts of directions,
Hitler used to use Baedeker travel guides as a guide to what should be destroyed, although a famous library in the Netherlands was bombed at the start of the war "just because". After the Allies (ok, the British) destroyed a few German cultural spots of neglible military value, the Luftwaffe was sent to destroy highlights selected from Baedeker such as Coventry Cathedral.
There were two Warsaw uprisings, the Jewish one and then later - with the Soviets approaching - the Polish one. As revenge for the second one, buildings were blown up in the order of their ranking in the Warsaw Baedeker - best to worst. The Soviets ceased their advance and waited for the Nazis to suppress the uprising before resuming operations. That is one of the factors behind the Polish attitude to Russia, Katyn being another big one.
With ISIS (I thought it was ISIL) now starting to operate in Saudi Arabia, I wonder if Islamic sites are in danger. One would think not but I had not expected the recent suicide bombings either.
Should I file a bug report?
Who approved this "article"?
Airstrip One.
The previous Tory leader - can't remember his name just now but he was a minister in the coalition government - absolutely loathed the EU to the extent that he apparently asked the Dubya administration if there was some way of joining the Mexico-US-Canada trading block. No.
One major reason for the split was that IBM insisted on programming OS/2 in assembler - over Gates' objections - locking them onto the 386 platform.
At least that is the way I remember it.
I can only imagine he was happy with '95 (why?) until he was forced to go to XP.
As to Vista, I last set up a machine under XP half a year before 7 came out. Why would anyone (who had a choice) be "forced" to use Vista?
What is meant by the U.S. government made the same mistakes in Iraq as it did in Iran.? The U.S. has not invaded Iran any time recently.
Just how the weapons became ubiquitous is also not touched on in this summary: Saddam Hussein had an armory. The U.S. forces took that armory. Then they carried on towards Baghdad, towards the major prize and *glory* (cue exciting music). One undefended armory.
One thing that totally stank is that the whole thing was then lost in U.S. party politics. The Republicans lied about having lied and all their supporters started claiming black was white and that the weapons of mass destruction had really existed. We are getting the same kind of crud now from the St Petersburg Propagandazentral with respect to the Ukraine.
Another thing that stank was the sacking of pretty much all Baath party members. Being a party member was a requirement for many kinds of job, sacking all these people created a large pool of disaffected people. This was known at the time but the idiots in charge "knew better". I found it difficult to believe that so much stupidity was not malicious.
The South rises again!
Wanna go to war on this?
The right of a legislature to be utterly corrupt. Canada could probably be persuaded to join.
I don't know how Uber plans to pay for this, but Stock Options are worthless if Uber tanks.
I don't want to be on that kind of social network at all. Not on Facebook and not on Google+.
Yes, I have an automatically-created G+ account but never had any intention of using it.
There was a court case raised recently - not sure if it has started or finished yet - by descendants of Goebbels' family. Yes, *that* Goebbels, Hitler's rentamouth. His family are claiming copyright for his words - they want cash for quotes.
70 years is just long enough to cover that.
Reality must take precedence over public relations, for Mother Nature cannot be fooled. -- R.P. Feynman


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2003 Chrysler Town & Country Q&A
2003 Chrysler Town & Country Question: what is a computer chip in van, what it actual Part name and Price
while driving my van stalled , wouldnt start. started next day,i put in gear it went 5 yards then stalled out. i had towed to shop, where he started it right up,ran for 3 min then stalled out. i went home, where he calls me hours later and tells me that he ran testing and my "chip" went, i asked how that happend. he said to think of it like a home computer and when it Breaks, it Breaks HOW MUCH DOES CHIP COST,HOW OFTEN DOES CHIP BREAK ?? ALSO, a few weeks ago my Drivers side window was having problems going UP and DOWN, then all together stopped halfway open, i brought to another auto place, where they said they charged my Window Motor ( WINDOW WORKS FINE), drives fine for 4 days, then STALLS out and thats where i am now !! COULD THEM CHARGING WINDOW HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH MY CURRENT CHIP/STALLING PROBLEM ?? -TY - jlang5911
2 Answers
Answer 1
You need to get better calification from whomever is working on your car. Computer modules fail at times and need to be replaced. I would not call it a chip ...lots of folks come up with different names for things at times. Unlikely that the window problem relates but hard to say for sure depending on what computer has failed. Chryslers have engine control modules and body control modules. Impossible to estimate cost with such limited information. - milesauto
Answer 2
car needs to be properly diag to determine issue - globalhelper
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Bioremediation Companies in Zambia
Category: Soil & Groundwater ×
Subcategory: Bioremediation ×
Industry: Pulp & Paper ×
Location: Africa ×
Location: Zambia ×
BlueStream Environmental Technologies (Pty) Ltd.
based in Johannesburg, SOUTH AFRICA
BlueStream Environmental Technology has over a decade of experience in developing microbial solutions that are both economically sound and environmentally effective. BlueStream products provide a safe, easy and effective solution for challenging hydrocarbon waste problems with numerous successful applications. BlueStream has earned its reputation for excellence with ...
Strathkelvin Instruments Ltd.
based in Motherwell, UNITED KINGDOM
Our expertise is in the field of Activated Sludge Bacteria which are used to treat wastewaters in biological treatment plants. Our instrumentation can quickly and directly measure Activated Sludge bacterial performance saving our clients time and money by determining the effects of reducing feeding and aeration programmes, and the inhibition of the bacteria whilst also ...
QM Environmental Services Ltd.
based in The Hague, NETHERLANDS
QM Environmental Services is one of the leading European suppliers of microbial and environmental friendly products and systems for wastewater treatment and analysis; bioremediation of soils and groundwater; odour control; drain and grease trap maintenance; sewer and lift station maintenance; algae control in pond and lakes; composting of vegetal wastes; aquaculture and ...
EISENMANN Corporation USA
based in Crystal Lake, ILLINOIS (USA)
EISENMANN is a leading global industrial solutions provider of environmental, general finishing and material flow automation technology. They are a leading supplier of regenerative thermal oxidizers (RTOs) to the renewable fuels industry and have expanded their product portfolio to include a variety of renewable energy products and waste to energy solutions.
Purolite Corporation
based in Bala Cynwyd, PENNSYLVANIA (USA)
Purolite is more than a resin company. It's a solutions company. Purolite has evolved over the past 31 years from a small domestic importer of ion exchange resins to the premier manufacturer and innovation leader in the world. As time and technology have changed, so has Purolite. In recognition of this evolution, our brand identity now reflects the company we have ...
BioFuture Limited
based in Dublin, IRELAND
BioFuture manufactures and distributes a range of Microbial Products for Industrial & Municipal Wastewater Treatment and for Institutional applications. In addition BioFuture also provides a range of products for specialist markets including Marine, Aquaculture and Agriculture. In addition to excellent quality products strong emphasis is placed on product support. This ...


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