US: Report Cites Air Marshals for Sexism, Harassment – Good Ole Boys Club Still Alive in Government
| 2012/02/07 | Posted by Diana at FMG under Political Poise |
The report — the result of a two-year investigation into allegations of discrimination and retaliation within the service — found “Federal Air Marshals repeatedly portrayed their supervisors as vindictive, aggressive, and guilty of favoritism.”
In addition:
*Thirty-three percent of the female employees surveyed believed they had been discriminated against.
*A total of 454 formal or informal equal opportunity complaints were filed by employees between Sept 2006 and April 2011.
*”…employees perceptions of discrimination and retaliation are extensive…”
Despite all this, the report concluded “…our review does not support a finding of widespread discrimination and retaliation.”
Senator Bill Nelson of Florida is one of the members of Congress, along with Rep. Darrell Issa and Rep. Edolphus Towns, who called for the investigation.
A look at the secretive world of air marshals
Marshals fight battle in air and on ground
“If there is a lack of professionalism, especially among law enforcement-type folks, then that should be corrected and corrected immediately,” he said.
Issa, who is the chairman of the Oversight and Government Reform Committee, said: “This is a disturbing and dysfunctional situation. The finding of such low morale and the Inspector General’s concern that many allegations by Air Marshals — who are law enforcement officers charged with protecting passengers — just aren’t credible is disturbing. Passengers trust their lives to Air Marshals, I’m looking for more accountability than what I see in this report.”
In February 2010, the Federal Air Marshal Service was the focus of a CBS News investigation. Craig Sawyer was one of nearly two dozen current or former air marshals who told us the agency is dominated by an “old boys” club of white male supervisors, mainly ex-Secret Service agents.
Watch the CBS News report on air marshals from February 2010 below:
“The culture of this management was to demean and demoralize their agents rather than to support them,” said Sawyer.
The independent investigative news outlet Pro Publica also reported on the issue around that same time.
CBS News’ investigation found problems in at least 14 field offices. In Orlando, a board was posted on a wall where managers allegedly used derogatory code words to refer to homosexuals, African-Americans and veterans — employees who would be harassed or get undesirable assignments.
In a statement Tuesday, the Air Marshal Service said it has already taken steps to implement the Inspector General’s recommendations. While the report noted the issues do not appear to have compromised the agency’s mission, what’s remarkable here is it exposes problems inside an agency known for its secrecy.
© 2012 CBS Interactive Inc.. All Rights Reserved.
AUSTRALIA: Today is Safer Internet Day 2012: Connecting Generations and Educating Each Other
| 2012/02/07 | Media Madness |
Actions for Families Actions for Grandparents Actions for Schools and Libraries Connecting generations and educating each other videos Supporters Tuesday 7 February is Safer Internet Day for 2012. The theme for the day is ‘Connecting generations and educating each other.’ Safer Internet Day activities will be conducted for Tasmanian schools on Tuesday 21st February. Cybersmart… more
HOLLYWOOD: JFK Mistress, Mimi Alford, Breaks Longtime Silence About Affair in Tell All Book – Welcome to Washington!!
| 2012/02/06 | Hollywood Exposed, Political Poise |
Follow AdultFYI on twitter@Adultfyi1 from www.slate.com Mimi Alford has officially broken her silence and recounts details of her affair with John F. Kennedy in her memoir, Once Upon a Secret: My Affair With President John F. Kennedy and its Aftermath. The book is to be released Wednesday but the New York Post apparently got… more
GOOGLE: Agrees to Court Order in India to Remove Content – See, We Could Have Better Internet If We Demanded It
| 2012/02/06 | Media Madness, Political Poise, Religious Rites |
Feb 6, 2012 8:50 am By John Ribeiro, IDG News Google has agreed before a court in Delhi to remove religious and other content considered objectionable, though some other Internet firms are likely to appeal the court’s decision, plaintiff Mufti Ajiaz Arshad Qasmi said on Monday. Similar Articles: Google, Facebook Appeal in India After Ordered… more
USA TODAY: Real Research Shows Sex Doesn’t Sell – Why Would Companies Continue to Push Sex Then?? To Corrupt The Children, of Course!!
| 2012/02/05 | Hollywood Exposed, Media Madness, Political Poise |
EDITORIAL: I really love having all my websites at Godaddy but I have to admit I’m looking at my options due to their decisions to keep pushing sex. Danica Patrick should be promoted as the strong woman that she is instead of a sex symbol. This comes from Porn Valley’s domination over the market. But… more
Women-Friendly Video Games – Kudos on a Great New Direction – Keep Going With Men Friendly Games Too
| 2012/02/05 | Posted by Diana at FMG under Media Madness |
Gaming
kate taylor
From Saturday’s Globe and Mail
Published
The stereotypical video-game addict is an adolescent boy who likes to blow things up, but the world of games is moving far beyond the first-person shooter. Here are some games with a different appeal.
CastleVille
The popular Facebook game invites players to dispel the Gloom and build a happy kingdom in a medieval setting. To do that, they must execute all sorts of practical tasks, such as constructing buildings, fetching water, and feeding animals – but may be distracted by magical occurrences. The game is made by Zynga, the San Francisco developer of several social games, including FarmVille and CityVille.
Dragon Age
Developed by BioWare in Edmonton, this dark, mythical role-playing game for consoles pits an order of Grey Wardens against an invasion of demonic creatures known as the Blight. Female players praise the great range of options when creating customized characters, as well as the strong female companions available to the player. The game allows for both gay and straight romances.
School 26 (My Fav!!)
This casual game is intended for 12-to-16-year-old girls using mobile devices or PCs. The player is Kate, a new girl who has changed schools repeatedly. To stay at School 26, she must make friends and influence people through empathy, intuition and strategy, as she negotiates social hierarchies and moral dilemmas. The game is produced by Silicon Sisters in Vancouver.
Journey
The forthcoming PlayStation 3 game is from Thatgamecompany in Los Angeles, which also made Flow and Flower and is known for non-competitive games with stunning visuals. A robed player journeys through a desert and the ruins of an ancient civilization toward a mountaintop, choosing whether to help or be helped by other players online who cannot speak or text.
CANADA: Sun TV Plays Dirty Over Porn ‘Scandal’ – Porn Gets a Closer Look as Funding by Taxpayers is Uncovered
| 2012/02/04 | Posted by Diana at FMG under Media Madness, Political Poise |
Sun TV’s Kory Teneycke
Photograph by: Tyler Anderson/National Post
This week, the opposition and reporters had a bit of fun at the expense of Citizenship and Immigration Minister Jason Kenney, who had to stand up in the House of Commons and apologize for the fact that his department sent some civil servants to Sun TV’s studios to pretend to be new Canadians taking a citizenship oath.
Kenney is impressive. He has been making overdue changes to our challenging immigration and refugee system. I don’t always agree with them – I’m not sure we should force Muslim women to remove their veils for citizenship oaths, for example – but I admire the way he is willing to take responsibility for his decisions, and explain them, blathering on all day, in both official languages.
But it’s good for politicians to be humble, so it was good fun to watch him squirm a bit over this tempest in a teapot. (more…)
UK: Wise Move – I’m Glad Somebody Out There is Looking Out For Us All – KUDOS!!
| 2012/02/04 | Posted by Diana at FMG under Media Madness, Political Poise |
EU investigates new Google privacy policy.
Google publicized its new privacy rules — which regulate how the Web giant uses the personal data it collects — with much fanfare last week.
Since then, it has launched a huge publicity campaign informing its users around the globe of the new policy, which was to launch on March 1.
In a letter to Google Chief Executive Larry Page, Jacob Kohnstamm, the chairman of the group of 27 national privacy regulators in the EU, said the French data protection agency is studying the new rules.
“We call for a pause (in the rollout of the new rules) in the interests of ensuring that there can be no misunderstanding about Google’s commitments to information rights of their users and EU citizens, until we have completed our analysis,” Kohnstamm wrote in the letter, which was published on Friday.
Google has a market share of more than 90 percent in the EU. The EU’s competition authorities are examining whether Google uses this dominance to stop other search engines from entering the market.
Hacker Group Anonymous Intercepted U.S. Call Over Investigation – This Ain’t Good
| 2012/02/04 | Posted by Diana at FMG under Media Madness |
By Michael Riley and Patricia Hurtado
Feb. 4 (Bloomberg) — The U.S. government said the online hacker group Anonymous intercepted a telephone call between FBI agents and U.K. authorities involving a joint investigation of the group.
Members of the hacker-activist group obtained details on a Jan. 17 conference call, including dial-in information, and posted a recording of it on Google Inc.’s YouTube website and other Internet sites, according to messages posted on Twitter accounts associated with Anonymous members.
Barrett Brown, an informal spokesman for Anonymous, said that in an unrelated attack a team of hackers had also stolen more than two years’ worth of e-mails and attachments relating to the 2005 Haditha massacre, in which 24 Iraqi civilians died. He said the e-mails would be posted shortly on a file-sharing site accessible by the public.
The phone recording suggests a significant security breach of Federal Bureau of Investigation protocols, according to E.J. Hilbert, a former agent in the bureau’s cyber security division. Hilbert said the recording suggests federal investigators weren’t identifying everyone on the call as they dialed in.
“It sounds like somebody screwed up — it’s as simple as that,” said Hilbert, now a partner at Kroll Inc., the New York- based security firm.
Infiltration Efforts
The 16-minute call detailed confidential aspects of the investigation into Anonymous by the FBI and U.K. law enforcement. It included information on efforts to infiltrate the group through means including informers.
“The information was intended for law enforcement officers only and was illegally obtained,” Jenny Shearer, a spokeswoman for the FBI’s cyber division, said in an e-mail yesterday confirming the breach. “A criminal investigation is under way to identify and hold accountable those responsible.”
She didn’t dispute or confirm the authenticity of the recording posted on YouTube.
Calls to the Metropolitan Police in London weren’t immediately answered.
The hackers who recorded the law enforcement call were also involved in stealing the e-mails from the computer servers of Puckett & Faraj, the law firm that represented Staff Sergeant Frank Wuterich, one of the marines accused in actions related to the deaths of Iraqi civilians, Brown said.
Law Firm Website
A person who answered the phone at Puckett & Faraj’s offices in Alexandria, Virginia, said the firm had no comment beyond confirming that its website was down. The person declined to give her name.
“The guys who did this are the best we have,” Brown said, referring to the Anonymous members who stole the e-mails and intercepted the FBI call.
Brown said the e-mails, which go back as far as 2009, may contain evidence and undisclosed details about the Haditha incident, as well as other cases the firm has worked on.
Wuterich, who won’t serve jail time, took responsibility for the deaths during a sentencing hearing in January. His sentence, handed down in a military court, included a reduction in pay and a demotion, and may have motivated the attack by Anonymous, according to several Twitter posts on accounts associated with the group.
Disclosures on Call
Among the potentially serious disclosures in the call, U.K. investigators revealed that they know the identity of two top Anonymous members and they are temporarily delaying new charges and another round of arrests at the request of the FBI.
“We’ve got our prosecutorial counsel making an application in chambers without the defense knowing, to seek a way to try and factor some time,” one of the U.K. investigators can be heard saying on the recording of the call posted on YouTube.
The agents can also be heard discussing an Anonymous member who goes by the nickname TehWongZ, who they said is a 15-year- old boy arrested just before Christmas. Investigators said the teenager had confessed to hacking the Manchester Credit Union.
A Metropolitan Police official on the recording said TehWongZ is also linked to the hack of a gaming site, including the theft of the names, logins and credit-card numbers of 32,000 users. The FBI agents said the intrusion was under investigation by the FBI in Baltimore. The youth admitted to his acts, the U.K. officials said on the call.
“Looks like he’s cleaning the slate now that he’s come to the notice of police,” one of the officials can be heard saying. “I suspect a smack from mom or dad is behind it all.”
Some Twitter accounts of the infiltration said Anonymous broke into the e-mail accounts of investigators to gain the call-in details.
“The FBI might be curious how we’re able to continuously read their internal comms for some time now,” an Anonymous member posted on an account linked to the group.
Hilbert said the agents also may have been re-using the same line and pass code for conference calls with investigative partners.
“If anybody should be checking who’s on their calls, it should be the government — especially these guys,” he said.
–Editors: Andrew Dunn, David E. Rovella
To contact the reporter on this story: Michael Riley in Washington at mriley17@bloomberg.net; Patricia Hurtado in New York at phurtado@bloomberg.net
To contact the editor responsible for this story: Michael Hytha at mhytha@bloomberg.net
COURT: Will This Be A Case For Supreme Court? – Back to Where to Draw the Obscenity Line – Back 20 Years is an Idea
| 2012/02/03 | Posted by Diana at FMG under Hollywood Exposed, Media Madness, Political Poise |
We are unaware of any court or jury that has found Amateur Allure Jen to be obscene, but that has not stopped Wong’s legal counsel from making the claim that it is precisely that. We find the argument so … unique … that we reprint here the “obscene” claim as it appears in the plaintiff’s Amended Complaint, which was filed with the court Jan. 31, and is available below for those interested in reading the whole thing.
C. Hard Drive’s Work is Not Copyrightable (more…)
PORN VALLEY: Porn Attorney, Evan Stone, Fined $10,000 for Contempt – Discovery Violations Involved
| 2012/02/03 | Posted by Diana at FMG under Media Madness |
Danny Fulgencio
When it comes to fighting pirates, all’s fair for Denton attorney Evan Stone.
-
Danny Fulgencio
“I hate hardly anybody, but when I think about pirates, I do tend to think about a lot of them as smarmy entitled little brats.” (more…)
FRANCE: History Making Court Decision Declares Scientology Church a Scam, Not a Religion – Recruiting Methods Constitute Organized Fraud
| 2012/02/03 | Posted by Diana at FMG under Religious Rites |
A French court has slapped a fraud sentence on the Church of Scientology, saying it targets vulnerable people for commercial gain. The ruling is a major setback for Scientologists in France, and it marks the first time here that the Church of Scientology has been convicted of organized fraud.
The development puts its famous recruitment methods under a spotlight.
Scientologists vehemently reject the conviction, saying that they are the victims of anti-cult organizations trying to destroy them. “Respect my religion,” chanted several dozen Scientologists, braving sub-zero temperatures in the front of a courthouse in Paris.
“We did not have a fair trial,” said Marie a 55-year-old computer scientist, who refused to give her surname, “France doesn’t tolerant religions, it is attacking our movement.”
On Thursday, an appeals court in Paris upheld a conviction against the Scientology organization for organized fraud, assessing a $530,000 fine to the Scientology Celebrity Centre in Paris and a $265,000 fine to its bookstore. Several leading French Scientologists, including the group’s head in Paris, Alain Rosenberg, were given suspended sentences of up to two years in prison. (more…)
FACEBOOK: Truth Hits Hard – Investors Aren’t Too Thrilled With Unprofessional, Rogue Internet Moguls These Days!!
| 2012/02/03 | Posted by Diana at FMG under Media Madness |
EDITORIAL: Not to be a bitch . . or maybe so, whatever. It’s interesting to watch this unfold. For INVESTORS, I wouldn’t touch these deals with a 10 foot pole right now. Do you want to own a piece of pornography?? How about a partnership in copyright infringement?? Selling people on the internet is easy too. You want to have some shares in criminal activities like credit card scam, identity theft or better yet, how about that good ole terrorism?? Well, that’s what you get when you invest with these internet guys. They built it, they own it, they make billions off it yet they won’t be responsible for a single part of policing it. You know, keeping it clean for the children! Stopping the criminals from hurting us all?? That’s what you’ll be part of if you invest your money in tech stocks right now, investing in criminals who hide behind Free Speech and Freedom of Expression. Crimes aren’t protected by our Constitution. Read up!!
All you internet moguls out there, pay attention!! You’ve controlled our World for several years now. You’ve promoted sick and twisted stuff to our kids. You’ve let the cyberbullies and stalkers have free reign. You’ve let criminals steal from everyone. You’ve accepted NO RESPONSIBILITY for anything you’ve created though you all made billions. Now you want more money from us. You want some respect and credibility??
How does it feel when your internet presence actually hurts your reputation and stops you from those successes you know are out there?? We’ll see how you feel because people aren’t falling for the ole tricks no more. You’ll need to change your ways and prove yourself with proper actions before people will ever trust you again.
By Sarah McBride and Poornima Gupta
SAN FRANCISCO | Fri Feb 3, 2012 12:19am EST
SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) – It’s the year’s hottest initial public offering, but some wealth managers find themselves having a hard time recommending Facebook to their clients.
The world’s biggest social network is expected to seek a $75 billion to $100 billion valuation in its IPO, the most anticipated stock offering from Silicon Valley since Google Inc went public in 2004.
At Granite Investment Advisors in New Hampshire, Chief Investment Officer Scott Schermerhorn has already been fielding queries from clients eager to get in on the action.
“We had some clients call and once we step them through the numbers, they sober up,” he said. “The valuation is 100 times earnings in a stock market that is trading at 12.”
“At the end of the day, if you have a small amount of money that you are in a position to lose a chunk of it and you want to speculate on Facebook, go ahead,” he added. “But don’t use money that you really need to save to do it. I would put it in Microsoft, which is dirt cheap right now.” (more…)
HOLLYWOOD: Cali Admits They Have a Sexual Predator Problem in Tinseltown – A New Bill Will Require Background Checks to Work with Children
| 2012/02/02 | Posted by Diana at FMG under Hollywood Exposed |
EDITORIAL: This is a huge step in the right direction. I really can’t believe that there is anyone who works with children who shouldn’t get a background check. I thought this was a federal law and if not, it should be. Sexual predatory behavior is fast approaching pandemic proportions in America. Our politicians, media, music and entertainment are all involved as we’ve proven over and over. We have to institute measures immediately to protect the children. They are after them all and its’ a no holds barred war at this point!!
Follow AdultFYI on Twitter@Adultfyi1
from www.foxnews.com – Hollywood’s most disgusting secret has recently been revealed and the story is a devastating indictment of the entire entertainment industry.
Most moms are willing to fight like a tigress to protect kids from pedophiles, but unfortunately, there is a culture in Tinseltown that believes in looking the other way.
California has been rocked in the last year by the prosecution of a prominent Hollywood businessman for molesting his young clients. This story grew as others acknowledged similar problems among the Hollywood elite of managers and agents. (more…)
FLORIDA: Human Trafficking Bill Advances In Florida Legislature – THAT’S MY STATE :)
| 2012/02/02 | Posted by Diana at FMG under Political Poise |
February 1, 2012 8:46 AM
Filed under
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Florida Legislature, Human Trafficking Bill, Legislature, Senate Criminal Justice Committee, Smuggling Bill, Trafficking, Trafficking Penalties
Legislative Session Coverage
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- why does everyone assume that the hispanic vote consists only of the cuban population. Why are they only mentioned?
- Why are candidates on the ballot today that have dropped out of the race? Very misleading for those who dont follow the news closely
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- how to stop political calls to my cell phone
- does Lynn University have back up power in the event they lose electricity during the 2012 debate?
TALLAHASSEE (CBSMiami/AP) – The state’s Senate Criminal Justice Committee gave unanimous approval to a bill Tuesday that would increase the penalties for human trafficking and smuggling.Under SB 1880 the penalty for trafficking would increase from a maximum of 15 years in prison to 30 years. The bill would create additional trafficking offenses, some with maximums of life in prison.
The maximum for human smuggling would go from one year in jail to five years in prison.
The bill (SB 1880) also would authorize the statewide prosecutor to investigate and prosecute human trafficking cases.
Another provision would let the governor, attorney general and prosecutors to seek court orders authorizing wire taps in such cases.
(TM and © Copyright 20121 CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS RADIO and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2012 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
TKM: God Sent Me a Man Group ;) – We Need Real Men – Thank You, Dear Lord!!
| 2012/02/02 | Posted by Diana at FMG under Religious Rites |
EDITORIAL: I came across this today and really felt God lead me to these heroes. I thought it ironic after making fun of the Catholic church. God really does have a sense of humor 
I wanted people to feel what it’s like to make fun of your religion. Nobody likes their godly beliefs to be taken lightly!!
Thank you, Dear Lord, for sending me this group of men who are dedicating their lives to bringing dignity and respect back to our women and children. Please watch over them and guide them, Dear Lord. Let their voices be heard by the masses so that men everywhere will be free from the sins of pornography.
Amen
Mission of The King’s Men
Under Christ the King’s universal call to serve, we as men, pledge to unite and build up other men in the mold of leader, protector, and provider through education, formation and action.
The Four Pillars of The King’s Men
I. Education
With over fifteen total years of experience in dynamic lecturing, expert teaching, and workshop training, Mark Houck and Damian Wargo of TKM offer a variety of options to meet your conference, retreat, and other speaking needs. Mark and Damian speak with passion and expertise to men, women, and youth on a variety of topics. TKM’s speaking outreach is highly regarded and endorsed (available at your request) by ministry leaders throughout the country.
Click here for more information on booking TKM speakers. (more…)
TECH: Blackberry Takes Bold Move with #BeBold Campaign – KID FRIENDLY TOO! Be an Innovator, Be BETTER than the Pack – KUDOS RIM!!
| 2012/01/31 | Posted by Diana at FMG under Media Madness |
Published January 31, 2012
| FoxNews.com
RIM – The Bold Team
Research In Motion downplayed their new ‘BeBold’ campaign Tuesday following a wave of negative reactions from the Internet.
RIM on Monday introduced four new cartoon superheroes who will help the company spread the word about its products as it looks to regain traction in a market increasingly dominated by rivals Apple and Google.
But following nearly universal criticism, RIM quickly backtracked, noting that the infographic campaign was simply intended to “be a bit of fun.”
The original image displayed four cartoon superheroes dubbed “the Bold Team.” Gogo Girl can save the day with her “brilliant strategy, a smile or a spatula,” Max Stone is “tough, proud and a little wild,” Justin Steele is “always ready to stick up for his friends and Trudy Foreal is “not afraid to call it as she sees it.
“Whether it’s the determination to run in your first marathon or earn a degree, you proved to us that for you, 2012 is about one thing – boldly seizing opportunities to pursue your dreams,” the company said in a blog post. The company encouraged users to share their 2012 resolutions with the hashtag, #BeBold. (more…)
RELIGION: How Do You Keep Your Inner God in Today’s Corrupt Corporate Structure??
| 2012/01/30 | Posted by Diana at FMG under Religious Rites |
By LeTourneau University Center for Faith & Work
Last modified: 2012-01-30T13:13:50Z
Published: Monday, Jan. 30, 2012 – 5:12 am
– Do faith and work mix? And if so, as America’s workforce increasingly wants meaning beyond a paycheck, do pastors help? From a recent national study commissioned by Dallas-based LeTourneau University’s Center for Faith & Work, answers are, “Yes,” and “Not enough.”
Ninety-three percent of pastors say they want to help members of their congregations integrate faith and work but fully two-thirds of them admit their efforts fall short,” Bill Peel, Center for Faith & Work executive director, said. “People work more, and better, when their labor carries a sense of calling. But most employers can’t give it, and most pastors don’t.” (more…)
FACEBOOK: Willing to Open to the Public is Key to American Corporate Responsibility – KUDOS!!
| 2012/01/30 | Posted by Diana at FMG under Media Madness |
Senior Editor, CNBC.com
-0.28 (-1.51%) 
], if it does wind up in the lead position, is likely to take between $20 million to $25 million in fees.Over at DealBreaker, Matt Levine has a very good post about the economics of these deals. He points out that Morgan Stanley did 127 U.S. equity deals last year, with an average size of around $133 million and an average fees of around $5 million.
Written in the Stars: You Gotta Keep Screaming Til They Hear You Out
| 2012/01/30 | Posted by Diana at FMG under About FMG, Media Madness |
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