RELATED: See a lengthy piece from The Daily Beast titled "Should juvenile criminals be sentenced like adults?"
30 Kasım 2012 Cuma
'Kids in Cages'
To contact us Click HERE
UT-Austin's alumni magazine, The Alcalde, has a pair of stories related to juvenile justice that merit Grits readers' attention. The first is about LBJ School instructor Michelle Deitch titled "Kids in Cages." Michele's been working in recent years on the issue of juveniles certified for trial as adults, and your correspondent in the past was privileged not just to speak to her class but once even hosted one of her students as an intern. The second piece, titled, "In prison, youth are prey," was authored by Jorge Antonio Renaud, a former inmate turned reform activist and UT alum who Grits attended school with back in the day. Here's a neat promotional video that accompanied the stories online:
RELATED: See a lengthy piece from The Daily Beast titled "Should juvenile criminals be sentenced like adults?"
RELATED: See a lengthy piece from The Daily Beast titled "Should juvenile criminals be sentenced like adults?"
Angry? There's a class for that
To contact us Click HERE
by Airman 1st Class Kia Atkins
35th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
11/16/2012 - MISAWA AIR BASE, Japan -- Have you ever had one of those days where nothing seemed to be going right and someone knew exactly what buttons to push and they were not only pushing them, they were bashing them with a hammer? Maybe on a different day you would be able to deal with the situation, but this time you are seriously contemplating punching someone in the face or maybe giving them a piece of your mind.
If you feel like the anger or stress in your life is getting difficult to handle on your own or you would like to learn some techniques to help resolve stressful situations in your life, Family Advocacy can help. The anger management class teaches a variety of techniques to better cope with life's stressors.
"Something we do not advocate in anger management is to suppress your anger," said David Powell, 35th Medical Operations Squadron family advocacy outreach manager. "We advocate managing your anger by taking a time out, going for a walk, taking deep breaths, going to the gym, taking a hot bath, different thinking methods and things of that nature."
The class is offered to active duty servicemembers, Department of Defense civilians and dependents that are eighteen and older. Anger management is four classes long and starts the first Wednesday of every month.
Everyone has different ways of handling things that make them angry and some people handle it better than others, but you know yourself best, said Powell. If you feel like your anger is worse than normal, you can come by and see us, he said.
So if you're having one of those days where someone is pushing your buttons so hard that you are fighting the urge to jump over your desk and take them down, maybe you should give local anger management a shot by calling to sign up.
35th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
11/16/2012 - MISAWA AIR BASE, Japan -- Have you ever had one of those days where nothing seemed to be going right and someone knew exactly what buttons to push and they were not only pushing them, they were bashing them with a hammer? Maybe on a different day you would be able to deal with the situation, but this time you are seriously contemplating punching someone in the face or maybe giving them a piece of your mind.
If you feel like the anger or stress in your life is getting difficult to handle on your own or you would like to learn some techniques to help resolve stressful situations in your life, Family Advocacy can help. The anger management class teaches a variety of techniques to better cope with life's stressors.
"Something we do not advocate in anger management is to suppress your anger," said David Powell, 35th Medical Operations Squadron family advocacy outreach manager. "We advocate managing your anger by taking a time out, going for a walk, taking deep breaths, going to the gym, taking a hot bath, different thinking methods and things of that nature."
The class is offered to active duty servicemembers, Department of Defense civilians and dependents that are eighteen and older. Anger management is four classes long and starts the first Wednesday of every month.
Everyone has different ways of handling things that make them angry and some people handle it better than others, but you know yourself best, said Powell. If you feel like your anger is worse than normal, you can come by and see us, he said.
So if you're having one of those days where someone is pushing your buttons so hard that you are fighting the urge to jump over your desk and take them down, maybe you should give local anger management a shot by calling to sign up.
Former Puerto Rico Police Officers Charged with Extorting a Commonwealth Defendant for $50,000
To contact us Click HERE
WASHINGTON – Two former police officers with the Police of Puerto Rico were charged with allegedly attempting to extort a commonwealth defendant and soliciting bribe payments of $50,000, Assistant Attorney General Lanny A. Breuer of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division announced today.
Abimael Arroyo-Cruz, 30, of Rio Grande, Puerto Rico, and Josue Becerril-Ramos, 36, of Carolina, Puerto Rico, were both charged in an indictment returned yesterday in the District of Puerto Rico with one count of conspiracy, one count of federal programs bribery, one count of conspiracy to commit extortion and one count of attempted extortion.
According to the indictment, Arroyo and Becerril arrested eight individuals for possession of unregistered firearms and marijuana on Aug. 2, 2012. The officers then allegedly solicited from one defendant a bribe payment of $50,000 to have his case dismissed. Beginning on Sept. 11, 2012, both officers allegedly spoke with the commonwealth defendant multiple times over the telephone, discussing payment details and strategies for dismissing the commonwealth defendant’s case.
The indictment alleges that Arroyo and Becerril collected approximately $35,000, of the $50,000 demanded, from the commonwealth defendant in two different payment installments. Unbeknownst to the officers, however, the individuals who dropped off the payments were cooperating with federal law enforcement.
In exchange for the bribes, the indictment alleges, Arroyo and Becerril devised a plan whereby the officers would misidentify a co-defendant in court, leading to dismissal of the commonwealth defendant’s case. According to the indictment, when asked under oath at the preliminary hearing to identify the commonwealth defendant, Arroyo instead identified a co-defendant. The indictment alleges that Arroyo confirmed to the commonwealth defendant following the hearing that he deliberately misidentified the co-defendant as part of the plan to have the commonwealth defendant’s case dismissed.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy Henwood of the District of Puerto Rico and Trial Attorneys Menaka Kalaskar and Marquest J. Meeks of the Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section. The case was investigated by the FBI’s San Juan Field Office.
An indictment is merely an allegation, and a defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
Abimael Arroyo-Cruz, 30, of Rio Grande, Puerto Rico, and Josue Becerril-Ramos, 36, of Carolina, Puerto Rico, were both charged in an indictment returned yesterday in the District of Puerto Rico with one count of conspiracy, one count of federal programs bribery, one count of conspiracy to commit extortion and one count of attempted extortion.
According to the indictment, Arroyo and Becerril arrested eight individuals for possession of unregistered firearms and marijuana on Aug. 2, 2012. The officers then allegedly solicited from one defendant a bribe payment of $50,000 to have his case dismissed. Beginning on Sept. 11, 2012, both officers allegedly spoke with the commonwealth defendant multiple times over the telephone, discussing payment details and strategies for dismissing the commonwealth defendant’s case.
The indictment alleges that Arroyo and Becerril collected approximately $35,000, of the $50,000 demanded, from the commonwealth defendant in two different payment installments. Unbeknownst to the officers, however, the individuals who dropped off the payments were cooperating with federal law enforcement.
In exchange for the bribes, the indictment alleges, Arroyo and Becerril devised a plan whereby the officers would misidentify a co-defendant in court, leading to dismissal of the commonwealth defendant’s case. According to the indictment, when asked under oath at the preliminary hearing to identify the commonwealth defendant, Arroyo instead identified a co-defendant. The indictment alleges that Arroyo confirmed to the commonwealth defendant following the hearing that he deliberately misidentified the co-defendant as part of the plan to have the commonwealth defendant’s case dismissed.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy Henwood of the District of Puerto Rico and Trial Attorneys Menaka Kalaskar and Marquest J. Meeks of the Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section. The case was investigated by the FBI’s San Juan Field Office.
An indictment is merely an allegation, and a defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
Beyond the Badge: Life After the Police Department
To contact us Click HERE
Back in the early 1990’s when I was a member of the now-defunct, New York City Housing Police Department, I sat with a group of NYPD officers in a routine Borough Based Training class. These are bi-annual meetings where officers are taught new laws and are brought up to date on departmental policy. In one particular session, a sergeant asked the cops in the room if they had any plans for employment after retiring.
Some of the officers stated that prior to joining the force they were carpenters, plumbers, electricians, or licensed in another skilled trade. However, they were in the minority. Most of the men and women in the room couldn’t see that far into the future to consider what life would be like without a gun on their hip and a shield pinned to their uniform. A general uneasiness filled the classroom. Some fidgeted with the papers on their desk and others sank back in their chairs.
The sergeant’s demeanor became serious. He placed his hands behind his back and pursed his lips. “The good news is that when you retire, there will be plenty of jobs waiting for all of you,” he said. “Employers love hiring ex-cops. But, the skills you bring to the table are hard to qualify in the civilian world. You can drive a truck, work as a guard, and become a bartender or a bus driver, but unless you have another skill like the electricians or carpenters in this room, you better get an education.” The sergeant nodded his head, satisfied that he got through to all of us and began talking about the subject matter at hand.
Police officers don’t want to talk about life after “the job.” Once a cop, always a cop, that’s what we’re told. Television shows, movies, and even books portray officers as die-hard civil servants who live police work as opposed to merely performing their duties. Being a cop denotes a certain attitude, an innate suspicion, a dispassionate appearance, and a jaded view of society as seen from its underside. Police are the community’s protectors, yet they’re the first in line to receive complaints for enforcing the very rules society puts in place. A thick skin is necessary to deal with seeing the human tragedy witnessed on a routine basis and for handling the trauma of losing fellow officers in the line of duty. Cops insulate themselves from others outside their vocation to guard against criticism and to commiserate with their colleagues.
When retirement finally comes, it takes a while to shed the habits of a law enforcement officer. The retiree has no authority. Even in the field of private security, the luster of fighting crime has dimmed. Others call you by your first name and the word “officer” no longer applies to you. Any employment you find does not have the same level of excitement and boredom becomes commonplace. A sense of dissatisfaction dulls the accomplishments at a civilian job, except where earning a paycheck is concerned. There are those who will congratulate you on your years of service, and others who will ask you for a good cop story from your experiences on patrol; but, as the years pass, your connection to police work and the honor of wearing the uniform fades. In spite of joining police fraternities and hanging around with your retired cop buddies, no one calls you in the middle of the night to investigate a suspicious noise.
Working as a bartender, a security guard, a truck driver, or any of the professions the sergeant mentioned in his cautionary monologue long ago in the classroom where I sat and listened with alarm, are fine jobs to have. Financially, a retiree should be able to raise a family with the wages earned while working such a job in conjunction with a police pension, but, looking back, I think the sergeant was projecting his own fears on room full of officers before him. Perhaps the message he wanted to get across is that there is no other job in the world like being a police officer.
Wearing a police shield, carrying a gun, donning the uniform, driving a sector car, and being a hero to those who call nine-one-one in an emergency are all positive, tangible aspects of a fine and noble profession. Losing the privilege of being called “officer,” and the respect one is extended while serving is difficult for most. Becoming a civilian after decades of wielding authority is an adjustment that takes a lot of getting used to. An education for another professional position where one is able to earn a lucrative salary or achieve success on a level an ordinary cop cannot aspire to without that education is a lofty goal; yet, after separating from the department, no matter what a retiree decides to do for a living, the title “retired police officer” is an honor well deserved.
About the Author:
Michael J. Kannengieser is a retired New York City police officer who lives on Long Island with his wife and two children. Michael worked as the Managing Editor for Fiction at The View from Here magazine, a U.K. based literary publication. Currently, he is employed at a performing arts college as an Instructional Technology Administrator. He has been published at The View from Here, and in Newsday, a Long Island newspaper. Michael speaks as a guest lecturer on campus.
Click Here to buy Michael J. Kannengieser's new novel, "The Daddy Rock," at Amazon
Back in the early 1990’s when I was a member of the now-defunct, New York City Housing Police Department, I sat with a group of NYPD officers in a routine Borough Based Training class. These are bi-annual meetings where officers are taught new laws and are brought up to date on departmental policy. In one particular session, a sergeant asked the cops in the room if they had any plans for employment after retiring.
Some of the officers stated that prior to joining the force they were carpenters, plumbers, electricians, or licensed in another skilled trade. However, they were in the minority. Most of the men and women in the room couldn’t see that far into the future to consider what life would be like without a gun on their hip and a shield pinned to their uniform. A general uneasiness filled the classroom. Some fidgeted with the papers on their desk and others sank back in their chairs.
The sergeant’s demeanor became serious. He placed his hands behind his back and pursed his lips. “The good news is that when you retire, there will be plenty of jobs waiting for all of you,” he said. “Employers love hiring ex-cops. But, the skills you bring to the table are hard to qualify in the civilian world. You can drive a truck, work as a guard, and become a bartender or a bus driver, but unless you have another skill like the electricians or carpenters in this room, you better get an education.” The sergeant nodded his head, satisfied that he got through to all of us and began talking about the subject matter at hand.
Police officers don’t want to talk about life after “the job.” Once a cop, always a cop, that’s what we’re told. Television shows, movies, and even books portray officers as die-hard civil servants who live police work as opposed to merely performing their duties. Being a cop denotes a certain attitude, an innate suspicion, a dispassionate appearance, and a jaded view of society as seen from its underside. Police are the community’s protectors, yet they’re the first in line to receive complaints for enforcing the very rules society puts in place. A thick skin is necessary to deal with seeing the human tragedy witnessed on a routine basis and for handling the trauma of losing fellow officers in the line of duty. Cops insulate themselves from others outside their vocation to guard against criticism and to commiserate with their colleagues.
When retirement finally comes, it takes a while to shed the habits of a law enforcement officer. The retiree has no authority. Even in the field of private security, the luster of fighting crime has dimmed. Others call you by your first name and the word “officer” no longer applies to you. Any employment you find does not have the same level of excitement and boredom becomes commonplace. A sense of dissatisfaction dulls the accomplishments at a civilian job, except where earning a paycheck is concerned. There are those who will congratulate you on your years of service, and others who will ask you for a good cop story from your experiences on patrol; but, as the years pass, your connection to police work and the honor of wearing the uniform fades. In spite of joining police fraternities and hanging around with your retired cop buddies, no one calls you in the middle of the night to investigate a suspicious noise.
Working as a bartender, a security guard, a truck driver, or any of the professions the sergeant mentioned in his cautionary monologue long ago in the classroom where I sat and listened with alarm, are fine jobs to have. Financially, a retiree should be able to raise a family with the wages earned while working such a job in conjunction with a police pension, but, looking back, I think the sergeant was projecting his own fears on room full of officers before him. Perhaps the message he wanted to get across is that there is no other job in the world like being a police officer.
Wearing a police shield, carrying a gun, donning the uniform, driving a sector car, and being a hero to those who call nine-one-one in an emergency are all positive, tangible aspects of a fine and noble profession. Losing the privilege of being called “officer,” and the respect one is extended while serving is difficult for most. Becoming a civilian after decades of wielding authority is an adjustment that takes a lot of getting used to. An education for another professional position where one is able to earn a lucrative salary or achieve success on a level an ordinary cop cannot aspire to without that education is a lofty goal; yet, after separating from the department, no matter what a retiree decides to do for a living, the title “retired police officer” is an honor well deserved.
About the Author:
Michael J. Kannengieser is a retired New York City police officer who lives on Long Island with his wife and two children. Michael worked as the Managing Editor for Fiction at The View from Here magazine, a U.K. based literary publication. Currently, he is employed at a performing arts college as an Instructional Technology Administrator. He has been published at The View from Here, and in Newsday, a Long Island newspaper. Michael speaks as a guest lecturer on campus.
Click Here to buy Michael J. Kannengieser's new novel, "The Daddy Rock," at Amazon
Member of Latin Kings Street Gang and Two Associates Sentenced in Indiana for Racketeering Conspiracy and Related Crimes
To contact us Click HERE
WASHINGTON – A member of the Latin Kings street gang and two associates were sentenced to prison this week in Hammond, Ind., federal court for racketeering conspiracy and other crimes in support of the gang, announced Assistant Attorney General Lanny A. Breuer of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division and U.S. Attorney David Capp of the Northern District of Indiana.
David Lira, aka “Flaco,” 39, of Chicago, was sentenced today to 180 months in prison after pleading guilty on July 13, 2012, to racketeering conspiracy. Gang associates Bianca Fernandez, 23, and Serina Arambula, 23, both of Chicago, were sentenced on Nov. 26, 2012, to 36 months and 21 months in prison, respectively. U.S. District Judge Rudy Lozano imposed the sentences. Fernandez pleaded guilty on Aug. 8, 2012, to conspiring to murder in aid of racketeering. Arambula pleaded guilty on August 7, 2012, to withholding information on a murder. According to the third superseding indictment filed in this case, the Latin Kings is a nationwide gang that originated in Chicago and has branched out throughout the United States. The Latin Kings is a well organized street gang that has specific leadership and is composed of regions that include multiple chapters. The third superseding indictment charges that the Latin Kings were responsible for more than 20 murders. Also according to the third superseding indictment, the Latin Kings enforces its rules and promotes discipline among its members, prospects and associates through murder, attempted murder, conspiracy to murder, assault and threats against those who violate the rules or pose a threat to the Latin Kings. Members are required to follow the orders of higher-ranking members, including taking on assignments often referred to as “missions.” During his guilty plea proceeding, Lira admitted to being a Latin Kings member at an early age. He also acknowledged he was aware that the Latin Kings, specifically some of his co-defendants, distributed more than 150 kilograms of cocaine and 1,000 kilograms of marijuana over the course of the racketeering conspiracy. Lira also acknowledged that on Feb. 24, 2007, Jose Zambrano, a regional enforcer for the gang, and other Latin Kings members dropped two firearms off at Lira’s residence in Lansing, Ill. The next evening, Zambrano and the others returned to retrieve the weapons from Lira before riding to the Soprano’s Bar in Griffith, Ind., where they gunned down and killed two rival gang members. Fernandez admitted in court that on Nov. 26, 2006, at the direction of a Latin Kings member, she accompanied two members of the rival Latin Dragons gang to Jackson Park, Ill., near La Rabida Children’s Hospital on the south side of Chicago. Fernandez also admitted she made arrangements for Latin Kings gang members to meet them at the location, where those gang members shot the Latin Dragons gang members, killing one. Fernandez admitted that when interviewed by Chicago police, she concealed the true nature of the murder. During her guilty plea proceeding, Arambula admitted to accompanying Fernandez and the Latin Dragon members to Jackson Park, and admitted to providing false information to Chicago police regarding the identity of the shooters. Twenty-three Latin Kings members and associates have been indicted in this case. Twenty have pleaded guilty; one was found guilty following a jury trial, one awaits trial, and one remains a fugitive. This case was investigated by the FBI; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; the Drug Enforcement Administration; U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement-Homeland Security Investigations (ICE-HSI); the National Gang Intelligence Center; the Chicago Police Department; the Houston Police Department; the Griffith Police Department; the Highland, Ind., Police Department; the Hammond, Ind., Police Department; and the East Chicago Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Joseph A. Cooley of the Criminal Division’s Organized Crime and Gang Section and David J. Nozick of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Indiana. Andrew Porter of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Illinois provided significant assistance. The third superseding indictment is not evidence of guilt. The defendants who have not been convicted are innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
David Lira, aka “Flaco,” 39, of Chicago, was sentenced today to 180 months in prison after pleading guilty on July 13, 2012, to racketeering conspiracy. Gang associates Bianca Fernandez, 23, and Serina Arambula, 23, both of Chicago, were sentenced on Nov. 26, 2012, to 36 months and 21 months in prison, respectively. U.S. District Judge Rudy Lozano imposed the sentences. Fernandez pleaded guilty on Aug. 8, 2012, to conspiring to murder in aid of racketeering. Arambula pleaded guilty on August 7, 2012, to withholding information on a murder. According to the third superseding indictment filed in this case, the Latin Kings is a nationwide gang that originated in Chicago and has branched out throughout the United States. The Latin Kings is a well organized street gang that has specific leadership and is composed of regions that include multiple chapters. The third superseding indictment charges that the Latin Kings were responsible for more than 20 murders. Also according to the third superseding indictment, the Latin Kings enforces its rules and promotes discipline among its members, prospects and associates through murder, attempted murder, conspiracy to murder, assault and threats against those who violate the rules or pose a threat to the Latin Kings. Members are required to follow the orders of higher-ranking members, including taking on assignments often referred to as “missions.” During his guilty plea proceeding, Lira admitted to being a Latin Kings member at an early age. He also acknowledged he was aware that the Latin Kings, specifically some of his co-defendants, distributed more than 150 kilograms of cocaine and 1,000 kilograms of marijuana over the course of the racketeering conspiracy. Lira also acknowledged that on Feb. 24, 2007, Jose Zambrano, a regional enforcer for the gang, and other Latin Kings members dropped two firearms off at Lira’s residence in Lansing, Ill. The next evening, Zambrano and the others returned to retrieve the weapons from Lira before riding to the Soprano’s Bar in Griffith, Ind., where they gunned down and killed two rival gang members. Fernandez admitted in court that on Nov. 26, 2006, at the direction of a Latin Kings member, she accompanied two members of the rival Latin Dragons gang to Jackson Park, Ill., near La Rabida Children’s Hospital on the south side of Chicago. Fernandez also admitted she made arrangements for Latin Kings gang members to meet them at the location, where those gang members shot the Latin Dragons gang members, killing one. Fernandez admitted that when interviewed by Chicago police, she concealed the true nature of the murder. During her guilty plea proceeding, Arambula admitted to accompanying Fernandez and the Latin Dragon members to Jackson Park, and admitted to providing false information to Chicago police regarding the identity of the shooters. Twenty-three Latin Kings members and associates have been indicted in this case. Twenty have pleaded guilty; one was found guilty following a jury trial, one awaits trial, and one remains a fugitive. This case was investigated by the FBI; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; the Drug Enforcement Administration; U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement-Homeland Security Investigations (ICE-HSI); the National Gang Intelligence Center; the Chicago Police Department; the Houston Police Department; the Griffith Police Department; the Highland, Ind., Police Department; the Hammond, Ind., Police Department; and the East Chicago Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Joseph A. Cooley of the Criminal Division’s Organized Crime and Gang Section and David J. Nozick of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Indiana. Andrew Porter of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Illinois provided significant assistance. The third superseding indictment is not evidence of guilt. The defendants who have not been convicted are innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
29 Kasım 2012 Perşembe
New Jersey to Tax Medical Marijuana–Last Roadblock to Launching and Opening Dispensaries
To contact us Click HERE
TRENTON — Medical marijuana will indeed be a cash crop in the Garden State.
It makes sense to tax and other states are doing it and it is 
noted that California who is always in the news on this topic will see just under $60 million in revenue. With those who use medical marijuana there’s usually not even so much as a concern about the tax and are happy to pay. We have heard that many times over in California. New Jersey can certainly use the revenue after Sandy. BD
TRENTON — Medical marijuana will indeed be a cash crop in the Garden State.
The Christie administration has determined New Jersey’s 7 percent sales tax will apply every time a pre-screened patient buys marijuana from an approved dispensary, state
Treasury spokesman Andrew Pratt said late today.
The decision could remove the last roadblock to launching New Jersey’s medical marijuana program.
The state has approved 318 patients to participate in the medical marijuana program so far, with 138 more in the application and screening process, Leusner said.
A study by the state Treasury Department in Vermont — which has four dispensaries — reported California was on track to collect at least $58 million in sales tax in 2012, and that Colorado collected $5 million last year.
http://www.nj.com/politics/index.ssf/2012/11/nj_to_tax_medical_marijuana_ch.html
Smith and Nephew Buy Texas Wound Care Firm Healthpoint Biotherapeutics–$782 Million
To contact us Click HERE
This seems to be a match of related and similar technologies. It was just earlier this year that the PICO system from Smith 
and Nephew received FDA approval which is a small device used either at home or at the hospital for therapy to help wounds heal. Just a couple weeks ago the company said they were looking for new acquisitions in the wound care business. Their knee and hip business is down a little and they have and distribute what has been called the 30 year knee.
FDA Clears PICO* Single Use Negative Pressure Wound Therapy System–Instructions for Application Use Provided by a MS Tag (barcode) On Packaging
Healthpoint employs 460 people and has revenues of $150 million so is there something else in the works with new products to come out soon? Johnson and Johnson at one point also tried to acquire Smith and Nephew for more than 7 billion but that didn’t work out. I would guess their knee implant might have been a big motivator there with all the issues J and J had with theirs. You can view the products from Healthpoint here as relates to wound care and they also offer products that help control infection such as hand washes, etc. . BD
LONDON — British medical technology company Smith & Nephew PLC said Wednesday it is buying Texas-based Healthpoint Biotherapeutics for $782 million.
Healthpoint Biotherapeutics, founded in 1992, is a privately owned company that focuses on acute, chronic and burn-related wound care.
Travis Baugh, Healthpoint’s president and chief operating officer, said the acquisition “will enable us to accelerate 
many of the initiatives we wanted to pursue and will provide development and promotional opportunities to our employees that would not have been available to them had we stayed an independent company.”
Healthpoint, which has 460 employees, will continue to be based in Fort Worth.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/business/uks-smith-and-nephew-buys-texas-based-wound-care-firm-healthpoint-biotherapeutics-for-782-ml/2012/11/28/646d5fc2-3949-11e2-9258-ac7c78d5c680_story.html
800 Medical Device Companies Send Letters to Congress Regarding Excise Tax on Devices–Suggested Alternative Has Been Here At the Medical Quack for Months..Tax the Data Sellers Instead
To contact us Click HERE
“Department of Algorithms – Do We Need One of These to Regulate Upcoming Laws?
E-Scoring Credit Algorithms Invisible To Consumers Used to Market and Evaluate, Does Not Fall Under Federal Law And Such Are Used by Insurance Companies - How Will This Work With Exchanges –Attack of the Killer Algorithms Chapter 42
Cook Medical Cancels Plans for Factory Expansions–We Need Companies That Create Tangible Products As They Create Jobs–Tax The Data Sellers/Brokers Who Make Billions With Data Mining “Killer Algorithms” And Give the Device Companies a Break
Quotes from the video: “with software you can do anything but not so in real life”…”you become so isolated from the real world”…”making money is like a drug”…”you are just so much better than anyone else”…” I used to be a computer programmer at a major player on Wall Street that is no longer among us for obvious reasons”…”I did the plumbing, not the model itself but the infrastructure surrounding the model”…”I could do it sleeping”…”why I decided to stay off camera and anonymous”…”we sold the software to all the investment banks”…”I left in 2000 and after that it went nuts”…”CEOs are actually fantastic instruments when they slice and dice”…”I have to apologize to the planet (said the quant)”..”I have the ability to see patterns and abstract mathematical symbols”…(most programmers do)…”the managers just have to believe the quants”…”if it’s a hedge fund they are taking a percentage of the money even if you go bankrupt, they don’t lose money it’s the client’s money that is lost”…”wait a minute (developer) these guys are out of control (Wall Street)”…”because I was a technologist I did not fully understand what was going on”…”you have to have some kind of responsibility”…”If people don’t complain now, it serves them right (quant)”…
”people that are in the business now refuse to talk to the press as they would probably be fired”…”you have to be perfect and you have to be right all the time, if the software fails you lose millions and billions”…”it’s a lot of stress”…(that goes for almost any software development, healthcare included)…”you wake up and you don’t know what day it is”…”banking has completely lost touch with it’s purpose”…”sometimes the real world is just dirty (quant)”…'”Quant back to the drawing board and re-do your numbers change the math and make it look less risky”….”hide the risk”…”once you have too much mathematics, it’s difficult to see where the mistakes are”…”banking has become so enormous it has outstripped all other businesses when it should be supporting”…”hedge funds get the black boxes as close as they can to the exchange”…”a black box has a secret or a formula inside, stock prices, etc. that tells you what to trade”…”Google search, trading on what people are searching for”…”people say Goldman itself is a black box, we don’t know how it makes all it’s money”…
So this is where the money went and we need to hang on to our tangible manufacturing business and not send it away and not be duped by the formulas and bad models that cause
“Algo Duping”. Place the tax elsewhere on those who are benefiting from data so we can regain some balance and not lose more jobs. Again after watching the video you may have a lot better idea as to how are arrived at where we are and that the need for key executives with some computer science and IT experience is mandatory or we go further down this road to recession and the dirty code and models for profit win and get more our money, leave the device people alone and look at other choices. 
Now that the time is getting closer, the heat is on. When the healthcare reform law was created things were different and the 
economy was better. Any business in the US making tangibles is having a hard time as Wall Street way over inflated the value of software algorithms, social algorithms you name it and the tangible side can’t keep up. You can blame Wall Street for their greed once more, but back on track this tax should be reversed and we don’t have enough folks in executive positions with enough computer science or even a tiny bit of IT experience. Big thumbs up though for Illinois who elected a physicist and I have great hope for him in helping bring some of the digital illiterates we elect up to speed as that’s about our only hope.
Today reading the news about Darrell Issa proposing a 2 year ban on internet laws…this is sticking out like a huge sore thumb..does he not realize how foot in digital illiterate mouth looks? This is where they 
need to get on board and granted the media continues their somewhat strange reporting at times but those journalists have goals to reach as far as readers and they know sex, drama queen antics, and OMG get readers so that’s what we get and frankly if I were in their position with a boss wanting numbers, what do you do, you play the game or don’t have a job, so no personal attacks there at all. Actually it’s kind of good that they do that as they get the basic news out and then folks like me and others can dissect it and give you another view which is what I try to do with honesty.
I used to write code and so for the most part this blog gets away from the “magpie news formats” as best I can. We need journalists as they bring the story in and the support the bloggers too but yeah I do wish the OMG and drama queen crap were down to a smaller number as I know we need some of that to have a healthy mix. We do have Jon Stewart and Steven Colbert to bring us back to earth when the crap gets real bad and even the press themselves at some point makes fun of themselves too.
We have this entire billion dollar profit machine out there that nobody wants to see I guess that gets their data for nothing and their profits for free and those are the data sellers who “should” be paying an excise tax and be licensed. I keep reading over and over and over about the potential cuts to science, well this tax could fund a lot of 
science at the NIH, help the FDA and what ever else you might want to toss in there as the profits are huge when you bring in banks, companies you name it. You can read more about how it would help the NIH and FDA here. When you think of Walgreens in 2010 making short of $800 million, how big is that pot…HUGE! All business relies on it today and I think about this every time as a consumer when I have to pay an excise tax on a tire I need for my car to keep the highway infrastructure up. What pays for the government IT infrastructure? Nobody…and business benefits more than anyone else from it.
One More Good Reason to Tax the Data Sellers– Create Additional Funding for the NIH and FDA From Sources That Otherwise Are Too Greedy to Share & Contribute
In the meantime we are all somewhat Algo Duped on what data is important and what has value and there’s just flat out crap out there too, everyone knows that but they still seem to spin market crap. It’s totally amazing that corporate USA (this includes companies, banks, trading firms, social media and ton of other entities) are just flat out getting rich from 
selling data. In addition state governments who do license some of these mining bots are now having a new expense with it, software to limit the bots so you and I as consumers can still get access. A while back North Carolina tossed out Core Logic due to this and the fact that they were not updating and paying timely for updated information. Have you as a “consumer data chaser” had the experience of getting corrected information fixed and then wait and wait and wait until it gets updated? This is part of the reason. Here’s another back link of mine on the topic.
Congress To Investigate the Data Sellers - Need To Create a Law to Tax Them As The Algorithms Used For This Business Generate Billions of Dollars, Partly Why Corporate Profits Are So High - Remove the Medical Device Tax as They Produce Needed Jobs/Tangibles
This topic was also chapter 17 of my Attack of the Killer Algorithms series which depicts how math and formulas “get you” when you least expect it and it is due to flawed data or folks using unethical algorithms and formulas for profit. Instead of the Occupy movement as we see it, “Occupy Algorithms” for goodness sakes and let’s get some accurate queries and data out there instead of some of the ones designed for “desired” results. We end up with something along this line:
”Hey dude let’s crunch some numbers and see if we can come up with some analytics to sell”
Well we have one down with the SEC commissioner leaving 
and I hope we get a replacement in there soon with a tiny bit of computer science or IT in their background. Back when Sebelius was nominate I about got chastised when I suggested someone else and this is not personal but when you have written data you can visualize how this is going to play out and at that time I said Health IT was going to run her over and it’s about there with the way technology has evolved. Three years ago I said this below, meaning check the math, the formulas and lets clean things up.
“Department of Algorithms – Do We Need One of These to Regulate Upcoming Laws?
You also have this guy making millions selling our data and he operates outside the government’s jurisdiction, little over head other than maintaining the algorithms that mine the data he sells and you as a consumer have no access.
E-Scoring Credit Algorithms Invisible To Consumers Used to Market and Evaluate, Does Not Fall Under Federal Law And Such Are Used by Insurance Companies - How Will This Work With Exchanges –Attack of the Killer Algorithms Chapter 42
So yes in view of all of this scamming going on, move the tax over here as the device companies are some of the last tangibles we have left in the US and they create jobs..what does Congress not see here? They have to negotiate too with insurance companies to cover a lot of what they 
produce and that’s another bunch who makes billions selling our data, tax them. Sure some device companies may sell data but they would be in there with everyone else and it would not be such a big chunk to absorb as the banks and the social networks I would guess would have most taxes to pay. License them so fines can be given out for selling without a license. Require all to update a federal website where they disclose what kind of data they sell and to who. We all talk about transparency so this would be part of the deal, a win for consumers too.
We need the device manufacturers and even some of them due to this tax have fallen into the area of selling data and not expanding
and do it over seas and why not if you can hire a few technologist to mine and sell data and move your job over seas. I’m not saying all have done this but some have and the US gets no no jobs. If they had to pay a tax on some of this that is stiff enough it could be just enough to where buildings plants and hiring employees looks good again. They didn’t create this issue but our government just sat back and let it grow as so many are digital illiterate to the changing world of technology. I hear the same thing from folks in the markets too that they are appalled at what the government allows to occur but they do things they think are morally wrong because the government allows it.
Here’s a story I did on Cook Medical and it proves exactly what I said in the above paragraph, they are not building a new factory in the US as they have to pay this excise tax. This is not showing favoritism but rather this reality and it’s happening more than what you think, get in to some math and do the numbers. I had people write and thank me for this article.
Cook Medical Cancels Plans for Factory Expansions–We Need Companies That Create Tangible Products As They Create Jobs–Tax The Data Sellers/Brokers Who Make Billions With Data Mining “Killer Algorithms” And Give the Device Companies a Break
Cook Medical claims the tax on medical devices, set to take effect next year, will cost the company roughly $20 million a year, cutting into money that would otherwise go toward expanding into new
facilities over the next five years. This was also one of my Attack of the Killer Algorithm stories, which is a year long grouping of how algorithms and formulas attack you in real life and the reality of all the flawed data arising out there as companies and banks combine credible data with non credible data to make a buck. Now I like data and what it does but I can also see when it gets stupid and formulas created only for money…more on that later..
“Devaluate the Algorithm” And “Tax the Data Sellers”–A Cure for Both Healthcare and an Economy Based Heavily on Intangibles–We’ve Lost Our Balance
I write this because I don’t think our lawmakers are aware of the words choices and options today and we have a lot of them and I tried to tell the device folks “suggest this” as an alternative because if you wait for them to come up with an alternative idea or suggestion, it’s not going to happen. I still have my House of Representatives person here in the OC still doing Town Halls using “robocalls” so I see it and don’t deny it:) My phone rings and he’s just so happy on the robocall recording to have me and all the others robocalled in his presence. Amazing is is not that I live in one of the most technology savvy areas of the US and that’s what I get….ok moving on..
I don’t very often stand by Fox but they have this one right and it could be by accident I don’t know but this is a sure way to send the US economy further down the tubes when there are plenty of other
alternatives and folks just won’t open their eyes. Now one more video and this video under several other posts I have done has been going like gangbusters. It’s on this page too on the left hand side so watch and learn. This is where the trouble begins with greed and fiction with math, codes and formulas. It doesn’t get any better than this when the folks aka quants tell you about their work and the fiction they are paid to write and they too tell you that if we let this continue it’s our own fault. We need to use some logic and drop the OMG and drama queen crap and take a look at the reality here. I just checked the views on this and the maker should be happy here as a couple months ago it only it had 3000 views and now its up over 400,000. I don’t see anyone else pitching it so a good thing as folks are getting educated.
Quotes from the video: “with software you can do anything but not so in real life”…”you become so isolated from the real world”…”making money is like a drug”…”you are just so much better than anyone else”…” I used to be a computer programmer at a major player on Wall Street that is no longer among us for obvious reasons”…”I did the plumbing, not the model itself but the infrastructure surrounding the model”…”I could do it sleeping”…”why I decided to stay off camera and anonymous”…”we sold the software to all the investment banks”…”I left in 2000 and after that it went nuts”…”CEOs are actually fantastic instruments when they slice and dice”…”I have to apologize to the planet (said the quant)”..”I have the ability to see patterns and abstract mathematical symbols”…(most programmers do)…”the managers just have to believe the quants”…”if it’s a hedge fund they are taking a percentage of the money even if you go bankrupt, they don’t lose money it’s the client’s money that is lost”…”wait a minute (developer) these guys are out of control (Wall Street)”…”because I was a technologist I did not fully understand what was going on”…”you have to have some kind of responsibility”…”If people don’t complain now, it serves them right (quant)”…
”people that are in the business now refuse to talk to the press as they would probably be fired”…”you have to be perfect and you have to be right all the time, if the software fails you lose millions and billions”…”it’s a lot of stress”…(that goes for almost any software development, healthcare included)…”you wake up and you don’t know what day it is”…”banking has completely lost touch with it’s purpose”…”sometimes the real world is just dirty (quant)”…'”Quant back to the drawing board and re-do your numbers change the math and make it look less risky”….”hide the risk”…”once you have too much mathematics, it’s difficult to see where the mistakes are”…”banking has become so enormous it has outstripped all other businesses when it should be supporting”…”hedge funds get the black boxes as close as they can to the exchange”…”a black box has a secret or a formula inside, stock prices, etc. that tells you what to trade”…”Google search, trading on what people are searching for”…”people say Goldman itself is a black box, we don’t know how it makes all it’s money”…
So this is where the money went and we need to hang on to our tangible manufacturing business and not send it away and not be duped by the formulas and bad models that cause
“Algo Duping”. Place the tax elsewhere on those who are benefiting from data so we can regain some balance and not lose more jobs. Again after watching the video you may have a lot better idea as to how are arrived at where we are and that the need for key executives with some computer science and IT experience is mandatory or we go further down this road to recession and the dirty code and models for profit win and get more our money, leave the device people alone and look at other choices.
If you want to see more on the algorithms visit Algo Duping 101 for additional videos. BD
http://video.foxbusiness.com/v/1995105037001/800-companies-demand-repeal-medical-device-tax
Angry? There's a class for that
To contact us Click HERE
by Airman 1st Class Kia Atkins
35th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
11/16/2012 - MISAWA AIR BASE, Japan -- Have you ever had one of those days where nothing seemed to be going right and someone knew exactly what buttons to push and they were not only pushing them, they were bashing them with a hammer? Maybe on a different day you would be able to deal with the situation, but this time you are seriously contemplating punching someone in the face or maybe giving them a piece of your mind.
If you feel like the anger or stress in your life is getting difficult to handle on your own or you would like to learn some techniques to help resolve stressful situations in your life, Family Advocacy can help. The anger management class teaches a variety of techniques to better cope with life's stressors.
"Something we do not advocate in anger management is to suppress your anger," said David Powell, 35th Medical Operations Squadron family advocacy outreach manager. "We advocate managing your anger by taking a time out, going for a walk, taking deep breaths, going to the gym, taking a hot bath, different thinking methods and things of that nature."
The class is offered to active duty servicemembers, Department of Defense civilians and dependents that are eighteen and older. Anger management is four classes long and starts the first Wednesday of every month.
Everyone has different ways of handling things that make them angry and some people handle it better than others, but you know yourself best, said Powell. If you feel like your anger is worse than normal, you can come by and see us, he said.
So if you're having one of those days where someone is pushing your buttons so hard that you are fighting the urge to jump over your desk and take them down, maybe you should give local anger management a shot by calling to sign up.
35th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
11/16/2012 - MISAWA AIR BASE, Japan -- Have you ever had one of those days where nothing seemed to be going right and someone knew exactly what buttons to push and they were not only pushing them, they were bashing them with a hammer? Maybe on a different day you would be able to deal with the situation, but this time you are seriously contemplating punching someone in the face or maybe giving them a piece of your mind.
If you feel like the anger or stress in your life is getting difficult to handle on your own or you would like to learn some techniques to help resolve stressful situations in your life, Family Advocacy can help. The anger management class teaches a variety of techniques to better cope with life's stressors.
"Something we do not advocate in anger management is to suppress your anger," said David Powell, 35th Medical Operations Squadron family advocacy outreach manager. "We advocate managing your anger by taking a time out, going for a walk, taking deep breaths, going to the gym, taking a hot bath, different thinking methods and things of that nature."
The class is offered to active duty servicemembers, Department of Defense civilians and dependents that are eighteen and older. Anger management is four classes long and starts the first Wednesday of every month.
Everyone has different ways of handling things that make them angry and some people handle it better than others, but you know yourself best, said Powell. If you feel like your anger is worse than normal, you can come by and see us, he said.
So if you're having one of those days where someone is pushing your buttons so hard that you are fighting the urge to jump over your desk and take them down, maybe you should give local anger management a shot by calling to sign up.
Marshal’s New Tip Capabilities Net 23 Year Fugitive
To contact us Click HERE
Detroit,MI – The Detroit Fugitive Apprehension Team (DFAT) has made its first arrestusing the new TIP411 system that it rolled out a few weeks ago. Shannon GeneRing, 46 years old, of Monroe, Michigan, was arrested by the Marshals led DFATearlier today. The arrest came as a direct result of a tip received via the newtexting tip service recently. Ring was wanted in Monroe County from 1989 forFailure to Appear for a Probation Violation with the underlying charge being Manufactureand Deliver a Controlled Substance (Marijuana). Ring was arrested in the 400block of Antoinette in the City of Detroit without incident. He had only beenback in Michigan from California for a day when DFAT received the text tip. Hewas transported to Monroe County Jail and will appear in court within the nextfew days.
Underthe new texting tip system the Task Force is now able to receive anonymous tipsfrom the public via text message. Tipsters are now able to send a tip to theTask Force by texting keyword “DFAT” and your tip to 847411 (tip411).Thetechnology is available from a company called Citizen Observer whichspecializes in providing this service to law enforcement agencies. Theirservice guarantees that the tipster and the tipster’s phone number remainanonymous to the law enforcement agency unless the tipster chooses to identifythemselves.
TheU.S. Marshal led Detroit Fugitive Apprehension Team has brought together someof the best federal, state, and local fugitive hunters in the Eastern Districtof Michigan. Coupled with this new technology, DFAT fugitive hunters will beeven more formidable.
U.S.Marshal Robert M Grubbs stated, “This new tool provides the public with yetanother method of delivering valuable information to our Task Force to utilizewhen pursuing these wanted fugitives. We are optimistic that this will lead tomany more arrests as our tip phone line has thus far.”
Detroit,MI – The Detroit Fugitive Apprehension Team (DFAT) has made its first arrestusing the new TIP411 system that it rolled out a few weeks ago. Shannon GeneRing, 46 years old, of Monroe, Michigan, was arrested by the Marshals led DFATearlier today. The arrest came as a direct result of a tip received via the newtexting tip service recently. Ring was wanted in Monroe County from 1989 forFailure to Appear for a Probation Violation with the underlying charge being Manufactureand Deliver a Controlled Substance (Marijuana). Ring was arrested in the 400block of Antoinette in the City of Detroit without incident. He had only beenback in Michigan from California for a day when DFAT received the text tip. Hewas transported to Monroe County Jail and will appear in court within the nextfew days.
Underthe new texting tip system the Task Force is now able to receive anonymous tipsfrom the public via text message. Tipsters are now able to send a tip to theTask Force by texting keyword “DFAT” and your tip to 847411 (tip411).Thetechnology is available from a company called Citizen Observer whichspecializes in providing this service to law enforcement agencies. Theirservice guarantees that the tipster and the tipster’s phone number remainanonymous to the law enforcement agency unless the tipster chooses to identifythemselves.
TheU.S. Marshal led Detroit Fugitive Apprehension Team has brought together someof the best federal, state, and local fugitive hunters in the Eastern Districtof Michigan. Coupled with this new technology, DFAT fugitive hunters will beeven more formidable.
U.S.Marshal Robert M Grubbs stated, “This new tool provides the public with yetanother method of delivering valuable information to our Task Force to utilizewhen pursuing these wanted fugitives. We are optimistic that this will lead tomany more arrests as our tip phone line has thus far.”
28 Kasım 2012 Çarşamba
MemorialCare in Southern California Buying Assets of an Existing HMO to Create It’s Own Health Plan Names Seaside Health Plan
To contact us Click HERE
OptumHealth (Subsidiary of United Healthcare) Takes Over Memorial IPA in California-Subsidiary Watch
The new plan will be names Seaside Health Plan and licenses have been applied for. In addition Seaside will also will participate in a state project that addressing the needs of children with
certain diseases and chronic conditions. Seaside will support managed care Medi-Cal members. It will be maintained as a subsidiary of MemorialCare. Universal Care will continue with it’s line of business that was not purchased by MemorialCare. This is one way to keep some of the HMO business from insurance company ownership, which has been big in the OC. Last year United bought the doctors group, Memorial IPA and most of the physician members there work at Memorial hospitals.
OptumHealth (Subsidiary of United Healthcare) Takes Over Memorial IPA in California-Subsidiary Watch
In addition back in 2010 they also opened up 3 retail clinics in the OC, one of which I see when I do my grocery shopping. BD
Memorial Care Health Systems Opening 3 “HealthExpress” Walk In Clinics Inside Albertsons/Sav-On Stores – Orange County
LONG BEACH and ORANGE COUNTY, Calif., Nov. 27, 2012 — LONG BEACH and ORANGE COUNTY, Calif., Nov. 27, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ --MemorialCare Health System in Southern California today announced an agreement to purchase specific assets of Universal Care and the filing of an application for its newly formed Seaside Health Plan to become a California licensed health plan.
Seaside is organized to support managed Medi-Cal members and prepare for the California Children's Services (CCS) demonstration project that addresses the needs of children with certain diseases and ongoing medical conditions.
These developments enhance MemorialCare's mission of ensuring Southland communities have convenient access to high quality, evidence-based medicine, superior value, exceptional service and a network of integrated providers—top hospitals, physicians, outpatient services, ambulatory centers and preventive care for all ages.
http://www.heraldonline.com/2012/11/27/4443483/memorialcare-health-system-announces.html#storylink=cpy
Angry? There's a class for that
To contact us Click HERE
by Airman 1st Class Kia Atkins
35th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
11/16/2012 - MISAWA AIR BASE, Japan -- Have you ever had one of those days where nothing seemed to be going right and someone knew exactly what buttons to push and they were not only pushing them, they were bashing them with a hammer? Maybe on a different day you would be able to deal with the situation, but this time you are seriously contemplating punching someone in the face or maybe giving them a piece of your mind.
If you feel like the anger or stress in your life is getting difficult to handle on your own or you would like to learn some techniques to help resolve stressful situations in your life, Family Advocacy can help. The anger management class teaches a variety of techniques to better cope with life's stressors.
"Something we do not advocate in anger management is to suppress your anger," said David Powell, 35th Medical Operations Squadron family advocacy outreach manager. "We advocate managing your anger by taking a time out, going for a walk, taking deep breaths, going to the gym, taking a hot bath, different thinking methods and things of that nature."
The class is offered to active duty servicemembers, Department of Defense civilians and dependents that are eighteen and older. Anger management is four classes long and starts the first Wednesday of every month.
Everyone has different ways of handling things that make them angry and some people handle it better than others, but you know yourself best, said Powell. If you feel like your anger is worse than normal, you can come by and see us, he said.
So if you're having one of those days where someone is pushing your buttons so hard that you are fighting the urge to jump over your desk and take them down, maybe you should give local anger management a shot by calling to sign up.
35th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
11/16/2012 - MISAWA AIR BASE, Japan -- Have you ever had one of those days where nothing seemed to be going right and someone knew exactly what buttons to push and they were not only pushing them, they were bashing them with a hammer? Maybe on a different day you would be able to deal with the situation, but this time you are seriously contemplating punching someone in the face or maybe giving them a piece of your mind.
If you feel like the anger or stress in your life is getting difficult to handle on your own or you would like to learn some techniques to help resolve stressful situations in your life, Family Advocacy can help. The anger management class teaches a variety of techniques to better cope with life's stressors.
"Something we do not advocate in anger management is to suppress your anger," said David Powell, 35th Medical Operations Squadron family advocacy outreach manager. "We advocate managing your anger by taking a time out, going for a walk, taking deep breaths, going to the gym, taking a hot bath, different thinking methods and things of that nature."
The class is offered to active duty servicemembers, Department of Defense civilians and dependents that are eighteen and older. Anger management is four classes long and starts the first Wednesday of every month.
Everyone has different ways of handling things that make them angry and some people handle it better than others, but you know yourself best, said Powell. If you feel like your anger is worse than normal, you can come by and see us, he said.
So if you're having one of those days where someone is pushing your buttons so hard that you are fighting the urge to jump over your desk and take them down, maybe you should give local anger management a shot by calling to sign up.
Mexican National Sentenced to 54 Months in Prison for Trafficking the Identities of Puerto Rican U.S. Citizens
To contact us Click HERE
WASHINGTON – A Mexican national was sentenced today to 54 months in prison for trafficking of identities of Puerto Rican U.S. citizens and corresponding identity documents, announced Assistant Attorney General Lanny A. Breuer of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; U.S. Attorney Rosa E. RodrÃguez-Vélez for the District of Puerto Rico; Director John Morton of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), which oversees Homeland Security Investigations (HSI); Chief Postal Inspector Guy J. Cottrell of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS); Scott P. Bultrowicz, Director of the U.S. State Department’s Diplomatic Security Service (DSS); and Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) Chief Richard Weber.
Jose Sergio Garcia-Ramirez, 37, formerly of Rockford, Ill., was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Gustavo A. GelpÃ, in the District of Puerto Rico. Judge Gelpà also ordered that Garcia-Ramirez forfeit $35,900 in proceeds and ordered the removal of Garcia-Ramirez from the United States after the completion of his sentence.
On July 17, 2012, Garcia-Ramirez pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit identification fraud and one count of aggravated identity theft before U.S. Magistrate Judge Bruce J. McGiverin in the District of Puerto Rico.
Garcia-Ramirez was charged in a superseding indictment returned by a federal grand jury in Puerto Rico on Mar. 22, 2012. To date, a total of 53 individuals have been charged for their roles in the identity trafficking scheme, and 18 defendants have pleaded guilty.
Court documents allege that individuals located in the Savarona area of Caguas, Puerto Rico (Savarona suppliers), obtained Puerto Rican identities and corresponding identity documents. Other conspirators located in various cities throughout the United States (identity brokers) allegedly solicited customers and sold Social Security cards and corresponding Puerto Rico birth certificates for prices ranging from $700 to $2,500 per set. The superseding indictment alleges that identity brokers ordered the identity documents from Savarona suppliers, on behalf of the customers, by making coded telephone calls. The conspirators are charged with using text messages, money transfer services and express, priority or regular U.S. mail to complete their illicit transactions.
Court documents allege that some identity brokers assumed a Puerto Rican identity themselves and used that identity in connection with the trafficking operation. Their customers allegedly generally obtained the identity documents to assume the identity of Puerto Rican U.S. citizens and to obtain additional identification documents, such as legitimate state driver’s licenses. Some customers allegedly obtained the documents to commit financial fraud and attempted to obtain a U.S. passport.
According to court documents, various identity brokers were operating in Rockford, Ill.; DeKalb, Ill.; Aurora, Ill.; Seymour, Ind.; Columbus, Ind.; Indianapolis; Hartford, Conn.; Clewiston, Fla.; Lilburn, Ga.; Norcross, Ga.; Salisbury, Md.; Columbus, Ohio; Fairfield, Ohio; Dorchester, Mass.; Lawrence, Mass.; Salem, Mass.; Worcester, Mass.; Grand Rapids, Mich.; Nebraska City, Neb.; Elizabeth, N.J.; Burlington, N.C.; Hickory, N.C.; Hazelton, Pa.; Philadelphia; Houston; Abingdon, Va.; Albertville, Ala.; and Providence, R.I.
Garcia-Ramirez admitted that he was an identity broker in the conspiracy and operated in Illinois. Garcia-Ramirez is the fourth defendant to be sentenced in this case.
The charges are the result of Operation Island Express, an ongoing, nationally-coordinated investigation led by the ICE-HSI Chicago Office and USPIS, DSS and IRS-CI offices in Chicago, in coordination with the ICE-HSI San Juan Office. The Illinois Secretary of State Police; Elgin, Ill., Police Department; Seymour, Ind., Police Department; and Indiana State Police provided substantial assistance. The ICE-HSI Assistant Attaché office in the Dominican Republic and International Organized Crime Intelligence and Operations Center (IOC-2) as well as various ICE, USPIS, DSS and IRS-CI offices around the country provided invaluable assistance.
The case is being prosecuted by Trial Attorneys James S. Yoon, Hope S. Olds, Courtney B. Schaefer and Christina Giffin of the Justice Department Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section, with the assistance of Acting Deputy Chief Jeannette Gunderson of the Criminal Division’s Asset Forfeiture and Money Laundering Section, and the support of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Puerto Rico. The U.S. Attorney’s Offices in the Northern District of Illinois, Southern District of Indiana, District of Connecticut, District of Massachusetts, District of Nebraska, Middle District of North Carolina, Southern District of Ohio and Western District of Virginia provided substantial assistance.
Jose Sergio Garcia-Ramirez, 37, formerly of Rockford, Ill., was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Gustavo A. GelpÃ, in the District of Puerto Rico. Judge Gelpà also ordered that Garcia-Ramirez forfeit $35,900 in proceeds and ordered the removal of Garcia-Ramirez from the United States after the completion of his sentence.
On July 17, 2012, Garcia-Ramirez pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit identification fraud and one count of aggravated identity theft before U.S. Magistrate Judge Bruce J. McGiverin in the District of Puerto Rico.
Garcia-Ramirez was charged in a superseding indictment returned by a federal grand jury in Puerto Rico on Mar. 22, 2012. To date, a total of 53 individuals have been charged for their roles in the identity trafficking scheme, and 18 defendants have pleaded guilty.
Court documents allege that individuals located in the Savarona area of Caguas, Puerto Rico (Savarona suppliers), obtained Puerto Rican identities and corresponding identity documents. Other conspirators located in various cities throughout the United States (identity brokers) allegedly solicited customers and sold Social Security cards and corresponding Puerto Rico birth certificates for prices ranging from $700 to $2,500 per set. The superseding indictment alleges that identity brokers ordered the identity documents from Savarona suppliers, on behalf of the customers, by making coded telephone calls. The conspirators are charged with using text messages, money transfer services and express, priority or regular U.S. mail to complete their illicit transactions.
Court documents allege that some identity brokers assumed a Puerto Rican identity themselves and used that identity in connection with the trafficking operation. Their customers allegedly generally obtained the identity documents to assume the identity of Puerto Rican U.S. citizens and to obtain additional identification documents, such as legitimate state driver’s licenses. Some customers allegedly obtained the documents to commit financial fraud and attempted to obtain a U.S. passport.
According to court documents, various identity brokers were operating in Rockford, Ill.; DeKalb, Ill.; Aurora, Ill.; Seymour, Ind.; Columbus, Ind.; Indianapolis; Hartford, Conn.; Clewiston, Fla.; Lilburn, Ga.; Norcross, Ga.; Salisbury, Md.; Columbus, Ohio; Fairfield, Ohio; Dorchester, Mass.; Lawrence, Mass.; Salem, Mass.; Worcester, Mass.; Grand Rapids, Mich.; Nebraska City, Neb.; Elizabeth, N.J.; Burlington, N.C.; Hickory, N.C.; Hazelton, Pa.; Philadelphia; Houston; Abingdon, Va.; Albertville, Ala.; and Providence, R.I.
Garcia-Ramirez admitted that he was an identity broker in the conspiracy and operated in Illinois. Garcia-Ramirez is the fourth defendant to be sentenced in this case.
The charges are the result of Operation Island Express, an ongoing, nationally-coordinated investigation led by the ICE-HSI Chicago Office and USPIS, DSS and IRS-CI offices in Chicago, in coordination with the ICE-HSI San Juan Office. The Illinois Secretary of State Police; Elgin, Ill., Police Department; Seymour, Ind., Police Department; and Indiana State Police provided substantial assistance. The ICE-HSI Assistant Attaché office in the Dominican Republic and International Organized Crime Intelligence and Operations Center (IOC-2) as well as various ICE, USPIS, DSS and IRS-CI offices around the country provided invaluable assistance.
The case is being prosecuted by Trial Attorneys James S. Yoon, Hope S. Olds, Courtney B. Schaefer and Christina Giffin of the Justice Department Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section, with the assistance of Acting Deputy Chief Jeannette Gunderson of the Criminal Division’s Asset Forfeiture and Money Laundering Section, and the support of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Puerto Rico. The U.S. Attorney’s Offices in the Northern District of Illinois, Southern District of Indiana, District of Connecticut, District of Massachusetts, District of Nebraska, Middle District of North Carolina, Southern District of Ohio and Western District of Virginia provided substantial assistance.
Former Chicago Massage Parlor Operator Sentenced to Life in Prison for Human Trafficking of Four Women
To contact us Click HERE
Alex Campbell, 45, of Glenview, Ill., a former northwest suburban massage parlor owner was sentenced today to life in federal prison for various crimes including sex-trafficking, forced labor, harboring illegal aliens, confiscating passports to further forced labor and extortion involving four foreign women whom he mentally and physically abused while forcing them to work for him, the Justice Department announced today. The defendant, who operated the Day and Night Spa on Northwest Highway in Mt. Prospect, Ill., used violence and threats of violence to force three women from the Ukraine and one from Belarus to work for him without pay and, at times, little to no subsistence between July 2008 and January 2010. Campbell, also known as “Dave” and “Daddy” and who called himself “Cowboy,” was also ordered to pay approximately $124,000 restitution by U.S. District Judge Robert Gettleman. There is no parole in the federal prison system. Campbell was convicted at trial in January of this year of three counts each of forced labor, harboring illegal aliens for financial gain and confiscating passports and other immigration documents to force the victims to work and one count each of sex trafficking by force, and extortion. He faced a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in prison and a maximum of life on the sex-trafficking count alone, and the judge also imposed maximum prison terms ranging from five to 20 years on each of the remaining counts, to run concurrent with the life sentence. “Alex Campbell abused women by violently coercing them into labor and commercial sex. By working together with law enforcement and community groups, those women were able to testify about that abuse,” said Thomas E. Perez, Assistant Attorney General for the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “Today’s sentence is a victory not only for the Department and the Cook County Human Trafficking Task Force, but also for those women who so bravely came forward and told the truth about their exploitation.” “If you treat human beings as property, to be branded, beaten, raped, and sold, the law will punish you to the greatest extent possible,” said Gary S. Shapiro, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois. “This sentence ensures Alex Campbell’s incapacitation, which will prevent him from victimizing other women.” “The sentence handed down today sends a clear message to those who think they can callously prey upon vulnerable women to turn a profit,” said Gary J. Hartwig, Special Agent-in-Charge of Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations in Chicago. “HSI will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to ensure that those who engage in human trafficking are held accountable for their actions.” Cook County Sheriff Thomas J. Dart, whose sheriff’s police initiated the investigation, said, “I am extremely proud of the effort and resolution of all the agencies involved with the successful investigation, conviction and now sentencing of such a violent individual.” All four victims testified as government witnesses at trial, as well as co-defendant, Danielle John, 25, who pleaded guilty before trial to two counts of harboring illegal aliens for financial gain. She was sentenced previously to three years’ probation. In addition to the trial victims, the government presented evidence that investigators learned of approximately 20 women that Campbell victimized. The trial showed that Campbell recruited and groomed foreign women without legal status in the United States to become part of his “Family,” which he claimed was an international organization that would provide them with support. He offered them jobs in his massage parlor, a place to live, assistance with immigration, and lured each of them to enter into a romantic relationship with him. After gaining their trust, he forced the victims to get tattooed with his moniker, which he said made them his property and allowed him to stop paying them. At the same time, he acquired the women’s passports and visas. The women were forced to work long hours every day and do as Campbell instructed them, and they were beaten and punished if they disobeyed him. Trial testimony established that Campbell confiscated passports and identity documents from three of the victims, as well as harbored and transported them to ensure their continued labor. Campbell forced one victim to engage in commercial sex acts with customers at various other massage parlors, but not at the Day and Night Spa, which testimony showed he operated “cleanly” to avoid problems with law enforcement. He extorted another victim to pay him more than $25,000 to leave the “Family” by threatening to send a sexually-explicit video recording to her parents in Belarus. The Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office assisted in the investigation, which was coordinated by the Cook County Human Trafficking Task Force. The task force, together with the Salvation Army Family and Community Services STOP-IT Initiative Against Human Trafficking, operate a toll-free hotline, (877) 606-3158, which victims of trafficking or those with information about human trafficking can call for assistance. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Diane MacArthur and Steven Grimes and Special Litigation Counsel John Richmond of the Civil Rights Division’s Human Trafficking Prosecution Unit.
Justice Department Launches Investigation of the Albuquerque Police Department’s Use of Force
To contact us Click HERE
The Justice Department announced today that it has opened a civil investigation into use of force by the city of Albuquerque Police Department (APD). The investigation will focus on allegations that APD officers engage in use of excessive force, including use of unreasonable deadly force, in their encounters with civilians. Through the investigation the department will seek to determine whether APD engages in a pattern or practice of use of excessive force in violation of the Constitution and federal law. The investigation will include a comprehensive review of the police department’s policies, training and systems of accountability. The investigation will also examine the police department’s engagement with the community and external oversight of officer-involved shootings and other force incidents. Prior to the announcement, department officials met with Albuquerque Mayor Richard Berry and APD Chief Ray Schultz, who pledged their full cooperation with the investigation. The Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994 prohibits state and local governments from engaging in a pattern or practice of misconduct by law enforcement officers that deprives individuals of federally-protected rights. The department has conducted similar investigations into use of force by law enforcement agencies, both large and small, across the country. Attorneys and staff from the Special Litigation Section of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division will conduct the investigation, assisted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Mexico. Individuals who may have relevant information are encouraged to contact the department via email at community.albuquerque@usdoj.gov or by calling the department’s toll free number at 885-544-5134 which is available in both English and Spanish.
27 Kasım 2012 Salı
Why does Google give US law enforcement special access to user info compared to other nations?
To contact us Click HERE
In the wake of the David Petraeus scandal, in which the FBI gained back-end access to the gmail accounts of the CIA director's paramour, I ran across Google's semi-annual transparency statement, in which we learn that in the first six months of 2012, Google granted all or part of 90% of information requests from US law enforcement agencies, handing out information on 16,281 users in response to 7,969 requests.
Comparing requests by country (Google provides only top-line national data, so we can't see how many were in Texas v. California, etc.), the United States was far and away the source of the most law enforcement requests to Google for information and, even more interesting, far and away had the smallest proportion of requests denied. Google responded with user account information to 90% of US law enforcement requests in the first half of 2012, which was actually down from the previous reporting periods. According to the transparency report, "We review each request to make sure that it complies with both the spirit and the letter of the law, and we may refuse to produce information or try to narrow the request in some cases." Fair enough.
Here's what I don't understand. Take a look at the approval rates for various governments that requested user account information from Google:
Not only is the rate of law enforcement requests granted by Google especially high in the United States, US agencies ask for information far more frequently than in any other country, and the number of requests is growing dramatically. Here's a chart Grits compiled from Google transparency reports:
So requests more than doubled in the last two years with little sign of the trend relenting. On one hand, if Google is going to approve such requests at a 90+% clip, I certainly understand why law enforcement agencies in the United States would ask for the data more frequently. OTOH, that begs the question, why doesn't Google resist such requests as often in America as they do throughout the rest of the world? Does their relative leniency toward US law enforcement encourage the volume of requests, or vice versa? Is it US law or Google's relative level of sycophancy that explains the difference?
The flip side of that debate, of course, is that Google provides more transparency on these questions than companies like Facebook or US cell phone providers, so one hesitates to criticize them too harshly simply because they divulge (a little) more information than other tech companies who share user information with law enforcement. But with the government accessing Google user account information at such a rapidly increasing pace, Google cannot escape accountability for their own role in the erosion of online privacy, and the Petraeus scandal has momentarily brought that role to the forefront.
In any event, Grits continues to ponder the implications of these events and so do many others. See these items related to the implications for online privacy from the Petraeus scandal.
Perhaps in answering these sorts of questions we can eventually discover the real lessons of the Petraeus scandal beyond the partisan carping and short-term political positioning that's so far mostly dominated the national conversation surrounding the spymaster's fall from grace.
Comparing requests by country (Google provides only top-line national data, so we can't see how many were in Texas v. California, etc.), the United States was far and away the source of the most law enforcement requests to Google for information and, even more interesting, far and away had the smallest proportion of requests denied. Google responded with user account information to 90% of US law enforcement requests in the first half of 2012, which was actually down from the previous reporting periods. According to the transparency report, "We review each request to make sure that it complies with both the spirit and the letter of the law, and we may refuse to produce information or try to narrow the request in some cases." Fair enough.
Here's what I don't understand. Take a look at the approval rates for various governments that requested user account information from Google:
- United States: 90%
- Japan: 86%
- Brazil: 76%
- Switzerland: 68%
- United Kingdom: 64%
- India: 64%
- Australia: 64%
- Taiwan: 63%
- Israel: 60%
- Spain: 52%
- France: 42%
- Germany: 39%
- Italy: 34%
- South Korea: 35%
- Canada: 24%
- Russia: 0%
- Turkey: 0%
Not only is the rate of law enforcement requests granted by Google especially high in the United States, US agencies ask for information far more frequently than in any other country, and the number of requests is growing dramatically. Here's a chart Grits compiled from Google transparency reports:
The flip side of that debate, of course, is that Google provides more transparency on these questions than companies like Facebook or US cell phone providers, so one hesitates to criticize them too harshly simply because they divulge (a little) more information than other tech companies who share user information with law enforcement. But with the government accessing Google user account information at such a rapidly increasing pace, Google cannot escape accountability for their own role in the erosion of online privacy, and the Petraeus scandal has momentarily brought that role to the forefront.
In any event, Grits continues to ponder the implications of these events and so do many others. See these items related to the implications for online privacy from the Petraeus scandal.
- EFF: When will our email betray us? An email privacy primer in light of the Petraeus scandal
- ACLU: Surveillance and security lessons from the Petraeus scandal
- Reuters: Collateral damage of our surveillance state
- The Week: What the heck, FBI?
- Glenn Greenwald: FBI's abuse of surveillance state is the real scandal needing investigation
- Wired: All three branches agree: Big Brother is the new normal
Perhaps in answering these sorts of questions we can eventually discover the real lessons of the Petraeus scandal beyond the partisan carping and short-term political positioning that's so far mostly dominated the national conversation surrounding the spymaster's fall from grace.
Kaydol:
Yorumlar (Atom)