311 is it a service or a scam? Continued

On the week of May 07, 2006 I ran an article titled “311 is it a
service or a scam?”
http://articles.blogstream.com/v1/pid/80491.html#TP
Here is the follow up.

Sense the last article I have sent in a copy of the article to The
City of New York, I can not say if the article had any impact on the
new results, but there is a major change.

The people that called into 311 about the Stop Smoking program and
were denied made a second call. The results were remarkably
different.

All but one was approved for the program and most have received
their patches. This is a big change from the last results. The only
person that was not approved was due to the fact that she didn’t
smoke enough (she only smokes about 7 cigarettes a day).

I do not know 100% what caused the different results in the Cities
approval ratting, I can only report that there is an increase in
approvals.

However the requirements are still not posted or made available
through the City and/or their site for this program. This still
gives them the ability to change the rules at will.

For better or worse, I was one of the ones approved and I received
my patches a few days ago. I will keep a log on how my efforts go
and post an update to this including my successes or failure with
the program.

Written by A. Wallace

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What you need to know about online Blogs and dating services

A few months ago I contacted a dozen or so blog services asking them
to comment on their procedures and regulations when it comes to
abuse of their service and minors on their services.

I received a reply from only one. The reply stated how they would be
happy to help me with my research and would be contacting me
shortly. Months later, that contact never took place.

With no replies on the services behalf, I decided to take this to
another step.

I proceeded to set up accounts with numerous online blogging
services and dating services. In all the profiles I clearly stated
my age (40), but allowed the descriptions and other content to vary
depending on the service. With the dating services I clearly stated
that the age group I was looking for was between 25 and 45 allowing
some space to see what replies would come in.

The results were not as I truly expected.

The blog services seamed to be pretty quiet and there was little to
no comments or responses.

The dating services were another story. I posted profiles on both
straight and all male-dating services to see what kind of responses
they would bring. It seamed that most of the replies were to hook
up for adult interaction. The replies came from mostly people in
their early thirties (so it said in their profiles), however when
asked their age in the first and only contact that I attempted, most
refused to provide their age.

I say most, but there was one that I found disturbing. A male whose
profile stated he was 18 tried to contact me. This one did reply
with his age. But the age he replied with was 17 years old. I sent
this one a second reply. My second reply stated that he was not to
contact me again, due to his being a minor. I received 3 more
replies after this. I did not bother to open them, so I cannot
elaborate on what they were about.

I made a formal complaint with the service that I received this
reply from over a week ago. I made it clear that they had a minor
using their service to engage in illegal sexual activity with an
adult. The service has not only never responded, but a week later
this individuals profile is still active. It will prove interesting
to see if they respond to receiving a copy of this article.

This was not the only disturbing thing about this research. In
browsing the profiles on these blogging and dating services. I found
that more then a few profiles were posted by minors. Though the age
stated in a lot of them was 18, the photos and/or content of the
profiles made it clear that these people were not 18 years of age.
And yes the well know MySpace.com that has been featured in Dateline’s “To Catch a Predator” was the worst.

Through the findings of this research, I would have to say that
safety is not an issue to these services. If is up to us to protect
ourselves and children when online. I encourage everyone to report
any/all abuse on such services, but don’t let it stop there. If
you’re into online dating or blogging, always ask ages before
engaging in conversation. Never assume that posted ages are actual
ages. Keep all contact on a clear and clean level. Something meant
as a joke sent to someone that is under age can have server re
precautions. Use caution in all online interactions no matter what.

As for dating online, I am sure that some people have had successes
in this area, but it is still a risk. I can’t say that I ever tried
an online dating service other then for this research, during which
there was no attempt to actually meet anyone. I feel that there is
still better then the old ways. Network through friends, get out and
socialize and in general mingle.

Use these findings as a basis on your actions while online. Don’t be
caught in the trap of not knowing what is really out there and most
of all, don’t rely on these services to do the right thing.

Note: I posted these profiles using extreme caution and with the
intent of reporting the results to my readers. I do not recommend
that anyone else attempt researching such a topic unless proper
cautions are taken, total understanding of the laws involved are
applied and everything is done in a manner to cut yourself from the
project once it is complete.

Written by A. Wallace

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Minutemen installing Ariz. border fence

PALOMINAS, Ariz. — Scores of volunteers gathered at a remote ranch
Saturday to help a civilian border-patrol group start building a
short security fence in hopes of reducing illegal immigration from
Mexico.

The Minuteman Civil Defense Corps plans to install a combination of
barbed wire, razor wire, and in some spots, steel rail barriers
along the 10-mile stretch of private land in southeastern Arizona.

They hope it prompts the federal government to do the same along the
entire Arizona border.

President Bush has pledged to deploy as many as 6,000 National Guard
troops to strengthen enforcement at the border. The guardsmen would
fill in on some behind-the-lines Border Patrol jobs while that
agency's force is expanded.

But the Minutemen have said it's not enough. The group's founder,
Chris Simcox, said they want a secure fence and they're starting at
the site where his first patrols began in November 2002.

Rancher Jack Ladd and his son, John, were hopeful the effort would
limit the illegal immigrants and drug runners who have cut the small
fence along the property or just driven over it to cross into the
U.S.

"We've been fighting this thing for 10 years with the fence, and
nobody will do anything," Jack Ladd said.

Most of the day was dedicated to speeches from politicians and
Minutemen leaders and celebrating large donations the Minutemen
group has been receiving.

Minuteman spokeswoman Connie Hair said it would take up to three
weeks to build the estimated $100,000 fence. So far, the group has
raised $380,000 for more border fences, she said.

Timothy Schwartz of Glendale, Ariz., who was among at least 200
volunteers gathered, said he wants to see a fence along the border
from California to Texas.

"We're not going to stop," Schwartz said. "We're going to stay here
with a group and keep building."

Quetzal Doty of Sun Lakes, Ariz., a retired U.S. diplomatic consular
officer, brought his wife, Sandy, to the event.

He said he's convinced the Minutemen and most Americans aren't anti
immigrant.

"They're just anti-illegal," said Doty. "The Minutemen walk the
extra mile to avoid being anti-immigrant and that's what we like
about the organization and what got us interested."

By ARTHUR H. ROTSTEIN, Associated Press Writer
news.yahoo.com

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Agents turn to shovels in search for Hoffa

Searchers turned to using shovels Sunday as they resumed digging in
an area of a horse farm where FBI agents think former Teamster
leader Jimmy Hoffa might be buried.

That section of the Hidden Dreams Farm had been worked over by a
backhoe a day earlier. Digging at the 89-acre site was expected to
continue through the holiday weekend, said FBI spokeswoman Dawn
Clenney.

Sunday was the 12th day of the search at the farm, about 30 miles
northwest of Detroit.

Agents have said they have a credible tip that the former labor
leader's body is buried at the farm, once owned by a Hoffa associate.

Hoffa last was seen in July 1975 on a night he was scheduled to have
dinner at a restaurant about 20 miles from the farm. He was supposed
to meet with a New Jersey Teamsters boss and a Detroit Mafia
captain, who are both dead now.

The Associated Press
news.yahoo.com

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It's a baby girl for Jolie and Pitt

Thousands of miles from Hollywood but still within easy reach of
celebrity hype, Angelina Jolie gave birth to Brad Pitt's daughter
Saturday in Africa, Pitt's publicist announced.

"The night of May 27, 2006 in Namibia, Africa, Angelina Jolie and
Brad Pitt welcomed their daughter Shiloh Nouvel Jolie-Pitt. No
further information is being given," publicist Cindy Guagenti said
in a statement.

No photographs were being released, she added.

The baby's arrival had been the subject of intense press speculation
in recent months, prompting the superstar couple to decamp to Africa
for privacy. It escalated Tuesday when an e-mail Pitt sent to the
Cannes Film Festival said he was unable to attend because of the
baby's "imminent arrival."

The birth came a little more than a month after another blockbuster
delivery: a girl born to Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes.

Jolie and Pitt had powerful help protecting their privacy from the
government of Namibia, which refused to grant entry to reporters
seeking to cover the birth without the actors' written permission.

The government arrested photographers, confiscated film, ringed the
couple's hotel with heavy security and set up large green barriers
on the beach to shield their family.

Jolie and Pitt were linked romantically shortly after appearing
together in the 2005 movie "Mr. and Mrs. Smith."

Jolie, 30, is a frequent visitor to Africa and serves as goodwill
ambassador for the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees.

Jolie has two adopted children: toddler Zahara, from Ethiopia, and 4
year-old Maddox, from Cambodia.

Both had their surnames legally changed to Jolie-Pitt after Pitt
announced his intentions to co-adopt the children.

Pitt and actress Jennifer Aniston divorced last fall.

Jolie, who won an Oscar for her supporting role in 1999's "Girl,
Interrupted," is divorced from Billy Bob Thornton and Jonny Lee
Miller.

By CHRISTOPHER WEBER, Associated Press Writer
news.yahoo.com

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