FCC's Pai: Net-neutrality proposal is secret Internet regulation plan

By Jim Puzzanghera  |  Los Angeles Times  |  February 10, 2015

A Republican on the Federal Communications Commission blasted the net­neutrality proposal from the agency's chairman as a "secret plan to regulate the Internet" that "opens the door to billions of dollars in new taxes" on broadband services. 

Commissioner Ajit Pai said FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler, a Democrat, was misleading the public about what's in the plan. At a Tuesday news conference, Pai held up a copy of the thick draft proposal and called on Wheeler to make it public before the agency votes on it on Feb. 26. 

"I believe the public has a right to know what its government is doing, particularly when it comes to something as important as Internet regulation," said Pai, an ardent opponent of net neutrality regulations. 

"I have studied the 332­page plan in detail, and it is worse than I imagined," he said. 

The FCC typically does not release draft orders until after they are approved by the commission. 

Wheeler has the authority to do so but FCC spokeswoman Kim Hart said he will not break with "long­standing FCC practice." Wheeler's proposal would impose tough new federal oversight of online traffic to ensure Internet providers don't give preference to video and other content from some websites over others. 

The plan would put wired and wireless broadband service providers in the same legal category as highly regulated telephone companies, although Wheeler said the FCC would take a light­touch approach that would not include rate regulation. 

Stop Making These 10 Dumb Money Moves

By Maryalene LaPonsie  |  MoneyTalksNews  |  February 25, 2015

You’re no dummy, right?

Then you need to stop making dumb money moves. If you’re not sure what those are, Money Talks News finance expert Stacy Johnson is here to tell you. Watch the video below to learn some dumb, but common, money moves people make every day. After the clip, we’ll talk a little more about each one.

Dumb Move No. 1: Carrying a credit card balance when you have money in the bank

Actually, we could have put the period after the word “balance” in the sentence above.

Credit cards are powerful tools and can give you some pretty nifty rewards, but it’s dumb, dumb, dumb to carry a balance. It’s even dumber to carry a balance when you have money in the bank.

Your savings account is making what, 0.1 percent interest? And your credit card interest rate is probably at least 10 to 20 percent, right? Mathematically, it makes no sense to leave that money languishing in your savings account. Of course, you don’t want to leave yourself without any emergency cushion, but you should think twice before joining the households that are carrying a credit card balance despite having plenty of cash to pay it off.

Dumb Move No. 2: Going into debt for items that lose value

A related dumb money move is going into debt for items that lose value. Buying a house with a mortgage can be a smart financial move because you can almost always count on it appreciating (i.e. gaining value) over time.

But think about your credit card debt. What did you buy with that money? Do you still have it? If you do, could you sell it for what you paid?

I’ll go out on a limb and say the answers to those last two questions are maybe “no” and “definitely not.” Rather than go into debt and pay outlandish interest for items that are quickly tossed or become worthless, save your pennies and pay cash instead. If you’re not sure how, you may be making dumb money move No. 10 below.

Oops—White House Loses $22 Billion on Student Loan Plans

By Brianna Ehley  |  The Fiscal Times  |  February 10, 2015

White House education policies aimed at helping borrowers with $1.3 trillion in student debt are gaining traction-- with enrollment in income-based-repayment programs doubling in the last two years. While the programs may be working to ease the burden for borrowers, it’s coming at a potentially hefty price tag for taxpayers.

Hidden in a footnote of the president’s 2016 budget blueprint, the White House estimated that it expects to earn $22 billion less than projected in student loan payments this year. That multibillion-dollar tidbit was first unearthed by Politico, which noted that the sum was “larger than the annual budget for NASA, or the Interior Department and EPA combined.”

The White House said the downgrade can largely be attributed to faster-than-expected enrollment in the president’s income-based payment plans like Pay As You Earn, which caps borrowers’ monthly payments at 10 percent of their income, then forgives the debt after 20 years of consistent payment. Originally, people could qualify for the program if they took out loans after October 2007 and continued borrowing through 2011, but Obama recently expanded the program to borrowers who took out loans before that.

In 2010, President Obama signed the Pay As You Earn program into law—but hardly anyone used it thanks to a less than impressive outreach campaign. In an attempt to ramp up enrollment in the program, the president used an executive order requiring the Department of Education to reach out to borrowers in danger of defaulting to tell them about all of their options—including Pay As You Earn. Participation ticked up a bit—but it was still marginal.

Records expose feds spending 'like they were reigning kings or something'

By Luke Rosiak  |  Washington Examiner  |  January 30, 2015

A federal agency that provides mediation services between companies and unions spent $3,867 on an ice maker, $303 for a Sears coffee pot and $24 each for desk calendars that Staples sells every day for $7.99.

Those were among hundreds on a list of the 220-employee Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service expenses obtained by the Washington Examiner under the Freedom of Information Act for 2012 and 2013.

The purchases - made with government credit cards - read like something out of the TV sitcom "The Office," whose characters spent more time on administrative tasks and self-pampering than they did actually conducting any sort of business.

The lengthy list includes lots of practical office items, but there are also some unexpected expenditures like the paintings of 17 past FMCS managers that hang on walls throughout the office. The agency spent $2,402 in 2013 because of an "additional request for portrait retouching for Scot Beckenbaugh," an FMCS deputy who was acting director for one year.

"They were actual artwork portraits," said former FMCS employee Tanya Pelcher-Herring. "These people got their portraits done like they were reigning kings or something. One portrait of a former director included his dog. In my 20 plus years of federal service, I've never seen anything like it before."

The agency also paid $1,325 for five pairs of headphones, $625 for a "diversity video," and $1,700 each for multiple employees to attend a "Social Media in Government Conference."

Among the purchases uncovered were several associated with a "Hallway Improvement Project," spearheaded by an FMCS employee who is paid $153,000. A consultant was hired to design graphics to enliven the office's hallways, which were then made into posters, at a cost of $3,803.

Jindal: ‘The Medieval Christian threat is under control, Mr. President.’

By Jose A. DelReal and Katie Zezima  |  The Washington Post  |  February 6, 2014

Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal is joining the chorus of outraged critics knocking President Obama for his remarks Thursday at the National Prayer Breakfast, accusing the president of failing to deal with “the radical Islamic threat today.”

“It was nice of the President to give us a history lesson at the Prayer breakfast,” said the likely presidential candidate, according to a statement first reported by National Review. “We will be happy to keep an eye out for runaway Christians, but it would be nice if he would face the reality of the situation today. The Medieval Christian threat is under control, Mr. President. Please deal with the Radical Islamic threat today.”

The president’s critics were incensed after Obama cited the Crusades and the Inquisition in his remarks, noting – clumsily, his opponents argue – that religion can be corrupted and inspire “terrible deeds.”

“Humanity has been grappling with these questions throughout human history,” Obama told the group. “And lest we get on our high horse and think this is unique to some other place, remember that during the Crusades and the Inquisition, people committed terrible deeds in the name of Christ. In our home country, slavery and Jim Crow all too often was justified in the name of Christ.”

Those remarks have caused an uproar among some Republicans who feel the president’s comments undercut the spirit of the service.

Jindal also seized the moment to accuse the president of failing to deal with terrorism abroad.

The President - Entrenched in Denial

By Paul Dixon  |  30minuteview.blogspot.com  |  February 7, 2015

Several really unbelievable issues over the past couple of days solidify the fact that the President and his advisers are in denial or, at the very least, are not acting in the best interests of America when it comes to dealing with our national defense.  These strategies and responses are not comforting.

National Prayer Breakfast

First, at the prayer breakfast on February 5th, in response to the recent acts by ISIS, the President included the following:

"Humanity has been grappling with these questions throughout human history. And lest we get on our high horse and think this is unique to some other place, remember that during the Crusades and the Inquisition, people committed terrible deeds in the name of Christ. In our home country, slavery and Jim Crow all too often was justified in the name of Christ."

To see the video, click here.

I cannot tell what message the President was intending to share, but, to me, he is saying that these barbaric acts are not really new, and, therefore, are not worthy of a response.

Secretary of Defense Senate Confirmation Hearing

Second, at a Senate confirmation hearing on February 5th, Secretary of Defense nominee Ashton Carter, in response to a request to articulate our strategy to towards ISIS, stated that we need to "have a lasting defeat" without addressing how this would be accomplished.

To see the video, click here.

National Defense Strategy

Third, National Security Adviser Susan Rice, in a speech to the Brookings Institution on Friday, February 6th, discussed our national defense strategy, a first since 2010. She included an increased focus on boosting cybersecurity, combating climate change and promoting gay rights around the world among our most important national security issues, with no major shifts in the military campaign against Islamic State militants or in the conflict between Russia and Ukraine.  Our policy was described as "strategic patience."

To see the video, click here.

Listening to the speech, if I did not know better, I would think that there are no real threats out there, that the administration has everything under control.  It sounded more like a campaign rally speech than our national defense strategy.

Government Health Care Website Quietly Sharing Personal Data

By  |  Ricardo Alonso-Zaldivar and Jack Gillum  |  abcnews.go.com  |  January 20, 2015

The government's health insurance website is quietly sending consumers' personal data to private companies that specialize in advertising and analyzing Internet data for performance and marketing, The Associated Press has learned.

The scope of what is disclosed or how it might be used was not immediately clear, but it can include age, income, ZIP code, whether a person smokes, and if a person is pregnant. It can include a computer's Internet address, which can identify a person's name or address when combined with other information collected by sophisticated online marketing or advertising firms.

The Obama administration says HealthCare.gov's connections to data firms were intended to help improve the consumer experience. Officials said outside firms are barred from using the data to further their own business interests.

There is no evidence that personal information has been misused. But connections to dozens of third-party tech firms were documented by technology experts who analyzed HealthCare.gov and then confirmed by AP. A handful of the companies were also collecting highly specific information. That combination is raising concerns.

Five secrets of successful Investors

By Heather Pelant  |  BlackRock Blog  |  January 16, 2015

“Everything you see I owe to spaghetti.” Sophia Loren’s famous beauty secret may have been tongue in cheek, but it’s true that most of us dream of finding that silver bullet, the magic formula that will transport us to our ideal – whether it’s for youth, happiness, looks, or wealth.

As I told my clients over the years, the secret to investing is that there is no secret. Instead, success is all about knowing yourself, getting the basics down and using both to make the right choices.

So here, based on BlackRock research, are five “secrets” of successful investors.

1. Know what you own and why you own it. Anchor your plan through the lens of your goals. Successful investors will tell you first why they own a particular investment before telling you what it is. A random collection of investments is not an investing plan.

I modified the goal setting guidelines of “SMART” to help me stay focused:

•  Specific: goals should be written down
•  Measurable: have a way to quantify progress
•  Ask: seek advice when you have questions
•  Responsible: adjust your portfolio as needed
•  Transparent: share your goals with family and others

2. Prepare for jumpy markets. In recent years, markets have been quite calm, with few dramatic ups and downs. This isn’t normal. The successful investor knows that when the market dips, it’s not time to flee but to buy “on sale”. People tend to miss out on investment gains because they sell when the market goes through a rough patch. Get familiar with normal market bumps (otherwise known as volatility) and stick to your strategy.
3. Diversify. Really. You may know the term “diversify” as an investment directive to not put all of your eggs in one basket, but what does that mean, exactly? I had a client during my financial advisor days who spread his assets among five different banks and called himself diversified. Diversification means balancing risks in your portfolio by combining investments that differ from one another. It’s a way of finding opportunity for growth while minimizing the overall bumpiness from year to year.
4. Rethink the safety of cash. I’ve discussed this before on The Blog and I can’t stress it enough. Cash is not an investment strategy. People know this, but they stick with cash because they think it’s safer. What they’re ignoring is the risk to their future spending power. Not only does cash provide virtually no return, it can lose you money thanks to taxes and inflation. Sure, inflation may be low today, but even a nominal amount of inflation can really pack a punch over time. If you’re holding too much cash, you should consider putting it to work.
5. Don’t set it and forget it. There’s an old rule of thumb that you should have the same percentage of bonds as your current age. So if you’re 40, the rule is that 40% of your portfolio should be bonds and the rest should be equities. But this shortcut, like many others, is oversimplified. It doesn’t take into account changes in the market environment, not to mention your life and circumstances over time. Successful investors fully and optimistically engage in their financial lives. That doesn’t mean being a day trader, but rather owning your financial future. Make the most of it.

New police radars can 'see' inside homes

By Brad Heath  |  USA Today  |  January 20, 2015

WASHINGTON — At least 50 U.S. law enforcement agencies have secretly equipped their officers with radar devices that allow them to effectively peer through the walls of houses to see whether anyone is inside, a practice raising new concerns about the extent of government surveillance.

Those agencies, including the FBI and the U.S. Marshals Service, began deploying the radar systems more than two years ago with little notice to the courts and no public disclosure of when or how they would be used. The technology raises legal and privacy issues because the U.S. Supreme Court has said officers generally cannot use high-tech sensors to tell them about the inside of a person's house without first obtaining a search warrant.

The radars work like finely tuned motion detectors, using radio waves to zero in on movements as slight as human breathing from a distance of more than 50 feet. They can detect whether anyone is inside of a house, where they are and whether they are moving.

The RANGE-R handheld radar is used by dozens of U.S. law enforcement agencies to help detect movement inside buildings. See how it works in this video provided by L-3 Communications VPC

Parents investigated for neglect after letting kids walk home alone

By Donna St. George  |  washingtonpost.com   |  January 14, 2015

It was a one-mile walk home from a Silver Spring park on Georgia Avenue on a Saturday afternoon. But what the parents saw as a moment of independence for their 10-year ­old son and 6-year ­old daughter, they say authorities viewed much differently. 

Danielle and Alexander Meitiv say they are being investigated for neglect for the Dec. 20 trek — in a case they say reflects a clash of ideas about how safe the world is and whether parents are free to make their own choices about raising their children. 

“We wouldn’t have let them do it if we didn’t think they were ready for it,” Danielle said. 

She said her son and daughter have previously paired up for walks around the block, to a nearby 7­Eleven and to a library about three-quarters of a mile away. “They have proven they are responsible,” she said. “They’ve developed these skills.” 

The Meitivs say they believe in “free-­range” parenting, a movement that has been a counterpoint to the hyper-­ vigilance of “helicopter” parenting, with the idea that children learn self-­reliance by being allowed to progressively test limits, make choices and venture out in the world.

“The world is actually even safer than when I was a child, and I just want to give them the same freedom and independence that I had — basically an old-­fashioned childhood,” she said. “I think it’s absolutely critical for their development — to learn responsibility, to experience the world, to gain confidence and competency.” On Dec.20, Alexander agreed to let the children, Rafi and Dvora, walk from Woodside Park to their home, a mile south, in an area the family says the children know well.