230,000 reasons not to Robocall

How many times have you been just sitting down to eat dinner and the phone rings? Or maybe you’re in the middle of watching your favorite tv show when the call comes in. The last thing you want is to be disturbed by some automated robocall offering you “deals” on something you have no interest in.

It doesn’t seem to matter that there’s a “Do Not Call” list. These annoying calls are generated by someone who must not get the calls at their home. If they did, they might not be so quick to bombard the rest of us with dire warnings about the hidden viruses lurking in our computers or giving us a “final notice” from Cardholder Services about our credit card.

The FTC has long been aware of the abuse of phone solicitation by these automated intruders. They report that there were over 200,000 complaints filed last year alone. The companies that are doing the calling clearly have no fear of any punishment for their actions.

Well, things might be about to change and the robocallers might find their dialing days are coming to an end. Sen. Claire McCaskill (D-Mo.) has introduced legislation to strengthen the Federal Communication Commission's ability to crack down on the companies generating the calls.

The bill she has introduced would give the FCC more enforcement authority, allowing harsher penalties on robocallers. It would also allow the agency to crack down on “spoofers,”  robocallers that hide their identity from caller ID systems or  appear to be a call from a legitimate business entity that you might want to talk to. If passed, the bill would  also expand the scope of current spoofing rules to apply to anyone outside the country who targets a U.S. resident. The penalty for robocall violations would increase from $16,000 to $25,000 per call.

Time Warner found out just how expensive robocalling can be. Recently, a federal judge awarded an Irving, Texas woman almost $230,000 for suffering through 153 robocalls. Even though she complained, Time Warner continued to call her with “exciting offers”. The judge must have had his share of annoying calls because he tripled the penalty to $1500.00 for each call.

As you might imagine, Time Warner is scrambling to figure out how to deal with this decision. The woman who filed suit is delighted with the $230,000 award but stopping the calls will be priceless. Brendan Spaar hopes this sends a message to all telemarketers. If you robocall, be prepared to pay for the call.

Could Jason Carter be the next Governor of Georgia?

Is the country ready for another Carter administration?  Some people in Georgia seem to think so.  Jason Carter, grandson of former President Jimmy Carter, is set to run for Governor of Georgia in 2014 and he has many supporters in the state.  The current Governor, Republican Nathan Deal, will have a run for his money come election time.  Brendan Spaar would like to remind everyone that Deal made good on his promise to end the tolls on Georgia 400 but only because he was held accountable by the local media.  Even though Republicans are not a popular majority, they still hold high regard in the south.  Only time will tell if Carter has what it takes to win a major election.

Source:  http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/11/07/jason-carter-run-governor_n_4231904.html

Post Office mail carrier takes short cut across lawn

In what will probably be explained as an effort to reduce cost and workers compensation, a USPS Postal Service mail carrier has been caught on a security camera driving up to someone's house, cutting across their lawn, stopping in front of their porch and tossing two small packages.  Brendan Spaar remembers when mail carriers walked their routes.  Now they just drive around and throw things out the window.  This article is funny because it links to a YouTube video of other delivery people being lazy and cutting corners.  Sometimes there is no excuse for being lazy.


Source:  http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/sideshow/why-walk--when-you-can-drive-on-the-lawn--173154966.html

Brendan Spaar investigates if you should tip flight attendants

Let's face it, flight attendants do a lot for us when we fly. Brendan Spaar has always wondered if it is appropriate to tip a flight attendant for exceptional service. According to Lizzie Post who is Emily Post's great-great-granddaughter and author on modern etiquette advice, it is not appropriate to tip a flight attendant even when they are serving you alcohol. That begs the question, what is the difference between a bartender and a flight attendant? I guess one situation you are standing and the other you are sitting. The best way to reward a flight attendant accoring to the article is to write them a good review and email it to the airline. That way they will be looked favorably upon when it is time to give out raises.

Source: http://gma.yahoo.com/etiquette-expert-advises-against-tipping-flight-attendants-100607152--abc-news-travel.html

Pastor Terry Jones arrested for burning Qur'ans



File this one under radical religious wack job. Florida pastor Terry Jones who several years ago encouraged people to burn the Qur'an to make a name for himself, is at it again. This time he was arrested and faces felony charges for transporting a trailer full of kerosene soaked Qur'ans according to Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd. Marvin Wayne Sapp Jr was arrested as well for the incident. Pastor Jones had allegedly wanted to set 2,998 Korans on fire at a Polk County park commemorating the 12 year anniversary September 11th terrorist attacks. Each Koran was suppost to represent one of the victims, "every person who was murdered by Islam," according to one of Jones' news releases. Brendan Spaar did the math and apparently this number also includes the 19 hijackers. It's not like Mr. Jones cares.

Source: http://www.latimes.com/nation/nationnow/la-na-nn-terry-jones-arrest-update-20130911,0,2434047.story

Kentucky restaurant serves up roadkill!

The next time you walk into a restaurant, Brendan Spaar advises you to pay close attention to the health inspection sheet that is posted near the entrance.  This sheet tells customers how well the food they are about to eat is prepared among other things.  Customers like Katie Hopkins who dined at the Red Flower Chinese Restaurant in Williamsburg Kentucky had no idea that they may actually be eating roadkill.  One day restaurant workers came in with a giant garbage can.  That's a little odd first of all to wheel a garbage can in through the front entrance in front of your customers and back into the kitchen.  What's even stranger though is that a tail was hanging out of the can!  A health inspector named Paul Lawson was called to the restaurant and he confirmed that the roadkill was indeed in the kitchen.  Now the explanation that the restaurant gives is that they found a deer on the side of the road and were going to butcher it in their kitchen for their own personal use.  I guess they didn't realize that in doing so they would contaminate all of the other food.  This makes me want to go inspect the kitchen of the next restaurant I eat at.  I will also keep my eyes open for large garbage cans with animal parts hanging out of them.

Source:  http://www.wkyt.com/wymt/home/headlines/Whitley-County-restaurant-shut-down-after-road-kill-found-in-kitchen-171867021.html