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

Applebee's calls police on loud children

This is a story that just warms the heart of Brendan Spaar. Every now and then a restaurant does the right thing and holds parents accountable for their children. An Applebee's in Houston Texas had a problem the other night. You see, Lillian Maliti, the mother of 1 year old Ethan and 3 year old Ryan was allegedly eating there that night. Lillian and her husband, Eli Gau, reportedly began arguing loudly so the restaurant called the police and kicked them out. That prompted Mr. Gau to feel entitled so he called the police, wasting tax payer money and tying up emergency lines with his nonsense. Unfortunately, Applebee's has no backbone and is taking the customer's side, inviting them back for what will probably be a completely free meal. This should be a lesson to Americans. Act obnoxious and loud and when the restaurant kicks you out, demand a free meal. What happened to being civilized? No one likes noisy bratty children and for once, a restaurant took a stand. It's a shame that corporate did not side with the restaurant. Brendan Spaar does not endorse the statements made above.

Source: http://shine.yahoo.com/parenting/applebee-s-calls-police-on-family-with-noisy-kids-195330410.html

Report: Police taser deaf boy for fun

Many are asking if there is an increase in the amount of police violence against people with disabilities. Brendan Spaar is engaging his readers in this debate as well. Apparently the latest incident involves a boy who ran away from school to escape abuse. The key part of this story is that the child is deaf. Police found the school aged boy at a construction site and allegedly made no attempt to contact him, instead allegedly tasering him from behind. The outcome of this situation is simple: there will be a lawsuit brought forth by the family, a settlement will be reached, and the police will live to taze another day. Is this the right course of action? Are police above the law? What do you think? Read the link at the source and decide for yourself.




Source: http://www.dailykos.com/story/2013/09/18/1239682/-Deaf-Boy-Tasered-for-being-Deaf

Mysterious man found living in college basement

This story might freak you out a little bit. Apparently a group of Ohio State University students stumbled across a man named Jeremy that had been living in their basement for some time. Mark Hartman, a 21 year old senior at the college, was really freaked out because 2 of the 10 people staying in the house (yes, 10 people in one house!) were females and there were no locks on the doors. Brendan Spaar thinks this was some sort of hippie compound. The rental company, NorthSteppe Realty did not do a good enough inspection of the house before renting it, the students allege. Now the students are using this case to get free rent for a few months. Jeremy turned out to be an OK guy but they still made him move out. This just goes to show that you should probably check every room in your new house before you move in. You never know who is going to be squatting.

Source: http://gma.yahoo.com/students-mysterious-man-living-basement-213244832--abc-news-topstories.html

UN Inspectors attacked. Government or Rebels to blame?

The blog of Brendan Spaar does not usually deal with stories of mass genocide but this one cannot be ignored. It seems that the government of Syria may be running wild and violating international law. The Syrian government has allowed U.N. inspectors into the country to verify claims that it used chemical weapons on its own people. To make matters worse, the U.N. inspectors were fired upon in Damascus by snipers while they were in route to inspect the sites. Were the attacks carried out by the Syrian government or by rebels wanting all foreigners out of the territory?

Source: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424127887323407104579036173795495190.html

High School students build largest tower made of LEGOs

The boys and girls at one Delaware High School have a lot to celebrate. The group of teens have successfully built the world's largest tower (according to the Guiness Book of World Records) made entirely of LEGO bricks! Brendan Spaar played with LEGO bricks as a child but never dreamed of building such a tower. The structure, once completed, stood at 112 feet! Before this architectural accomplishment, the former record holder was a 106 foot replica of the Prague tower. Hit up the source to see photos of the completed tower.

Source: http://inhabitat.com/delaware-high-school-students-complete-worlds-tallest-lego-tower/

Dentist wants to clone John Lennon using tooth

This is the craziest story that Brendan Spaar has read all week. As if buying John Lennon's tooth at auction for $30,000 wasn't creepy enough, there is a dentist that is trying to clone the late musician using said tooth! The dentist, Dr. Zuk (rhymes with yuck!), purchased the tooth and then wrote a song and a book about it. Brendan Spaar is a fan of John Lennon and the Beatles. In the age of 3D images of dead performers like TuPac and Elvis, it's no wonder someone wants to reanimate a popular money maker like Lennon. The dentist might be better off using the tooth to find a cure for why British people have such bad teeth to begin with! Source: http://www.inquisitr.com/913489/dentist-trying-to-clone-john-lennon-from-a-tooth/

Georgia Tech offers online Masters Program

Beginning in January of 2014, the Georgia Institute of Technology (GA Tech) plans to partner with Udacity to offer a master's degree in Computer Science through an online course for a fraction of the cost a student would pay on campus. The rising debt for students because of student loans is currently under a hot debate in this country with President Obama touring the nation to speak about his plans for reducing the cost of college. Brendan Spaar believes that one way to reduce the cost of college is to take advantage of online course offerings like this. The price of the online course at Georgia Tech is around $6,600 ­which is much less than the $45,000 on-campus price. To make things even better, the courses will be online and free for those not seeking a degree! A developer in the IT industry would be crazy not to take advantage of this program. Companies such as Udacity and institutions like Georgia Tech are charged with making college more affordable. Let's hope that more companies and institutions participate in this program. Source: www.nytimes.com/2013/08/18/education/masters-degree-is-new-frontier-of-study-online.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0

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

Neighbors sold puppy on Craigslist

That title may be a little misleading.  At first glance you would think: What's wrong with that? Right?  Well what if your neighbors sold YOUR puppy on the popular classifieds site Craigslist?  That changes things a little doesn't it?  Apparently Bailey, a Rottweiler puppy wandered with a golden retriever mix into the wrong yard last month and was promptly put up for adoption on the site .  The woman who put the puppy up on the site apparently called sherrif deputies asking what she should do with the dogs that came onto her property.  Obiously this woman has never seen dogs before if she doesn't know what to do when strange ones come on your property.  Brendan Spaar would have looked for a tag on the dog or put signs up in the neighborhood.  The good news is that police arrested and charged the woman for not making enough effort to find the dog's owner before selling it on Craigslist.  What a weird world we live in.

Source:  http://gma.yahoo.com/childs-slip-implicates-parents-sold-neighbors-dog-craigslist-173251849--abc-news-topstories.html

American Express to pay customers it over charged

American Express has said that it is going to pay out more than $85 million to customers that were charged late fees illegally.  Brendan Spaar is not sure how a late fee could be applied illegally but apparently they were.  More curious is that American Express is also hit with false promises of money rewards that never materialized and discriminating against applicants over the age of 35.  I had to read that second part twice because I always thought that this card was for people over the age of 35.  I am 31 years old and do not own an American Express because I am not in the financial capacity to spend enough to make up for the $75 a year charge to possess the card.  American Express isn't the only credit card company in hot water right now.  Earlier this year Discover and Capital One had to pay up.  Chase hasn't been hit yet so when someone asks me "what's in your wallet?" I can honestly say that it's not one of the Big Bad 3...

Source:  http://money.cnn.com/2012/10/01/pf/american-express-refund/index.html?hpt=hp_t3