The Government's Violation of Your Fourth Amendment Rights by Tracking Your Every Move With GPS

By ADAM COHEN Adam Cohen – 1 hr 29 mins ago
Government agents can sneak onto your property in the middle of the night, put a GPS device on the bottom of your car and keep track of everywhere you go. This doesn't violate your Fourth Amendment rights, because you do not have any reasonable expectation of privacy in your own driveway - and no reasonable expectation that the government isn't tracking your movements.

That is the bizarre - and scary - rule that now applies in California and eight other Western states. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, which covers this vast jurisdiction, recently decided the government can monitor you in this way virtually anytime it wants - with no need for a search warrant. (Read about one man's efforts to escape the surveillance state.)

It is a dangerous decision - one that, as the dissenting judges warned, could turn America into the sort of totalitarian state imagined by George Orwell. It is particularly offensive because the judges added insult to injury with some shocking class bias: the little personal privacy that still exists, the court suggested, should belong mainly to the rich.

This case began in 2007, when Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) agents decided to monitor Juan Pineda-Moreno, an Oregon resident who they suspected was growing marijuana. They snuck onto his property in the middle of the night and found his Jeep in his driveway, a few feet from his trailer home. Then they attached a GPS tracking device to the vehicle's underside.

After Pineda-Moreno challenged the DEA's actions, a three-judge panel of the Ninth Circuit ruled in January that it was all perfectly legal. More disturbingly, a larger group of judges on the circuit, who were subsequently asked to reconsider the ruling, decided this month to let it stand. (Pineda-Moreno has pleaded guilty conditionally to conspiracy to manufacture marijuana and manufacturing marijuana while appealing the denial of his motion to suppress evidence obtained with the help of GPS.)

In fact, the government violated Pineda-Moreno's privacy rights in two different ways. For starters, the invasion of his driveway was wrong. The courts have long held that people have a reasonable expectation of privacy in their homes and in the "curtilage," a fancy legal term for the area around the home. The government's intrusion on property just a few feet away was clearly in this zone of privacy.

The judges veered into offensiveness when they explained why Pineda-Moreno's driveway was not private. It was open to strangers, they said, such as delivery people and neighborhood children, who could wander across it uninvited. (See the misadventures of the CIA.)

Chief Judge Alex Kozinski, who dissented from this month's decision refusing to reconsider the case, pointed out whose homes are not open to strangers: rich people's. The court's ruling, he said, means that people who protect their homes with electric gates, fences and security booths have a large protected zone of privacy around their homes. People who cannot afford such barriers have to put up with the government sneaking around at night.

Judge Kozinski is a leading conservative, appointed by President Ronald Reagan, but in his dissent he came across as a raging liberal. "There's been much talk about diversity on the bench, but there's one kind of diversity that doesn't exist," he wrote. "No truly poor people are appointed as federal judges, or as state judges for that matter." The judges in the majority, he charged, were guilty of "cultural elitism."

The court went on to make a second terrible decision about privacy: that once a GPS device has been planted, the government is free to use it to track people without getting a warrant. There is a major battle under way in the federal and state courts over this issue, and the stakes are high. After all, if government agents can track people with secretly planted GPS devices virtually anytime they want, without having to go to a court for a warrant, we are one step closer to a classic police state - with technology taking on the role of the KGB or the East German Stasi.

Fortunately, other courts are coming to a different conclusion from the Ninth Circuit's - including the influential U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit. That court ruled, also this month, that tracking for an extended period of time with GPS is an invasion of privacy that requires a warrant. The issue is likely to end up in the Supreme Court.

In these highly partisan times, GPS monitoring is a subject that has both conservatives and liberals worried. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit's pro-privacy ruling was unanimous - decided by judges appointed by Presidents Ronald Reagan, George W. Bush and Bill Clinton.

Plenty of liberals have objected to this kind of spying, but it is the conservative Chief Judge Kozinski who has done so most passionately. "1984 may have come a bit later than predicted, but it's here at last," he lamented in his dissent. And invoking Orwell's totalitarian dystopia where privacy is essentially nonexistent, he warned: "Some day, soon, we may wake up and find we're living in Oceania."

Cohen, a lawyer, is a former TIME writer and a former member of the New York Times editorial board.

This Is Why There Are No Jobs in America

From Steve Sjuggerud's Daily Wealth - Editor's note: This week, the U.S. government released several key economic reports. To spare you the fine details, just know unemployment is getting worse. And one manufacturing report was so bad, some thought the key number was a misprint. These problems are so severe and so much in the public eye right now, that we're doing something unusual for our Saturday guest essay…

Our sister site, The Daily Crux, called this essay the "best rant of 2009." It's no surprise it's from our colleague Porter Stansberry. While it was written months ago, we believe this is far and away best insight you can possibly read on the unemployment situation in America.

This Is Why There Are No Jobs in America

By Porter Stansberry

Saturday, August 21, 2010

I'd like to make you a business offer.

Seriously. This is a real offer. In fact, you really can't turn me down, as you'll come to understand in a moment…

Here's the deal. You're going to start a business or expand the one you've got now. It doesn't really matter what you do or what you're going to do. I'll partner with you no matter what business you're in – as long as it's legal.

But I can't give you any capital – you have to come up with that on your own. I won't give you any labor – that's definitely up to you. What I will do, however, is demand you follow all sorts of rules about what products and services you can offer, how much (and how often) you pay your employees, and where and when you're allowed to operate your business. That's my role in the affair: to tell you what to do.

Now in return for my rules, I'm going to take roughly half of whatever you make in the business each year. Half seems fair, doesn't it? I think so. Of course, that's half of your profits.

You're also going to have to pay me about 12% of whatever you decide to pay your employees because you've got to cover my expenses for promulgating all of the rules about who you can employ, when, where, and how. Come on, you're my partner. It's only "fair."

Now… after you've put your hard-earned savings at risk to start this business, and after you've worked hard at it for a few decades (paying me my 50% or a bit more along the way each year), you might decide you'd like to cash out – to finally live the good life.

Whether or not this is "fair" – some people never can afford to retire – is a different argument. As your partner, I'm happy for you to sell whenever you'd like… because our agreement says, if you sell, you have to pay me an additional 20% of whatever the capitalized value of the business is at that time.

I know… I know… you put up all the original capital. You took all the risks. You put in all of the labor. That's all true. But I've done my part, too. I've collected 50% of the profits each year. And I've always come up with more rules for you to follow each year. Therefore, I deserve another, final 20% slice of the business.

Oh… and one more thing…

Even after you've sold the business and paid all of my fees… I'd recommend buying lots of life insurance. You see, even after you've been retired for years, when you die, you'll have to pay me 50% of whatever your estate is worth.

After all, I've got lots of partners and not all of them are as successful as you and your family. We don't think it's "fair" for your kids to have such a big advantage. But if you buy enough life insurance, you can finance this expense for your children.

All in all, if you're a very successful entrepreneur… if you're one of the rare, lucky, and hard-working people who can create a new company, employ lots of people, and satisfy the public… you'll end up paying me more than 75% of your income over your life. Thanks so much.

I'm sure you'll think my offer is reasonable and happily partner with me… but it doesn't really matter how you feel about it because if you ever try to stiff me – or cheat me on any of my fees or rules – I'll break down your door in the middle of the night, threaten you and your family with heavy, automatic weapons, and throw you in jail.

That's how civil society is supposed to work, right? This is Amerika, isn't it?

That's the offer Amerika gives its entrepreneurs. And the idiots in Washington wonder why there are no new jobs…

Regards,

Porter Stansberry

Social Media Marketing and Social Media Broadcasting via Puppetheads

This is way too funny!!!

Social Media Gaining Popularity with Corporate Travel Professionals

Press Release Source: American Express Business Travel On Wednesday July 21, 2010, 9:34 am EDT

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--New research by American Express Business Travel found that corporate travel professionals are increasingly using social media to communicate with travelers and to stay on top of latest travel industry information. Respondents also reported high expectations regarding their companies’ future social media usage plan, reporting that within the next year forums, webcasts, and online video are the most likely to be implemented by businesses.

The latest research report “Social Media in Business Travel Management” by American Express Business Travel’s eXpert insights research practice outlines the evolution of social media tools and sites from consumer use to business-to-business use, and illustrates how social media supports managed business travel today. The research also includes survey results conducted in the beginning of 2010 to reveal how individuals as well as their companies are currently embracing social media technology and how they might use these tools to support managed travel in the future.

“As businesses around the globe alter the way they communicate and receive information from clients and prospects, social media has also proven to be a useful and effective tool to share pertinent information with employees and drive change in organizations,” said Christa Degnan Manning, director, eXpert insights, American Express Business Travel.

“Applying this research to the social networking platform we’ve launched, BusinessTravelConneXion, it is encouraging to see corporate travel departments becoming more comfortable with this form of collaboration,” said Alicia Tillman, vice president, corporate affairs and marketing services, American Express Business Travel. “We will continue to provide a free forum to share ideas, connect community members, and offer webcasts, videos and blogs to meet the demand for industry information and connection entrepreneurial travel category managers are looking for today.”

Social Media Finds a Role in Corporate Travel

Social media has evolved to play a role in business travel programs. While half (50%) of respondents said that they use social media to some extent to support travel management today, mid-size companies ($3M to $10M USD in air volume) were the largest adopters (59%) of social media to support business travel management to date.

Many respondents indicated that the primary benefit of social media in supporting managed travel is educating themselves or their organization about the market. In fact, 44 percent indicated that staying on top of the latest travel information was the most important social media benefit. This response was followed closely by the interest in using social networking to learn and communicate best practices and reduce business travel costs (43%). Other findings include:


42% use social networking to look for preferred vendors and services from travelers
34% seek to uncover travel patterns that could lend to better vendor rates and services
27% look to gain visibility into traditionally siloed business functions/departments
26% use social media tools to encourage travelers to network with each other
18% network with other travel manager/procurement officer peers

Customization and Oversight Desired For Expanded Social Media Use

Of those survey respondents who do use social media to support travel management, when asked specifically what features or functionality would they add if they could design their own social media tools for professional use, the majority (61%) indicated they wanted flexibility to accommodate business travel management processes. Other top ranking features/functionality include:


Real time updates such as mobile application, the ability to push out notifications and alerts (39%)
Supervision of the entire social media sharing process and specific monitoring of those who are using social media tools (35%)
Reporting ability – notification to website abuse, comments and security issues (29%)

Corporations Apprehensive About Implementing Social Media Tools

Even though the global economic crisis curbed spending, financing was not the main social networking adoption barrier. In fact, only six percent of respondents cited lack of funding as the most significant barrier or challenge to adopt social media tools.

The most significant barrier to adoption of social media as an organization has been the lack of direct benefits realization. Twenty percent found the business case for social media tools and usage within travel management programs unclear. Lack of strategy or understanding and lack of support from upper management each followed at 15 percent respectively.

Notably, only five percent of respondents indicated that they have had no barriers or challenges to adopt social media tools as an organization.

“While companies have a way to go to embrace widespread social media acceptance, they are very involved in evaluating how to use these new technologies rather than simply dismissing it particularly as younger generations enter the workforce and move up the corporate ladder,” continued Manning.

American Express Business Travel’s own www.businesstravelconneXion.com (btX) is an online community serving as the destination for travel professionals to become more informed about travel and expense programs by learning from peers and experts. Community members including travel buyers, suppliers, technology providers, industry experts and influencers, use btX to discuss perspectives, share best practices, build relationships and stay up to date on current research and industry news. The site has grown into a community with an approximate 8,500 user base where thousands of members have participated in online events such as webinars on how to recession proof travel programs, how to adapt to the “New Normal” of business travel, building a strategic meetings management program along with volcanic ash emergency tutorials. Regularly established bloggers from the industry have also prompted hundreds viewing the sites’ blog each month.

About American Express Business Travel

American Express Business Travel (www.americanexpress.com/businesstravel), a division of American Express Company, is committed to helping its clients maximize the return on their travel investment through increased cost savings, world-class customer service and greater spending control. With clients ranging from small businesses to multinational corporations, American Express Business Travel provides a combination of industry-leading technology, travel management consulting, strategic sourcing and supplier negotiation support, alongside global customer service available online and offline. The Company also provides a dynamic online community (www.businesstravelconneXion.com) harnessing the collective intelligence of those in the business travel industry offering a variety of perspectives, best practices, current research and industry news.

American Express operates one of the world’s largest travel agency networks with locations in over 140 countries worldwide. Total travel sales volume in 2009 was $21.5 billion, including proprietary volume, volume processed through joint ventures, and American Express branded volume processed through its partner network.

American Express Company is a global services company, providing customers with access to products, insights and experiences that enrich lives and build business success.

To Learn more about using Automated Social Media Marketing for your business, go to WorldClassID Social Media Optimization.

How To Use Social Media Marketing To Generate New Leads

New Social Media Optimization (SMO) Capabilities demonstrated through
Automated Social Media Marketing Offering.

How To Use Social Media Marketing to Generate New Leads! - kewego
WorldClass Brand Management, the premier Social Media Marketing Agency and recognized leader in automated social media marketing software solutions, today announced the availability of new "Automated Social Media Optimization Solution Packs" -- innovative social media marketing for automated creation of social networking websites (including personalization), and social media marketing capabilities for users of its automated social media marketing solutions.



In today’s socially networked world, everybody is generally aware of social networking websites like Twitter, Myspace, Facebook and LinkedIn. Millions of individuals have utilized these sites to find more friends, but savvy marketers are now using social networking profiles to drive more visitors to their core website. This is called social media marketing.

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Video from socialmediaguru

New Automated Social Media Marketing Solution for Social Media Account Creation, Social Networking Website Personalization, and Social Media Advertising Help Marketers Make Sense of Social Media Optimization.


SAN DIEGO, CA, April 2010 (online) – WorldClass Brand Management, the premier Social Media Marketing Agency and recognized leader in automated social media marketing software solutions, today announced the availability of new "Automated Social Media Optimization Solution Packs" -- innovative social media marketing for automated creation of social networking websites (including personalization), and social media marketing capabilities for users of its automated social media marketing solutions.

In today’s socially networked world, everybody is generally aware of social networking websites like Twitter, Myspace, Facebook and LinkedIn. Millions of individuals have utilized these sites to find more friends, but savvy marketers are now using social networking profiles to drive more visitors to their core website. This is called social media marketing.
You may believe that social networking sites are completely pointless. But here is where we take a contrarian view in that social networking sites are actually broadcast distribution systems which help us get our message to a new audience in a totally unique way.

You have to be clear about your objectives, and this may sound crass, but you have to view this as a one-way messaging system. It is impossible to think of managing thousands of friends on hundreds of different social networking sites, and that’s just not the objective. You want maximum exposure to drive new leads to your core website and social networking websites can do just that.

Remember, most “industry experts” will tell you that social networking is give and take and that you need to be part of other peoples’ network. Honestly, that’s just a way for them to convince you to waste your time and money trying to convince you they might actually know something about social network marketing. Our approach is totally different.
It is crucial to post your web site URL or video links on your profile, and on your status. If the URL is too long, you can create a shorter link by using free web services like www.tiny.cc.

Are you stressed by wasting countless hours on social networks, online marketing, and Search Engine Optimization? Discover automated social media marketing. Go to the website www.WorldClassID.com.

About WorldClass Brand Management and WorldClassID
Brand HyperDistribution: a social network distribution channel. WorldClassID utilizes a variety of peer-to-peer technologies which are even more efficient at reaching a target social network audience than any single method of channel distribution such as print, email, video, social networking, direct mail, network and online broadcasting.

WorldClassID provides a unique methodology to most widely distribute your brand message. Whether you want more clients, are looking to sell more product or want to reinvent yourself…the WorldClassID Social Networking Software Service is the solution. WorldClassID is a proven alternative to traditional marketing solutions and the only personal branding solution on the market today that can validate the distribution of content through HyperDistribution.

For more information about becoming a WORLDCLASSID CUSTOMER visit http://www.WorldClassID.com or to schedule an interview with Mr. Kendell Lang, please contact by email at Kendell.Lang@worldclass.com or by phone at 760.445.3315.

“Are you overwhelmed by Social Networking? Are you confused by hundreds of social networking sites? Are you hiring a social network coordinator to manage your MySpace, Facebook or Twitter accounts? WorldClassID Service is the answer. This revolutionary new social networking software service gives you the answer to managing your personal brand in the SocialSphere without being totally frustrated. WorldClassID is what can help you harness the power of the SocialSphere without driving you crazy.

WorldClassID (http://www.WorldClassID.com) is all about providing answers to the question, "do you have a consolidated social content management and social network channel publication system that allows you to WRITE ONCE and then PUBLISH GLOBALLY?" WorldClassID is "Simplifying the SocialSphere™" and making sense out of a chaotic jumble of hundreds of social networking sites.”

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The Politicians Are Ruining Us! Steve Wynn Speaks the Truth!!!

What is Social Media Marketing and How Can I Drive New Leads Using Social Media?

The internet is where people now go to get information on products, services, businesses, locations, directions, etc. The internet is also where people are talking to each other about all of these things.


Social media is the communication between both individuals and groups – in all kinds of ways – all over the world wide web. The social sites that we use to engage in conversations are our marketing tools. Tools will come and go, but this advertising and marketing method is here to stay. Remember that the internet is still very young, and every day new people are getting access.

Social media is an opportunity for people to talk directly with major brands in a way that was never available before. And small businesses can use social media exactly the way much larger businesses are doing – right now there is nothing to hold any business back from participating.

The cost of social media is measured more in terms of time than it is in dollars. In order to effectively join this new way to market a business, and have success with it, there has to be a consistent and sincere effort to engage on the popular social networking sites as well as industry specific locations.

Advertising and marketing is no longer about pushing out a message, in the form of an advertisement, to a general crowd or even a targeted market. People do not want to be ‘sold to’ anymore. Prospective buyers want information, referrals, testimonies, and conversation about a brand, service, or products.

Social media is about attracting a crowd, pulling them in to your message, by engaging them in conversation, posting valuable (helpful) content online, entertaining, educating, enlightening their market.

And it’s not only enough to provide this great content. The other part of Social Media is the marketing of the message: Social Media Marketing. Helping the content to be seen to an even wider audience is achieved by consistent efforts to market the messages in strategic (non-selling) ways.

Promoting your business online using online social channels can include answering questions, listening to concerns, establishing relationships, asking for feedback, and building brand awareness. The most effective way to utilize social media marketing is to constantly be in touch with the conversation that is already happening about your brand, and responding to it in a sincere way.

There are multiple returns for social media marketing efforts. In addition to achieving a wider reach for your content that results in more visits to your website, there are search engine optimization benefits. Social media sites are now receiving top search engine listings so that even more people find your business when going to Google and other search engines to find your product or service.

So there is a plan for Social Media and there is a plan for Social Media Marketing. Both plans should be worked on a daily basis. There are optimal ways to do each, and we plan to cover that here on this blog.

Takeaway: Social Media is sharing information online. A business can participate by posting content in all kinds of creative ways to engage new people to the product or service that is represented – not to sell, but to use the social space on the internet to facilitate communication that will lead to sales.

To learn more about how to take advantage of automated social media broadcasting go to http://www.worldclassid.com/.