Posted by: Illmatic
Case in point: CNN’s Lou Dobbs. Dobbs, who has been the target of a smear campaign by the left-wing noise machine, told his radio audience on Oct. 26 that his home had been shot at three weeks earlier.
Tag: case
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Somebody Is Gunning For Lou Dobbs
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Phillies’ Howard earns NLCS MVP honors (AP)
Ryan Howard added another piece of hardware with three familiar letters to his trophy case. Howard was picked MVP of the NL championship series after helping the defending champion Philadelphia Phillies return to the World Series by beating the Los Angeles Dodgers 10-4 in Game 5 on Wednesday night. The big slugger already had the 2006 NL MVP and 2005 NL Rookie of the Year awards on his resume.
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FedEx May Be Sued for Labor Violations by Three States
Filed under: News
I think of FedEx as an employee-friendly company. For example, the entire company closes on Christmas to ensure that all employees can enjoy the holiday. Thus, it was surprising to learn that FedEx may be sued by the three states of New York, Montanta and New Jersey for intentionally denying 1,000 contractors the benefits they should receive as full employees. I guess they only commit (alleged) labor violations against non-employees.
Reuters reports: “Three U.S. states said on Tuesday they plan to sue FedEx Corp, accusing the second-largest U.S. package delivery company of violating labor laws by illegally classifying drivers as independent contractors rather than employees to save money.”
Now to be fair, FedEx claims their contractors operate more like the owners of a franchise, who use the FedEx brand, but in essence operate their own small businesses, so there are no labor violations. In fact, FedEx released a statement promising to “vigorously defend the right of FedEx Ground independent contractors to own and operate their businesses.” So why may FedEx being getting sued? By not one but THREE states?
FedEx does not give contractors benefits like worker’s compensation protection, but still charges them high fees to use its equipment. This would be fine, except that the company strictly manages drivers with detailed rules regarding hours and uniforms, among other areas. Honestly, something in the milk ain’t clean. It’s clear that FedEx is in fact controlling these drivers like full-time employees, while making them take on the risk and expenses of an owner. I hope FedEx goes down on this one.
The three states of New York, Montanta and New Jersey have given FedEx until October 27 to prove that these allegations are false. Then the law suit against FedEx will proceed, hopefully empowering these workers to receive fair compensation for their labor.
http://xml.channel.aol.com/xmlpublisher/fetch.v2.xml?option=expand_relative_urls&dataUrlNodes=uiConfig,feedConfig,localizationConfig,entry&id=753104&pid=753103&uts=1256143994http://www.aolcdn.com/ke/media_gallery/v1/ke_media_gallery_wrapper.swfGotcha Moments of Retail ShameStore: Midas
Accusation:California filed a $222 million lawsuit against the owner of 22 Midas Muffler shops after uncover agents discovered in which consumers were charged for unneeded repairs, California Attorney General Edmund G. Brown Jr. announced. Click through to see more stores that got caught cheating.jupiterimagesTouchstone PicturesGotcha Moments of Retail Shame
Store: Midas
Accusation:California filed a $222 million lawsuit against the owner of 22 Midas Muffler shops after uncover agents discovered in which consumers were charged for unneeded repairs, California Attorney General Edmund G. Brown Jr. announced. Click through to see more stores that got caught cheating.Store: CVS
Accusation:California caught the chain with expired merchandise on the shelf. The result? CVS must give $2 coupons to anyone finding more expired items. This isn’t the first store caught doing something shady (or even the first time CVS was caught doing the same thing). See more Gotcha Moments by clicking through.Store: Kmart
Accusation:Marketed paper products as biodegradable that aren’t actually biodegradable. The result? Kmart settled the case with the Federal Trade commission. This isn’t the first time KMart was caught.AFP/Getty Images
KMart’s Previous Gotcha:Kmart, Ashley, and World Market< were accused of deceptive furniture labeling — wood that wasn”t wood and leather that wasn”t leather — in an on-camera investigation by Good Morning America The result? Kmart said full product descriptions were available online, Ashley defended its wording as a description of color only, and World Market acknowledged that a quarter of its supposedly leather chairs were actually synthetic, and it pulled them from sale.
Sears Holdings Management Corp., the parent company of Sears and Kmart, settled a case to stop enticing customers to sign up for a software that spies on them. It must also instruct customers how to uninstall the software that monitored their spending across the web, even on sites that are supposed to be secure, and destroy the data that was collected. The Federal Trade Commission brought the case against the Sears Holdings.
Quizno’s Sub Shop has an online video ad showing two girls simulating a porn video by sharing a sub sandwich. The online ad, “2 Girls, 1 Sub,” takes its name from a notoriously heinous movie trailer, for a fetish film, which shows women eating their own feces. Critics have pointed out that the Quiznos video, starring Playboy Playmate Hiromi Oshima, is basically comparing the sandwiches to “poop.”
This is Quizno’s second porn-themed ad to come out in recent months.If you are dining out — and many of us still are these days, despite the economy — make sure to check your bill carefully for extra charges that might creep on there.
Call it the airline a la carte approach, as many restaurants are apparently sneaking in charges for bread, tap water, takeout boxes and mandatory tips. The New York Post found all of these items added to bills on an investigative mission that the paper undertook recently.For more on advertisers caught misleading consumers, click through our gallery of Gotcha Moments of Retail Shame.
Blockbuster was found guilty of charging customers higher than the advertised prices on scanned items by district attorneys of Los Angeles and San Diego counties. Blockbuster owes $237,750 in penalties, and $62,250 in costs, and is further prohibited from charging amounts greater than the advertised price.
A regulatory organization for the advertising industry demanded that Wrigley change its misleading packaging and advertising for Eclipse gum. The ads for Eclipse say that the gum’s natural ingredient – magnolia bark extract – kills germs that cause bad breath. This has not been proven and the National Advertising Division Council of Better Business Bureaus asks that Wrigley clarify this in its ads.
Store:Chase Bank
Accusation: In late March, the bank rescinded a $10 monthly fee it had imposed for several months on hundreds of thousands of credit card accounts, after New York’s attorney general decried the practice as a bait-and-switch for customers seeking low interest rates.
Results:The settlement could save customers $22 million over the next year.
Amy Sancetta, AP
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KKK Threatens Woman after Walmart Incident: Was Walmart to Blame?
Filed under: News
I mentioned the story before about Heather Ellis, the young woman who was threatened by the KKK after protesting about her arrest that took place in a Walmart store. The story was quite interesting in that Ellis now faces 15 years in prison for effectively cutting line at a Walmart. The unfortunate events occurred when Ellis was shopping with a cousin in Kennett, Missouri.
Heather and her cousin went to separate lines and when her cousin found the shorter line, Heather joined him. Ellis was then accused of cutting line by the person checking out customers, which led to an altercation. When Ellis was asked to leave the store, she argued with the managers, which led to the police being called. Ellis was eventually charged with disturbing the peace, resisting arrest and two counts of assaulting a police officer.
Ellis, a college student on her way to medical school, argues that the charges were not appropriate, particularly since she doesn’t have a history of this kind of behavior. She now faces up to 15 years in prison if convicted. Ellis has publicly protested the DA’s decision to push the case forward, which has led to her receiving threats from the Ku Klux Klan. The African American community is working to help Heather now, as a website has been set up for an online protest and petition fighting to support Heather’s case.
The question here, from a business standpoint is whether or not Walmart could have done something to avoid this situation. Some people think so.
Dr. Towanna Freeman, a management consultant, argues that Walmart could have avoided the entire problem by paying greater attention to customer service.
“Regardless of a person’s ethnicity, gender, or sexual preference, this case started when the cashier failed to convey at least one of the core beliefs and values of Sam Walton: ‘Customers are the reason we’re in business, so we should treat them that way.’,” says Dr. Freeman. “With that said, the cashier could have easily interjected and calmed the angry crowd by saying something like, ‘Excuse me, although we don’t promote cutting lines, please allow me to assist this customer now. This will only take a few minutes. Thank you, for your patience.’”
The case for Heather Ellis is heating up. I’ve made some calls around the country and it appears that the case might finally get the attention it deserves. Also, the Your Black World Coalition is going to get involved, along with the National Action Network, to ensure that this young lady’s case is carefully analyzed. The bottom line, however, is that this incident should never have happened and Walmart has engaged in bad business by allowing its stores to be the center of such a racially-charged controversy.
There is the added reality that Kennett, Missouri is Rush Limbaugh country. Respect for African Americans in the legal system of this town is not what it should be, and the more emails I receive about past indiscretions in this region, the more I am starting to wonder if Heather was going to be treated fairly in the first place. The presence of the KKK doesn’t help their case and only serves to remind us that we do not live in a “post racial America.”
Dr. Boyce Watkins is a Professor at Syracuse University and the 2007 Black Speaker of the Year. To have Dr. Boyce commentary delivered to your email, please click here. To follow Dr. Boyce on Twitter, click here. If you wish to find out more about the case of Heather Ellis, please visit www.SaveHeatherEllis.com. -
Method Man: Arrested for Tax Evasion
Filed under: News, Celeb Updates, Legal
Grammy Award-winning rapper and Wu-Tang Clan member Method Man turned himself in yesterday to the Staten Island District Attorney on felony charges related to a $32,799 tax bill from 2004 to 2007.
The 38-year-old rapper-actor (born Clifford Smith) was also in hot water with the government in 2008. He owed the IRS $52,503 in payments, and, as a result, his Lincoln Navigator SUV was repossessed.
Judging from all of his debt, one would think that the ‘Soul Plane’ actor is suffering from a case of memory loss. And that just may be the case in this scenario.
“Myself, I’m a pothead,” he told the New York Daily News in March. “Sure [the tax department] sent letters to my house, saying, ‘We need this money.’ They started sending them in 2002. Here it is 2009, and I never paid this s–t because I don’t think like that!”
Although Smith may have a slight disability, district attorney Daniel Donovan claims the rapper can still face prison time.
“Taxes are the burden that all citizens share in a civil society, whether you are an ‘average Joe’ on the street or a high-profile rap artist,” he said in a statement. “Because of the alleged action of people like Mr. Smith, law-abiding citizens face higher taxes and reduced government services. Failure to properly report and pay your taxes is a crime against all citizens and will be aggressively investigated and prosecuted.”
Following his arrest on Oct. 5, Method Man was arraigned and released. He is due back in court Dec. 9. If convicted, he could face up to four years in prison.
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Kandi Burruss: ‘Real Housewives’ Star Ex-Fiance Dead After Club Brawl
Filed under: Music, Television, News
‘Real Housewives of Atlanta’ star Kandi Burruss‘ ex-fiance Ashley ‘A.J.’ Jewell was killed after a fight outside popular Atlanta strip club, The Body Tap, late Friday night.He was rushed to Piedmont Hospital, where he later died.
Atlanta Police Lt. Keith Meadows confirmed, “It appears he was involved in an altercation in the parking lot and received a severe blow to the head.”
Meadows said that the police have developed a person of interest in the case, adding, “we’ve made contact with him to question him about the incident.”
(SEE ARREST UPDATE BELOW.)
The Grammy Award-winning singer/songwriter’s publicist, Lisa Nelson, confirmed to WSBTV.com that Burruss was “stunned and speechless” and that “the family is asking for privacy during this very difficult time.” Burruss, a former member of the platinum ’90s R&B group Xscape, recently revealed that she and Jewell split.
The couple, who were engaged earlier this year, have chronicled their relationship on the Bravo reality show ‘The Real Housewives of Atlanta.’
Burruss is also currently raising Jewell’s twin daughters.
“AJ’s murder is horrific, not only for his family, including the six beautiful children he is leaving behind, but also for Kandi, who obviously still loves him despite their broken engagement,” Atlanta-area entertainment journalist Isoul Harris, who has a professional friendship with Burrus told BV Newswire today. “Also, this is another case of senseless violence that’s not only rampant in Atlanta, but all over the country.”
UPDATED, 11:33 a.m.: Police told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution newspaper that they have charged Frederick Richardson with voluntary manslaughter in the beating death of Jewell. Richardson is currently hospitalized at Grady Memorial Hospital for injuries sustained in the fight. He will be jailed once released by medical staff. Though the cause of the fight is still unknown, police confirmed that witnesses were cooperating.
‘It’s a great thing that a suspect has been arrested in this case,” Harris added. “It surely brings a little comfort to his friends and family.”
In the meantime, Burruss, who’s a single mother of one daughter, took to Twitter.com early Saturday morning to break her silence about the tragic loss. “I’m bout 2 give my swollen eyes some rest now. I just wanted to say thanks 2 everyone for their prayers. I gotta get up & go 2 my uncle’s funeral. I could never in a million years imagine this happening.”
The Atlanta native, who also changed her Twitter profile picture to a flick of her and Jewell, ask fans to remember Jewell leaves behind six children. “Please pray for AJ’s children, that’s who im the most concerned 4. Im just in one of those moods where I dont wanna talk, I dont wanna b held & told its gonna b ok. I just wanna cry myself 2 sleep, alone.”
“Right now, she is just trying to wrap her head around the fact that he is gone,” Harris concluded.
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Texans’ Hill first in NFL with swine flu (AP)
Houston Texans rookie tight end Anthony Hill was hospitalized this week with swine flu in the first confirmed case in an NFL player this season. Hill is the only player on the team believed to have swine flu and other players are being monitored, Texans vice president of communications Tony Wyllie said Friday.
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Truth on How to Get Rid of Panic Attacks
If you want to find out how to get rid of panic attacks, then here’s some information that will help you on the road to doing just that.If you suffer – and suffer is the right word in this case – with panic attacks it’s time that you took a step in the ri…
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Lymphedema Treatments – Living With Lymphedema
What is Lymphedema?
First I would need to explain what lymph is just in case you do not know. Lymph is a liquid that nourishes the tissue in blind-end vessels. Lymph travels from your capillaries into the main circulation through the veins in your neck…
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Cavs G West arrested on weapons charges (AP)
Cleveland Cavaliers guard Delonte West was arrested Thursday after officers pulled him over for speeding on a motorcycle while carrying two loaded handguns and a loaded shotgun in a guitar case. Prince George's County police spokeswoman Sgt. Michelle Reedy said Friday the Cleveland Cavaliers player was arrested about 10 p.m.
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Remainder of Clemens’ lawsuit dismissed (AP)
The remainder of Roger Clemens' defamation suit against Brian McNamee in Texas has been dismissed, leaving the pair to fight their legal battle in New York. U.S. District Judge Keith P. Ellison, who threw out most of Clemens' case in February, dismissed the remainder of the suit on Aug. 28. The dismissal was with prejudice, meaning Clemens can't refile, but he plans to ask the 5th U.S.
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Cuban wants SEC to pay his legal fees (AP)
Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban wants the Securities and Exchange Commission to pay his legal fees stemming from the agency's insider trading case against him. In court filings, Cuban cites alleged misconduct by the agency and requests that it be sanctioned for its "bad faith." The SEC sued Cuban, claiming he engaged in insider trading when he sold his stake in an Internet search…
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Wolves says Rubio backed out of deal (AP)
After saying all summer long that his preference was to play in the NBA, Ricky Rubio apparently got a case of cold feet at the last minute. Less than 48 hours after the Timberwolves, Rubio's agents and the Spanish team DKV Joventut agreed in principle on a deal to bring the 18-year-old point guard to Minnesota, Rubio changed his mind.
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Foster Parents Arrested in Oakland Boy’s Disappearance
OAKLAND, Calif. ? The foster parents of a missing 5-year-old disabled boy have been arrested on suspicion of murder, police said..
Louis Ross and Jennifer Campbell were being questioned by investigators in the case of Hasanni Campbell, who has cerebral palsy, Oakland police spokesman Jeff Thomason said.
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18 Yrs Later: Is She Who She Says She Is?
Posted by: Illmatic Jaycee Lee Dugard, an 11-year-old girl abducted from her South Lake Tahoe home in 1991, has been found alive in the Bay Area and two people reportedly have been detained in connection with the case.
The El Dorado County Sheriff’s Office this morning confirmed the identity of the 29-year-old woman who walked into a Bay Area police station claiming to be Dugard.
Further, in an extraordinary sequence of events today, federal and local law agencies renewed their focus on the 18-year-old mystery surrounding what happened to the blond, blue-eyed girl who was abducted while walking to school June 10, 1991.
Reports out of the Bay Area indicated a man and a woman were in custody in Martinez and that a search warrant was being executed at a home in Antioch.
Click Original Story For More.