What To Do On Retirement – Will yours be one of financial freedom? – Video

Posted on by


What To Do On Retirement - Will yours be one of financial freedom?
http://www.workwithjimandlisa.com - What to do on retirement One of the things I #39;ve learned about what to do on retirement is to experience things I #39;ve never done before when I was working....

By: Jim-Lisa Sama

Read the rest here:

What To Do On Retirement - Will yours be one of financial freedom? - Video

Freedom Of Speech Has Huge Win In 2014. Sony Releases The Interview In Spite Of Hacking – Video

Posted on by


Freedom Of Speech Has Huge Win In 2014. Sony Releases The Interview In Spite Of Hacking
"At the end of November, eerily adept cybercriminals hacked into Sony #39;s computer systems, paralyzed their operations, and tapped into a trove of hypersensitive internal information. After the...

By: The Young Turks

Read more:

Freedom Of Speech Has Huge Win In 2014. Sony Releases The Interview In Spite Of Hacking - Video

Government By 'Guidance' Quashes Economic Freedom And Rule Of Law

Posted on by

Freedom is declining in America. The Heritage Foundation-Wall Street Journal Index of Economic Freedom ranks the United States at #12, as does the Fraser Institutes Economic Freedom of the World Index. The U.S. ranking has slipped in recent years according to both studies and now scores significantly below Hong Kong, Singapore, Chile, Canada, Australia, Switzerland, and New Zealand.

According to the Heritage Foundations description of its Index of Economic Freedom, In economically free societies, governments allow labor, capital and goods to move freely, and refrain from coercion or constraint of liberty beyond the extent necessary to protect and maintain liberty itself. The Heritage Foundation notes that greater economic freedom is associated with healthier societies, cleaner environments, greater per capita wealth, human development, democracy, and poverty elimination. The Fraser Institutes definition of economic freedom is similar, and it also notes the similar connections between economic freedom and favorable economic outcomes.

Not only is economic freedom the wellspring of prosperity, it is essential to all other individual freedoms. If the government can control your work, spending and property, then it can leverage that power to control all of your actions. A legal right to freedom of speech and assembly, therefore, is worth little without significant economic rights.

How did Americans become significantly dispossessed of their economic freedom? There is much talk in the news these days about Presidential overreach through Executive Orders and Memoranda in areas such as immigration and health care, but unfortunately, Presidential actions are only a small part of the problem and White House overreach is reversible when a new Administration takes office. At the heart of the matter is the growth of unaccountable law making and law enforcement within administrative agencies, which marks a significant erosion of the rule of law.

The number of agencies that enact, enforce, and adjudicate disputes over their own regulations has grown exponentially over the past century. Agencies such as the Environmental Protection Agency, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the National Labor Relations Board, the Federal Communications Commission, the Federal Trade Commission, the Interstate Commerce Commission, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, the Securities Exchange Commission to name only a small number are given vast authority by Congress to draft regulations that implement the legislative intent of what are often broad and vague statutes. The agencies set and enforce rules that apply to businesses and individuals, and also preside over disputes by citizens or firms who object to them.

In principle, Congress could alter regulations it regards as undesirable, but that seldom occurs. In 1996, the Congressional Review Act attempted to encourage Congressional review of agency actions. As of May 2008, however, only 47 joint resolutions of disapproval had been introduced in both houses of Congress, relating to just 28 rules. During the same time period, Federal agencies had promulgated 47,540 rules.[1] And while it is also true that U.S. courts retain authority to hear cases related to agency actions, they are not the primary adjudicators of regulatory disputes, and appeals to the courts are challenging to accomplish.

The new trend in regulation has been the use of guidance as a means of avoiding even informal rulemakingthe laxest kind of executive lawmaking that requires only public notice, a comment period, and detailed explanations of an agencys decision.[2] Agencies are now free to guide the nation without even these simple procedures, giving only vague guidance about the considerations they will take into account in bringing enforcement actions.

Neither does the new reliance on guidance imply any burden of explanation. A recent decision by the National Labor Relations Board broadened the definition of employers, creating huge new potential liabilities for franchising companies like McDonalds. Upon request for clarification of the logic underlying its decision, the NLRB declined even to share internal memoranda, stating that it was reserving those for prospective litigation.[3]

See the original post:

Government By 'Guidance' Quashes Economic Freedom And Rule Of Law

Drug Treatment Moguls Lived in Luxury: Prosecutors

Posted on by

Prosecutors say the father and son who ran one of New York's largest drug treatment programs committed fraud and spent taxpayer millions on luxury cars and vacation homes while their patients lived amid rats and bedbugs, but authorities fear shutting down their programs could put thousands of addicts on city streets.

In late October, U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara asked for a civil injunction to stop Narco Freedom from continuing what he described as "an ongoing fraudulent kickback scheme." This came six days after New York State Attorney General Eric Schneiderman indicted owners Alan and Jason Brand on criminal charges of fraud and money laundering.

"Narco Freedom is not truly functioning as a not-for-profit corporation but is rather a corporation operated for the personal benefit of Mr. Brand," Robert A. Kent, general counsel to the state's Office of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Services (OASAS), wrote in an affidavit filed as part of the state's case. The Brands strongly contest the allegations.

Read The Crime Report's Original Story on Narco Freedom

Narco Freedom receives nearly $40 million annually from Medicaid, and because of their indictment the Brands are now barred from running any Medicaid-financed operation. But their programs live on, and continue to receive Medicaid funding, because they provide methadone to 10 percent of New York City's heroin addicts and housing for hundreds of patients, many of whom are returning from jail and prison. More than 3,000 people could be left without treatment, according to court testimony and interviews, if Narco Freedom and associated businesses were shuttered.

Read The Crime Report's Version of This Story

The headquarters of Narco Freedom is a rundown, concrete slab of a building in the South Bronx, one of the poorest areas in New York City. On a recent day, patients milled outside, waiting for treatment, or for food from the truck that gives out free bagged lunches.

The Brands, however, enjoyed luxury cars, vacation homes in Florida, and generous benefit packages for which, according to state prosecutors, Narco Freedom footed the bill. Alan Brand earned $386,000 per year as CEO of Narco Freedom, among the highest salaries for an executive of a Medicaid-financed non-profit, according to a 2013 report from the U.S. House of Representatives.

Following the criminal indictment, state prosecutors froze Alan and Jason Brand's bank accounts, their sprawling homes on Long Island and properties in Florida, and seized six cars, among them a Jaguar, a Corvette and a 2013 Tesla.

This Tesla was seized by state authorities.

Link:

Drug Treatment Moguls Lived in Luxury: Prosecutors

Creative freedom

Posted on by

An image-editing software always comes in handy to airbrush blemishes away, but instead, Gerbie Pabilonia has been using it to append wings to the human body and to augment imaginings and exuberance as he transforms photographs into grand illusions.

Gerbie is an exceptional digital artist able to tread with ease the realm that separates photography and fine art. He employs a visual narrative to seduce his audience with a banquet of vivid dreams.

Through his website http://www.gerbiepabilonia.com, the artist declares his intention to entice: So that you may explore your own spirit, inspire who you are and what you want to become in this lifetime. Art can help us grow, heal our hearts, excite our senses, and inspire new ideas. Its one of the most valuable gifts to society.

A graphic designer currently based in Singapore, Gerbies passion for the arts was established at a young age as he was guided by his father. He then focused primarily on doing realistic oil paintings as well as charcoal, pastel, and watercolors.

A multitude of mediums and years after, he moved forward and started to study image-editing software as an alternative tool of artistry. Through this, he was able to marry photography and digital arts. It was then that Gerbie flourished as he discovered the rewards of freedom and personal expression through abstraction.

While Gerbie is quick to admit that his craft is tantamount to nonconformity, he is able to relate new ideas and the ability to visualize profound exhilaration and emotion. I always make you want to keep coming back for more, he says.

Since creative inspiration is magical when you have it and frustrating when you dont, Gerbie shares how he breathes life to what he does: I make sure that I dont stay locked up in front of my computer for too long. I get out, explore the world and other forms of art for inspiration. I think this balance helps to keep my creative energy fresh and exciting. This relates to new ideas and the ability to stay excited about what I do every day.

I have come to realize that I can hardly underline my ultimate goal as a visual artist. I am already greatly fulfilled when people appreciate my works and acknowledge me for sharing my techniques.

Gerbie currently heads Beyond Photography Productions with affiliates in Singapore and the Philippines. The production team caters to covering various events, campaigns, editorials, as well as seminars, private workshops, and special courses on digital art photography. On February 14 to 15, he will be conducting a two-part digital art post-processing and photography workshop in the Philippines. While on March 21 to 22, he will conduct a collaboration workshop with Manny Librodo in Singapore.

Despite his bold mix of styles, Gerbie employs a subtle and sophisticated feel to his digital artworks through a unique balance of color, composition, and texture. As he deviates from the norm, he is able to establish an exotic piece of work sustained by confidence, talent, hard work, and passion.

Read the original post:

Creative freedom

ED ROYCE: Support Internet's global fight for freedom

Posted on by

Soheil Arabi will soon have a rope around his neck. The 30-year-old father is languishing on Irans death row. Yet Mr. Arabi did not kill anyone. He did not rape or steal. The crime Mr. Arabi committed was writing several Facebook posts that were deemed religiously offensive.

Mr. Arabis abhorrent treatment throws harsh light upon one of the defining struggles of his generation. The Internet is the newest arena for one of our oldest fights the right to free speech. The worlds freedoms are increasingly being given - and denied - online. It is a fight the Obama administration has not fought strongly enough.

While Internet usage has climbed to more than 40 percent of the worlds population, global Internet freedom has declined for the fourth year in a row, according to Freedom Houses Freedom of the Net 2014 report. Online censorship and monitoring is becoming more aggressive and sophisticated around the globe.

In Russia, Putins government has gone on the offensive, using the Internet as a weapon against democracy. It has been widely reported that Russia is financing hundreds of trolls fake online personalities who attack social media sites with misleading and false information. While the space for free speech in Russia is shrinking, the number of state-owned news websites is proliferating. The Kremlin uses these websites to create confusion and discredit authors, leaving readers wondering what is true and what is false.

Chinas Great Firewall employs thousands of people to scan the Internet, searching for information for that repressive government to block. China also uses technical methods like bandwidth throttling and keyword filtering to censor the Internet. Online libraries, text messaging applications and cloud computing services are also shut off. Right now, China is blocking information on pro-democracy protests in Hong Kong.

Sadly, even our allies in Europe are threatening Internet freedom. Earlier this year, Europes highest court issued a ruling allowing individuals to request that Google remove search results about themselves. Under this right to be forgotten, Google has removed roughly 500,000 links. Those removed links include articles about criminal convictions, investigations and botched medical procedures. A European Union group of privacy regulators is now calling on Google to expand its censorship to global sites. This offers a bleak glimpse into Internet freedom in Europe.

Internet freedom is not just an American value; it is a global value. People around the world are fighting for this freedom. In Cuba, where the Castro government restricts Internet access, people resort to downloading articles to thumb drives and sharing them with each other. In Turkey, when the government earlier this year banned YouTube and Twitter, Internet freedom advocates used outdoor graffiti to instruct people how to use virtual personal networks to circumvent government controls.

We must not let oppressive governments win we must ensure the continuity of the global Internet. The House Foreign Affairs Committee, which I chair, is fully engaged on this issue. We have held hearings on Internet freedom, championed passage of an Internet freedom resolution and pressed individual countries behind the scenes to stop Internet blocking.

I am concerned that the Obama administration has not prioritized the fight for Internet freedom and Internet governance. I plan to continue pressing the administration to develop a clear strategic plan to reverse the troubling decline in Internet freedom. U.S. efforts through the State Department and U.S. Agency for International Development should address the proliferation of repressive laws, reverse regulatory controls of online media and push back on increased demands on the private sector to self-censor.

We are still in the early days of the Internet. Its us up to all of us to ensure that the Internet remains free and open so that future generations may enjoy its social and economic benefits. Sir Tim Berners-Lee, credited with inventing the World Wide Web in 1989, conceived of it as a network of freedom. Lets not allow repressive regimes to use it as a web of oppression.

Original post:

ED ROYCE: Support Internet's global fight for freedom

LG bets big on Internet of Things, OLED TV at CES 2015

Posted on by

The Korean electronics giant reveals its vision for interconnected personal devices with its suite of products, such as WebOS TVs and even smartcars.

Sarah Tew/CNET

LAS VEGAS -- LG used its presentation at the 2015 International CES highlight its focus on the Internet of Things and the company's pursuit of a functioning interoperable ecosystem that can combine its WebOS 2.0 TVs with a new "wellness platform," home automation and even smartcars.

Compared with its earlier WebOS platform, the WebOS 2.0 platform has a simpler user interface, is faster and supports 4K streaming. The WebOS platform has expanded to signage and hotel TVs.

The Korean electronics giant also reiterated its love for both 4K and OLED, with a commitment that its whole range of 2015 OLED TVs will have 4K Ultra HD resolution. Of its full TV range, including LCDs, 60 percent will have 4K.

While the curved screen appears here to stay, LG will also release a number of flat screen OLED TVs. They consist of the 55-inch 55EF9500 and 65-inch 65EF9500, as well as a step-up 65-inch model, the 65EF9800. The company's other OLED size, 77 inches, will not be available in a flat version. Pricing and availability were not announced.

The main new curved models are the EG9800 series, which comes in a 55-inch and 65-inch size.

Sarah Tew/CNET

If you're not sure whether you like curved or fixed screens for your OLED, LG also said it would launch a 77-inch version of its previously concept-only flexible OLED TV. This model, the 77EG9900, allows for the viewer to adjust the display from curved to flat at the touch of button. This allows for a curved screen when you're viewing at home from the sweet spot, or a flat screen with a better viewing angel when there are a few people on the couch.

LG talked about its ColorPrime technology, which it hopes will breathe a last lease of life into its LCD TV range as OLED slowly takes over. The UF9500 is the flagship series that sports the ColorPrime tech and is available in 55-, 65- and 79-inch sizes.

Read more from the original source:

LG bets big on Internet of Things, OLED TV at CES 2015