VERIZON RIP-OFF: Verizon Plans To Charge $2 Fee To Customers For Paying Their Verizon Bill With A Credit Card

Apparently following the footsteps of fellow corporate giants Bank of America and Netflix, Verizon has found a new way to gouge its customers.

Beginning January 15th, 2012, Verizon plans to charge its customers a new $2 fee for each transaction when they pay their verizon bill with a credit card online or over the telephone.

Verizon customers can avoid this new and onerous fee by:

(1)  Yes! Paying the old-fashioned way, with a check in the mail.

(2)  Enrolling in Verizon's AutoPay, allowing the company to tap a credit, debit or ATM card or bank account on file. This appears to be Verizon's preferred option.

(3)  Paying by electronic check at a Verizon website.

(4)  Using your bank's online bill pay.

(5)  Paying at a kiosk or Verizon store.

(6)  Paying with a Verizon gift card or rebate.

[And see, "Legal Consumer Tips and Secrets", by Charles Jerome Ware, iUniverse Publishers (2011)]

2012: NEW LAWS UPDATE

[Also see, "Understanding the Law: A Primer", by Attorney Charles Jerome Ware, iUniverse Publishers]

Effective January 1, 2012, there are a number of new state laws becoming active. For example:

(1) In Alabama, the state known for outlawing the playing of dominoes on Sunday, there will be new limits governing who can testify as an expert witness in criminal and civil trials. This new law is aimed at limiting what critics call "junk science" theories of how or why a crime or other unlawful action occurred.

(2) From California, the state which by law guarantees "sunshine to the masses", comes two, of several, interesting new laws: the prohibition of virtually any business transaction involving beer which contains caffeine as a separate ingredient; and the requirement that students learn about societal contributions of gays and lesbians.

(3) In the Mormon state of Utah, new laws essentially ban "happy hour" --- making any daily alcoholic specials illegal.

(4) Four states -- Rhode Island, Kansas, Tennessee and Texas -- have enacted new laws to combat voter fraud by requiring voters to present photo identification before voting in elections.

(5) And, additionally, the state of Tennessee will require election officials to identify "possible non-citizens" who are registered to vote and order them to prove their U.S. citizenship if they wish to remain registered voters.

There are many other new state laws to look for in 2012. So, look for them.

Privilegios durante la aplicación de la "Tarjeta Verde"

Hay esencialmente dos (2) permisos y privilegios importantes que un extranjero puede adquirir mientras que su aplicación de tarjeta verde está pendiente:

1. El primero es un permiso temporal de trabajo conocido como el documento de autorización de empleo (EAD). Este permiso permite a la persona a ser empleado en los Estados Unidos.

                       

2. El segundo es un documento de viaje temporal, la llamada “libertad condicional anticipada”, que permite a la persona a reingresar a los Estados Unidos.

(Presuntamente es más fácil salir de Estados Unidos que entrar en            el.)

Ambos permisos conceden privilegios y beneficios que son independientes de cualquier otra condicion existente concedida al extranjero. Como un ejemplo, es posible que un extranjero tenga permiso para trabajar en los Esados Unidos bajo la visa H1-B, la cual es clasificada como no inmigrante usada por un extranjero que va a ser empleado temporalmente en una ocupacion especifica.

[“Quince (15) Consejos Para Ganar Casos De Inmigracion”, Chalres Jerome Ware, iUniverse Publishers, 2011]

IDENTITY THEFT: UPDATE!

"5 TIPS To Avoid Being An Identity Theft Victim While On Vacation"

More than 9 million Americans have their identities stolen each year, according to the Federal Trade Commission.  When someone uses your personal information - your name, Social Security number or credit card number - without permission, they are stealing your identity.

How can you protect yourself while you're away?  Here are five tips to avoid being a victim:

1.  Stop your mail.  If your mail is sitting at your curb, it can be easy for someone to go through, pick what they are looking for, and take off.  Also, ask a trusted neighbor to watch for packages that may come from another course besides the Postal Service, and to hang on to them until your return.

2.  Don't advertise that you're on vacation.  Make sure if you are going to post vacation updates to social networking websites that your posts are secure - or better yet, don't post anything about it until after your return.  Put a few lights on a timer system so that your home doesn't look unoccupied for the entire time you're gone.

3.  Enroll in an identity protection product. 

4.  Keep your checkbook at home.  A stolen checkbook has your bank account number and routing number on the checks - valuable tools a thief can use to steal your identity or clean out your bank account.  Use cash or credit cards or purchase traveler's checks from your bank.  Traveler's checks require a signature when you purchase them, and then another when you use them.  Generally a photo ID is required when you use credit cards or traveler's checks.

5.  Give your credit card company a heads up.  This is especially important if you are traveling internationally, because any activity that happens domestically will raise a red flag.  If you don't let them know, they may become concerned when they see overseas transactions and freeze your card.

THE AT&T DEBACLE: Antitrust Enforcement Returns to Washington

            The Corporate mergers and acquisitions deal makers are struggling to figure out what lessons to learn from the debacle of AT&Ts failed $39 billion attempt to acquire T-Mobile USA.

            “One lesson to be learned is that antitrust enforcement has finally returned to Washington,” said attorney Charles Jerome Ware, a former top Antitrust official and litigator at the U.S. Department of Justice as well as the U.S. Federal Trade Commission, “No longer should giant companies like AT&T underestimate the Justice Department’s new toughness in policing mergers and acquisitions between competitors.”

[see also, “AT&T Case Shows Antitrust Mettle,” WSJ.com/article/12/21/2011]

BofA & COUNTRYWIDE: Discriminatory Lending Scandal

            Bank of America (BofA) Caught in Widespread Pattern of Loan Discrimination Against Qualified African-American and Hispanic Home Loan Borrowers!  Must pay $335 million dollars in settlement with the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ).

            Bank of America has agreed to pay $335 million to resolve allegations that its Countrywide unit engaged in a widespread pattern of discrimination against qualified African-American and Hispanic borrowers on home loans.

            The settlement with the U.S. Justice Department was filed Wednesday with the Central District court of California and is subject to court approval. The DOJ says it's the largest settlement in history over residential fair lending practices.

            According to the DOJ's complaint, Countrywide charged over 200,000 African-American and Hispanic borrowers higher fees and interest rates than non-Hispanic white borrowers with a similar credit profile. The complaint says that these borrowers were charged higher fees and rates because of their race or national origin rather than any other objective criteria.

            The United States' complaint says that Countrywide was aware that the fees and interest rates that its loan officers were charging discriminated against African-American and Hispanic borrowers, but failed to impose meaningful limits or guidelines to stop it.

By steering borrowers into subprime loans from 2004 to 2007, the complaint alleges, Countrywide harmed those qualified African-American and Hispanic borrowers. Subprime loans generally carried costlier terms, such as prepayment penalties and significantly higher adjustable interest rates that increased suddenly after two or three years, making the payments unaffordable and leaving the borrowers at a much higher risk of foreclosure.

            The settlement amount will be used to compensate victims of Countrywide's discriminatory mortgage loans from 2004 through 2007, when Countrywide originated millions of residential mortgage loans as the nation's largest single-family mortgage lenders.

AIRPLANE or AIRLINE SICKNESS!

            Last month I returned by way of airline from an international trip.  About five of us became very ill on the plane and needed medical treatment upon our return to our homes.  Eventually, under a doctor’s care and a prescription of antibiotic, I recovered.

            It’s a fact: germs, viruses and illnesses lurk on planes!

            I have a few suggestion that may help the reader when he or she is stuck at 35,000 feet next to sneezers, coughers, and other of the sick persuasion.

            The ‘hot zone’ for infection risk is two seats in front, behind and on either side of you.  While you may wish you could just change seats away from a sniffly stranger, the chances of that on packed flights are slim.  Some recommendations from doctors and frequent travelers:

            1.  Airplane bathrooms have multiple surfaces that harbor germs.  In addition to hand-washing, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.  And don’t fill water bottles from the sink’s tap.

            2.  Open the air vent and direct flow just in front of your face to deflect germs and breath filtered air.

            3.  Tray tables can be covered with germs.  Disinfect with wipes before using.

            4.  Seat-back pockets are often stuffed with used tissues and napkins, or worse.  The only solution, doctors say, is just don’t use them.

            5.  When getting on and off the plane, passengers are tightly packed in the aisles, touching seats and latches on overhead storage bines.  Use hand sanitizer and raise concerns with the crew when air circulation is shut off for an extended period.

[and see, WSJ, Tuesday, 12/20/2011, P. D1; “Where Germs Lurk On Planes”]

CRUISING UPDATE: Cruise Passenger Threatens Legal Action Against Carnival

            Passengers Upset With Carnival Customer Service After Ship Delayed By Bad Weather

            It’s not the Love Boat!

            At least one cruise passenger who was stranded on the Carnival cruise ship Fascination because of bad weather in October is ready to take legal action against the cruise line.

            TinaMarie Nelson, of Illinois, said that the cruise of the port of Jacksonville was a nightmare.  She said Carnival put her and her friends in danger with the way it handled the situation.

            During the four-day trip to the Bahamas, Nelson recorded video as severe weather struck, sending waves crashing against the ship.

            She said she’s amazed by Carnival’s lack of customer service, as about 2,000 passengers were stranded on board and facing several-hour delays, skipping a port and getting seasick.

            “People were throwing up everywhere, in the hallways, in the dining areas,” Nelson said.  “They had towels covering up the throw-up because they couldn’t keep up with people throwing up from the motion.”

            Nelson said she wants her money back, but it’s Carnival’s policy not to issue refunds.  The company provides a detailed contract online that passengers must sign.  It indicates that Carnival reserves the right to alter the ship’s course, ports of call, itinerary and activities because of bad weather.

[http://www.news4jax.com/news/Cruise-Passenger-Threatens-Legal-Action]

IMMIGRATION UPDATE: U.S. SUPREME COURT DECIDES IN FAVOR OF MANY IMMIGRANTS WITH OLD CRIMINAL CONVICTIONS

Supreme Court Issues Favorable Decision on § 212(c) Relief Practice Advisory for Assisting those with Cases Affected by the Decision 

December 16, 2011 

Washington, D.C.--- Earlier this week, the Supreme Court issued a unanimous decision in Judulang v. Holder, overturning the Board of Immigration Appeals’ (Board or BIA) policy of restricting § 212(c) relief for many lawful permanent residents (LPRs) with old criminal convictions.  Today, the Legal Action Center, the Immigrant Defense Project, and the National Immigration Project of the National Lawyers Guild are issuing a Practice Advisory that describes the Court’s decision and offers strategies for LPRs who are affected by it, Implications of Judulang v. Holder for LPRs Seeking § 212(c) Relief and for Other Individuals Challenging Arbitrary Agency Policies.  Of particularly note, some LPRs with final orders may want to consider filing motions to reconsider within 30 days of the Court’s decision. 

Under the Board’s now-rejected policy, LPRs found deportable were eligible for § 212(c) relief only if they could show that the ground of deportation was substantially equivalent to a ground of inadmissibility.  The Board’s policy, referred to as the “comparable ground test,” was announced in the 2005 decisions Matter of Blake, 23 I&N Dec. 722 (BIA 2005), and Matter of Brieva, 23 I&N Dec. 766 (BIA 2005).  In its decision, the Supreme Court concluded that the Board’s policy did not pass the “arbitrary and capricious” standard under the Administrative Procedures Act.

The Judulang Practice Advisory describes (1) the Court’s holding in Judulang and who is potentially affected; (2) steps that lawyers (or immigrants themselves) should take immediately in pending or already concluded removal proceedings involving such individuals; and (3) some other potential uses of the Judulang decision’s reasoning to challenge agency policy in removal cases. 

[Also see, “THE IMMIGRATION PARADOX: FIFTEEN (15) TIPS FOR WINNING IMIGRATION CASES”, iUniverse, 2009; and “QUINCE (15) CONSEJOS PARA GANAR CASOS DE INMIGRACION”, iUniverse, 2011; both was Charles Jerome Ware, former U.S. Immigration Judge]

MORTGAGE FRAUD: Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac ex-CEOs charged

The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has charged 6 former high-ranking executives (including CEOs) of mortgage giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac with securities fraud.

The civil lawsuits allege the six executives misled investors about their exposure to risky subprime mortgage debt. The lawsuits were filed in two separate cases in Federal Court in New York City. Among the ex-CEOs sued were former Fannie Mae CEO Dnaiel Mudd and former Freddie CEO Richard Syron.

The two civil suits seek financial penalties, disgorgement of ill-gotten gains with interest payments, and to bar Syron, Mudd and the other four defendants from serving as directors on company boards.

[see further: bottomline.msnbc.msn.com/news/2011/12/9494796-sec-charges-ex-fannie-freddieCEOs]

THE WHITE HOUSE: African American Engagement Conference Call

To: Clients and Friends:

The White House Office of Public Engagement will host the Monthly African American Engagement Call. Please join us on Thursday, December 15th at 3 p.m. EST for a conference call with Michael Strautmanis, Deputy Assistant to the President and Counselor for Strategic Engagement to the Senior Advisor, and Gil Kerlikowske, Director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy.

Call Details:

• WHAT: Office of Public Engagement Monthly African American Engagement Call
• WHEN: Thursday, December 15th at 3 p.m. EST
• CALL NUMBER: (877) 941-6029
• PASSCODE: White House African American Monthly

Please note that this call is off-the-record and is not intended for press purposes.

Thank you!

¡ROMPER NOTICIAS!!!: NUEVO LIBRO EN VENTA

QUINCE (15) CONSEJOS PARA GANAR CASOS DE INMIGRACION

Extractos del libro más vendido de inmigración,

“LA PARADOJA DE LA INMIGRACION: Quince (15) Consejos para Ganar Casos de Inmigración”

Por

Abogado Charles Jerome Ware

WWW.CHARLESJEROMEWARE.COM

Ex Juez de Inmigración de Estados Unidos

 ___________________________________________________________________________

CHARLES WARE is a former United States Immigration Judge.  He has published and spoken publicly numerous times on various legal topics.  His previous three legal books published by iUniverse have all been well-received by readers: “Understanding the Law: A Primer” (2008), “The Immigration Paradox” (2009), and “Legal Consumer Tips and Secrets” (2011).  His national law practice is headquartered in Columbia, Maryland where he lives with his family.  Charles Ware has been featured on his own number one legal advice radio program, “The Lawyer’s Mailbox”, as well as on numerous other television and radio programs.

MISSILE SILO HOME AND ESTATE FOR SALE: ONLY $1.72 MILLION!!!

            A home and its 185-acre estate originally purchased for $18 million in the 1950s, is now up for sale in upstate New York.  The new bargain price is $1.72 million.

            The home was designed and built specifically to sit on top of the 185-foot-deep missile silo in Saranac, New York.

            The missile silo comes with its own private airplane runway, and open-plan lodge, a 2,000-pound “impenetrable” keypad door, and a 50-foot tunnel.

            The Atlas ICBM (the “Atlas F”) missile is optional.

CRUISE PASSENGER CLAIMS: UPDATE!

In 1977, when The Love Boat television series premiered on American television, less than one million passengers cruised from ports in the United States. Today, over three million passengers embark annually on cruise ships from the Port of Miami alone. Many other passengers cruise from Tampa, Miami, New Orleans, Galveston, New York, San Diego and Los Angeles. 

Unfortunately but typically, many passengers are injured during these voyages. Most passengers are uncertain whether their injuries are compensable, what law applies to their situation, and when their claim must be filed. Complicating matters is the fact that most claims have to be filed in the jurisdiction where the cruise line is located. After returning to their home state or country, many passengers are hesitant to file suit against a large corporation in a distant jurisdiction. 

This law firm is qualified to provide passengers with advice regarding whether there is a basis to file suit, what compensation is potentially recoverable if litigation is commenced, and what defenses the cruise line will raise. The types of cases handled by this law firm and its referral network include:

• Trips and slips due to slippery substances and dangerous surfaces.
• Falls in cabins and on decks, stairways, ladders and ramps.
• Injuries while on shore excursions.
• Fires and collisions at sea.
• Viruses, gastroenteritis and illnesses caused by contaminated food and beverages.
• Failure to provide appropriate medical treatment.
• Failure to accommodate passengers with disabilities.
• Physical & sexual assaults by crew members.
  
  

[For general information contact:  WWW.CHARLESJEROMEWARE.COM; Office: (410) 720-6129; Email: CHARLESJEROMEWARE@MSN.COM]

CRUISE NEWS UPDATE: The Church of Scientology Responds to Allegations of "Woman imprisoned on Scientology cruise ship"

The Church of Scientology has released a statement denying the allegations of an Australian woman, Valeska Paris, who claims she was imprisoned on the group's cruise ship "The Freewinds" for over 10 years.

The church, in its prepared statement, claims the woman was a volunteer crew member of their cruise ship "The Freewinds" and was never held against her will.  The following is an excerpt from their statement to the media:

"Valeska Guider [Paris]  was serving as a crew member aboard the Freewinds religious retreat as a volunteer, adult religious worker. She was there of her own free will as part of her religious commitment to the Church of Scientology. The Freewinds is a passenger vessel with hundreds of people aboard. Ms. Guider's staff positions as a waitress, course instructor and staff counselor regularly placed her in contact with many parishioners and staff. She met and married her first husband there to whom she was married from 1998-2005 and who affirms her statements are false. She left the Freewinds hundreds of times to go shopping, for outings with her husband on islands such as St. Kitts, Aruba, St. Barts and Curaçao, as well as for numerous other reasons. She participated in extended trips to the UK, US and Denmark for which she passed through Immigration and Customs when entering and exiting these countries. Her claims are false."

[For more information on this topic, see: ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation News) www.abc.net.au/news/2011-11-28/womanimprisonedonScientologycruiseship; "Lateline" by Steve Cannane, updated November 30, 2011; "Yahoo!" News, 2011; "The Sideshow", 2011]

CRUISE NEWS: Legal Update

"Church of Scientology Denies Kidnapping Charge"

The Church of Scientology has issued a formal statement denying ABC News and Village Voice reports of allegations that a woman was "imprisoned" aboard the Scientology cruise ship "Freewings" for more than 10 years.

For most people, an extended stay aboard a luxury cruise liner sounds like a dream vacation.

But Valeska Paris says she was held against her will aboard the Scientology cruise ship "Freewinds" for more than a decade. During her stay on the vessel, she alleges, she was forced into hard labor and never allowed to leave the ship without an escort.

In an interview with the Australian Broadcasting Corporation's (ABC News) Lateline program, Paris claims that Church of Scientology leader David Miscavige sent her to the ship when she was 18 in order to prevent her family from pulling her out of the organization.

"I was basically hauled in and told that my mum had attacked the church and that I needed to disconnect from her because she was suppressive," she said. "He decided the ship, and I found out two hours before my plane left, I was woken up in the morning and I was sent to the ship for 'two weeks.' "


Paris was born into a Scientology family, but her mother quit the group after her husband committed suicide, blaming Scientology for coercing him out of a self-made personal fortune of more than a million dollars.

Instead of the promised two week stay, Paris found herself unable to leave the ship without an official Scientology escort and was often forced into hard labor on the lower levels of the ship for stretches as long as two full days. "It's hot, it's extremely loud, it's smelly, it's not nice. I was sent down there at first for 48 hours straight on almost no sleep and I had to work by myself," she said.

So, why didn't Paris simply escape from the ship when it would take port? The Freewinds has a relatively small sailing route, traveling throughout the Caribbean and occasionally docking at small islands.

"I did not want to be there, I made it clear I did not want to be there and that was considered bad ethics, meaning it was considered not right," she said. "They take your passport when you go on the ship and you're in the middle of an island. So it's a bit hard [to escape] and by that time I was 18, I'd been in Scientology my whole life, it's not like I knew how to escape," she said.

The Church of Scientology calls Paris' claims false but declined ABC requests to make church officials available for interviews for the story. The church, which has a well-known litigious history, threatened Lateline with legal action for taking part in an alleged breach of confidentiality between Paris and the church. In a statement, the Church of Scientology said Ms Paris' claims were false.

"She certainly wasn't 'forced' to be there. She was also never forced to perform labor in the engine room," the statement said. "The Freewinds is a wonderful place, as even Valeska said on numerous occasions. Her allegation that she could only leave the ship with an escort is totally false."
[also see, news.yahoo.com/blogs/sideshow/womanimprisoned]

Happy Holidays from all of us at the National Law Offices of Charles Jerome Ware, P.A.!

Be good to yourself.
Be good to others.

We are "here to make a difference".

TICKETMASTER: Refund Windfall Update!

Starting April 15th, 2012, all Ticketmaster customers for the past 12 years, October 21, 1999 through October 19, 2011, will be receiving a refund if they used Tickermaster's website to buy tickets; according to "Business Insider" by Kevin Lincoln [http://finance.yahoo.com/news/everyone-used-tickermaster-last-12-190940783.html].

It is believed that the proposed refund windfall will be about $1.50 per ticket order over the website, because of a class action lawsuit filed against Ticketmaster in 2003.

Ticketmaster is being forced to credit $1.50 per ticket order (up to 17 orders) to customers due to the fact that they profited off of "processing fees" without declaring as much.

And despite the reparations, Ticketmaster can continue to profit off transactions — they just have to say they're doing so on their website.

According to court documents, the original claim, filed October 21, 2003, also implicates UPS' delivery price for expedited delivery of tickets as deceptive. Those part of the UPS subclass of the suit are entitled to an additional $5.00 credit per ticket. Both credits are in the form of vouchers, which can be redeemed a maximum of two at a time.

This could end up costing Ticketmaster a hefty amount of money. If, in any given year over the four-year redemption period, less than $11.25 million is redeemed by customers, Ticketmaster is going to donate the remainder to charity.

These Ticketmaster (and UPS) refund credits are expected to be issued within 30 days after Final Approval of the class action settlement, which is currently scheduled for May 29, 2012.

BREAKING NEWS!!! --- CREDIT RATING SCANDAL

According to the Wall Street Journal (Friday, 12-2-2011, page C1), over the past 5 years, 2006 to 2011, more than 100 credit analysts at the top credit firms have left these firms to work for the financial companies they once rated.

[also see, the new book "Legal Consumer Tips and Secrets" (iUniverse, 2011) by Charles Jerome Ware, former Special Counsel to the Chairman of the U.S. Federal Trade Commission]

LEGAL APPEALS: An Update

Thank goodness for the right of appeal.  However, the litigant should be made aware that, although the appeals process can be most helpful to an appellant, the appeal is not always a saving grace for your case.  Your appeal could sour.  [see, Chapter 14: The Appeal, from the book UNDERSTANDING THE LAW: A PRIMER, (2008), by Attorney Charles Jerome Ware]

For example, from the WSJ.com Law Blog:

Federal appellate judge Richard Posner, widely considered one of the sharpest minds and wits in the federal judiciary, ruffled some feathers recently when in a legal opinion he compared a Houston appellate lawyer to an ostrich.


The insult was directed at David "Mac" McKeand, who is representing a group of Mexican citizens in one of many lawsuits over car wrecks allegedly caused by defects in Bridgestone and Firestone tires installed on Fords in Latin America. Judge Posner, in upholding a lower court's decision to dismiss the case, accused Mr. McKeand of ignoring legal precedent in arguing that the case belonged in U.S. rather than Mexican courts.

"The ostrich is a noble animal, but not a proper model for an appellate advocate," wrote Judge Posner, who sits on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit in Chicago.

For good measure, he illustrated the ruling with photos of an ostrich and a man in a suit with their heads buried in the sand, a flourish some in the legal profession said went too far.

Others praised Judge Posner for taking a stand.

Mr. McKeand, for one, thought the ruling was "beneath [Judge Posner's] high level of jurisprudence." The lawsuit belonged in the U.S. because Mexican courts refused to hear similar cases involving foreign defendants such as Ford and Firestone, he said. "In light of all the facts, I can only wonder who really is the ostrich," Mr. McKeand said.

CRUISE SHIP LAWS: Attorney Charles Jerome Ware's Update

The tragic death of Canadian Bernie Hamilton reminds us to issue this warning (or "caveat emptor") on cruise medical and/or health care:  generally, health care providers on most cruise ships, including doctors and nurses, are marginally qualified to handle passenger health care emergencies.

Hamilton, 66, and his wife were on their first transatlantic cruise when he suffered a heart attack in April 2011 while aboard a Holland America Line cruise ship and became brain dead.  He never recovered, and died three weeks later on May 5th, 2011.

His wife, Heather Hamilton, informed the Canadian Broadcasting Company's (CBC's) "The Fifth Estate" program that she believes her husband would still be alive if not for a series of misdiagnoses and missteps made by the cruise ship's doctor and staff.

The reader is cautioned and reminded that:  No requirements currently exist regarding the competency and training of hired medical personnel aboard cruise ships.  Any and all regulations concerning this area are voluntary by the cruise lines.

In other words, the loveable and affable doctor and nurse on your "Love Boat" are likely to be marginally competent to handle your health issues.



According to Mrs. Hamilton, after collapsing on board the ship it took at least an hour for the ship's medical staff to stabilize Bernie Hamilton.  The patient and his wife were then ordered off the ship at the Port in Spain where Mr. Hamilton could get medical treatment at a local hospital.  At the hospital in Spain he was declared brain dead.

Later, Heather Hamilton wrote a long letter to Holland America laying out in detail her version of the events that led up to her husband's heart attack.  She still has not received a reply from Holland America.  The only correspondence from the cruise line has been a $2,000 bill for Bernie's medical care.
[see, WWW.CHARLESJEROMEWARE.COM]

CRUISE SHIP LAW NEWS: by Maritime Personal Injury Attorney Charles Jerome Ware

Miami:  On November 22nd, 2011, the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of Florida (in Miami) announced criminal charges against a Carnival Cruise Line crewmember for alleged sexual abuse of a 14-year old female passenger aboard the "Liberty" cruise ship.

Baltimore:  Update to the report in 2010 that 6 crewmembers may have been poisoned by exposure to carbon monoxide on Celebrity Cruise Line's "Mercury" cruise at the Port of Baltimore: the Hazmat team did not find carbon monoxide on the ship.

CRUISE PASSENGER SERIOUSLY ILL FROM FOOD ON ALASKA CRUISE

The national law offices of Charles Jerome Ware, P.A., have filed a law suit on behalf of a passenger who became seriously ill from food on his Alaska cruise.

The lawsuit was filed in the federal court in Baltimore, Maryland and transferred by consent of the parties to the southern district of Florida, in Miami.

CRUISE SHIP PASSENGER LITIGATION: An Update

The national law firm of Charles Jerome Ware, P.A. is experienced and successful in the area of cruise ship passenger litigation.

Millions of passengers and tourists travel on cruises from the United States.  Although most of them have safe and enjoyable experiences, many do not.  Certainly safety aboard cruise ships has not increased commensurately with the large increase in passengers.

Complaints and claims of cruise ship injuries to passengers, assaults by crew members, and violent illnesses have become relatively commonplace in the cruise ship industry.

Cruise ship passengers who believe they may have a case against a cruise line are encouraged to contact the national law offices of Charles Jerome Ware, P.A., at (410) 720-6129, or (410) 730-5016, or visit our website at www.charlesjeromeware.com, or email at charlesjeromeware@msn.com.

LONG-TERM ECONOMIC CYCLE THEORY: An Update

Fluctuations in the American economy occur with uncanny regularity.

These fluctuations or trends revolve around either and (i) ascending, (ii) plateau, or (iii) descending phase of a long-term economic cycle of abundant prosperity, stagnation, or decline leading to a severe economic depression.

The complete economic cycle lasts from about 50 to 60 years.  A new cycle then begins.  In other words, a major economic depression occurs about every 50 years as a national an normal part of the self-correcting process of a so-called "free enterprise" economy.

Even the Bible makes reference to 50-year Jubilees where all debts were forgiven.  Could it be that long-term economic cycles have always existed? [see, WWW.CHARLESJEROMEWARE.COM]

IMMIGRATION UPDATE: "The Immigration Paradox" by Charles Jerome Ware, former United States Immigration Judge

An Immigration Paradox develops when American immigration policy is subjected to Government benign neglect. Additionally, although frequently used by many in the public, the word “illegal” is technically not recognized as a legal term in American immigration law as it applies to people. Surprised? Read further.

Immigration has always been a controversial, complex, and very important issue historically in American public policy. In fact, the historic and fundamental importance of immigration in American culture, in combination with the increasing controversy and inevitably complexities involving it, has created inevitable the above-referenced immigration paradox.

This book presents an overview of American immigration history, trends, policies and practices, and addresses the “paradox” issue from the perspective of a former United States Immigration Judge.

This important book contains “Fifteen (15) Tips for Winning Immigration Cases.”

BANK FORECLOSURES Update: State Attorney Generals Declare War on Banks

With the Federal Government having taken the lead with its lawsuit earlier this year, (2011), the 50 state attorneys general are now following up with lawsuits against U.S. banks who have been foreclosing illegally on homes.

The Massachusetts Attorney General has filed suit against five top banks, alleging robo-signing, other deceptive loan servicing practices, and general illegal foreclosures on homes in that state.

The 5 defendant banks are Bank of America, Wells Fargo, JP Morgan Chase, Citigroup and GMAC.

Look for other state attorneys general to follow with their own lawsuits.

THE LARGEST RELIGION IN THE UNITED STATES IS "CONSUMERISM"

[Excerpted from the new best-selling book, "LEGAL CONSUMER TIPS AND SECRETS" by former Federal Trade Commission official, Charles Jerome Ware]

If you owe too much money, you can go to prison even though you have not committed a crime.  You can also be kicked out of your home and face a myriad of other negative consequences.

Even so, the largest religion in the United States continues to be “consumerism” – the deeply held belief that buying goods and services makes us better and happier.  Attorney Charles Jerome Ware explores how you can keep spending, maintain your freedom, and stand up for yourself.  He shares ways to prevent foreclosure, discourage identity theft and other forms of fraud, avoid debt settlement scams, and rebuild your credit.

This insider’s guide reveals hundreds of facts to educate and inform the faithful American consumer.  Don’t be bullied into living like a pauper when you can take reasonable steps to improve your financial position.  Changing your life and avoiding pitfalls starts with learning Legal Consumer Tips and Secrets.

QUINCE (15) CONSEJOS PARA GANAR CASOS DE INMIGRACION - Charles Jerome Ware

Formas de Obtener Posición de Residente Permanente

Generalmente, hay en la actualidad cinco (5) formas para obtener posición de residente permanente en los Estados Unidos:

1.  Residente permanente a traves de un miembro familiar

2.  Residente permanente a traves de un empleo;

3.  Residente permanentea a traves de inversion;

4.  Residente permanente a traves de "Loterias de Diversidad"; y

5.  Residente permanente a traves de las disposiciones de "El Registro" de la Ley de Inmigración y Nacionalidad.

[Fuente: USCIS,2009]

Noted Author and Attorney Gives Valuable Advice for Consumers

New book helps consumers manage their debt and explains how to live debt free

BALTIMORE, Md. - Economists struggle to provide answers and solutions to fix the damaged economy, but most agree that credit card and student loan debt play a major part in the economic woes of the U.S.  A recent article on TIME.com titled "Scariest Student Loan Debt Numbers Ever: $100 Billion, $1 Trillion" presents some staggering figures, including the total amount of student loan debt owed which has recently eclipsed $1 trillion.  Seeking to ease the woes of consumers in debt, Charles Jerome Ware introduces his brilliant new book of legal and financial advice, Legal Consumer Tips and Secrets: Avoiding Debtors' Prison in the United States (published by iUniverse).

Alarmed by the high debt held by Americans and the harsh penalties facing them if they fail to repay their loans, Ware took it upon himself to help.  "If you owe too much money, you can go to prison even though you have not committed a crime," says Ware.  "You can also be kicked out of your home and face a myriad of other negative consequences."

Ware presents tips and secrets which can keep readers spending, maintaining their freedom, and standing up for themselves.  He shares ways to prevent foreclosure, discourage identity theft and other forms of fraud, avoid debt settlement scams and rebuild credit.

This insider's guide reveals hundreds of facts to educate and inform the faithful American consumer.  "Don't be bullied up into living like a pauper when you can take reasonable steps to improve your financial position," Ware says.

About the Author
Attorney Charles Jerome Ware is a principal in the national law firm of Charles Jerome Ware, Attorneys and Counselors.  He has served as the special legal counsel to the chairman of the Federal Trade Commission, as a federal administrative law judge, and as a senior trial attorney in both the Antitrust Division and the Criminal Division of the U.S. Justice Department.

Seven Life-Changing Virtues

1.  Faith.
2.  Hope.
3.  Love.
4.  Prudence.
5.  Justice.
6.  Temperance.
7.  Spiritual Growth.

Was Joe Paterno Truthful with the Grand Jury?

We do not presume to know the answer to this question.  But, what we do know is that Pennsylvania law enforcement authorities are asking and investigating whether the icon Penn State football coach has been truthful with them in the ongoing child abuse and molestation investigation involving one of his assistant football team coaches.

Look for more indictments to come in this tragic case.

Traumatic Brain Injuries ("TBIs")

People who are injured in an accident can suffer many different kinds of injuries.  Among the most serious, as well as the hardest to diagnose and treat, are so-called traumatic brain injuries (TBIs), sometimes also known as "closed-head trauma".

TBIs send more than 400,000 people to the hospital for treatment each year, three-quarters of whom are males between the ages of 15 and 34.  This group is over-represented because of the lifestyle that many of the accident victims lead: riding motorcycles without a helmet, participating in dangerous sports, drinking too much, and getting into car accidents.  Although the majority of these injuries are moderate to mild, even a minor TBI can cause the victim to suffer serious problems.

TEST-TAKING 101: Four (4) STEPS

4 Steps to prepare for a test:

1.  Review the most difficult material immediately before bedtime.  Going to sleep right afterwards consolidates the information in your memory.

2.  No distractions when studying.  Turn off all music, text messages, televisions and email.  Distractions make you less likely to remember material you were studying at the time.

3.  Repetition --- Repetition --- Repetition.  Test yourself repeatedly.  Students remember more when they force themselves to retrieve concepts than when they simply re-read the textbook or their notes.

4.  "Eat oatmeal for breakfast".  In other words, a balanced, slow-digesting diet provides a sustained flow of glucose to the brain.

[Excerpts from: The Wall Street Journal, Wednesday, October 26, 2011, page D1]

"In Memoriam: STEVEN PAUL JOBS, 1955-2011"

Chairman and co-founder of Apple, Inc. who pioneered the personal-computer industry and changed the way consumers think about technology.

Mr. Jobs died on Wednesday, October 5th, 2011, at age 56, of complications from pancreatic cancer.

Steve Jobs was an amazing visionary and creative genius.

CLIENT UPDATE FOR RENTERS: Screen Your Landlord!

For renters, your landlord checks your background before renting space to you.  You should do the same to your landlord:

1.  Do not be afraid to ask questions of your landlord.  A friendly and courteous conversation can get a lot of valuable information out of your landlord.  Also, go on-line and check.

2.  Check property records to see the ownership record of the property.  Make sure your landlord has the authority to be your landlord.  Check on-line.

3.  Find out how long the previous tenants were there; and, if possible, why.

4.  Talk to the neighbors.  Neighbors are very good sources of information.

5.  Drive by and look at the landlord's other properties.  Patterns usually emerge.

[Read, "UNDERSTANDING THE LAW: A Primer", by Attorney Charles Jerome Ware (iUniverse, 2008)]

BANKING UPDATE: Caveat Emptor ("Let the bank customer beware!")

I went into my bank this morning to make a modest deposit into one of my two checking accounts.

After my simple deposit transaction, two tellers were all over me to open another checking account!

"We'll give a $100 back if you open a new checking account," they repeated.

The reason for this aggressive marketing by the banks is the need to raise additional fees from their services.

An additional checking account means, over time, substantial additional fees to be paid by the customer to the bank: including, service fees and costs, overdraft fees, etc.

[See the new best-selling book, "LEGAL CONSUMER TIPS AND SECRETS", by Charles Jerome Ware, former Special Counsel to the Chairman of the U.S. Federal Trade Commission; iUniverse Publishers, 2011].

"DECEMBER 21, 2012"

The popular "2012 phenomenon" comprises as variety of eschatological beliefs that cataclysmic or transformative events will occur on December 21, 2012.

This date of December 21, 2012 is considered by many to be the end-date of a 5,125-year-long cycle which results in the end of the world or a similar catastrophe.

Readers and followers of these blogs and twitters (tweets) are encouraged to be wary and aware of proliferating scammers and schemers seeking to take advantage financially of this "2012 phenomenon".

See the best-selling new book, "Legal Consumer Tips and Secrets", by Charles Jerome Ware, former Special Counsel to the Chairman of the United States Federal Trade Commission (iUniverse Publishers, 2011).

BREAKING NEWS!!! "ALABAMA'S NEW IMMIGRATION LAW"

It's official!  The state of Alabama, which some people consider to be a foreign country of its own, now has the toughest immigration laws in America.  Surpassing even Arizona.

Among other onerous provisions, the new Alabama law allows police officers to arrest anyone they even suspect of being an "illegal (unlawful)" immigrant during a "routine" traffic stop.


The new law also requires schools in Alabama to verify students' immigration status, as well as gives police authority to determine citizenship and status of those they stop, detain or arrest.

[Also see the book, "THE IMMIGRATION PARADOX: 15 Tips for Winning Immigration Cases", by Charles Jerome Ware, former U.S. Immigration Judge, (iUniverse Publishers, 2009).

BREAKING NEWS!!! --- "BANK OF AMERICA (BAC) TROUBLES"

A troubled Bank of America (BAC), drowning in financial problems, customer complaints and lawsuits, now plans to add to its customer problems by sticking an additional $5.00 monthly fee on all debit card purchases.

Followers of this law firm's blogs and tweets have been forewarned previously about the perils of debit card usage.

"DEBT! There is simply too much debt!"

(Excerpts from the new book, "LEGAL CONSUMER TIPS AND SECRETS", by Charles Jerome Ware, former Special Counsel to the Chairman of the U.S. Federal Trade Commission; iUniverse Publishers, 2011).

The reader should know that a major economic depression occurs about every 50 to 60 years.  This is a normal and natural part of a self-correcting "free enterprise" economy after it has been subjected to excessive imbalances by both private sectors and governments.

The Bible makes reference and note of "50-year Jubilees", when historically all debts were forgiven.

SUCCESS: The 7 Spiritual Laws of Success --- A Practical Guide To The Fulfillment Of Your Dreams; by Dr. Deepak Chopra (1993)

Excerpts by Attorney Charles Jerome Ware:

Chapter 1 - The Law of Pure Potentiality
Chapter 2 - The Law of Giving
Chapter 3 - The Law of "Karma" or Cause and Effect
Chapter 4 - The Law of Least Effect
Chapter 5 - The Law of Intention and Desire
Chapter 6 - The Law of Detachment
Chapter 7 - The Law of "Dharma" or Purpose in Life

COMPANY SECURITY RISKS: Employees

(Extracted from the best-selling book, "UNDERSTANDING THE LAW: A Primer", by Attorney Charles Jerome Ware (iUniverse Publishers, 2008); and the new book, "LEGAL CONSUMER TIPS AND SECRETS", by Charles Jerome Ware, former Special Counsel to the Chairman of the U.S. Federal Trade Commission (iUniverse, 2011)).

What is a company's biggest security risk?
Answer: the employee.  That's right, employees are the weakest link in company security.  Particularly for "hackers' or "crackers", who access computer systems by circumventing security systems.

The following are just four (4) of several ways "hackers" or "crackers" use employees to break company security:

(1) The employee opens an unexpected email attachment from a colleague.  Hackers frequently use these opportunities to inject viruses inside the company network, bypassing the firewall. 

(2)  The employee uses his or her personal web email for work.  The employee believes this makes it easier to work from home or to move files between computers.  Hackers, however, see this as an opportunity path to access critical data from relatively unprotected services.

(3)  The employee brings a new personal computer or electronic gadget to the work network.  The employee sees this as an opportunity to stay up with the latest computer technology.  Hackers, though, see this as a new route or opportunity for viruses and spyware to find their way into corporate systems.

(4)  The employee uses the company's computer to post his or her job details on LINKEDIN.  The employee sees this as creating a professional presence and finding another potential job.  Hackers, usually rather cleverly, use this opportunity and vehicle to acquire hierarchies and to target particular users with spear-phishing attacks.

CONTRACTS: FOUR (4) SECRETS (Taken from the book, "UNDESTANDING THE LAW: A PRIMER", by Attorney Charles Jerome Ware, iUniverse Publishers)

1.  If the contract is in writing, ALWAYS read it yourself.

2.  Make sure you understand EVERYTHING in the contract BEFORE you sign it.

3.  Although many contracts can be in writing or verbally, MOST contracts SHOULD be or MUST be in writing.

4.  Remember:  usually the large print in contracts gives you rights, BUT the small print takes your rights away.

LOS HISPANOS: LA MAS RAPIDA CRECIENTE MINORIA

Hispanos, el mayor y mas rapido crecimiento de grupos minoritarios de Estados Unidos, Ahora Son mas de 50.5 millones de personas --- 16.3 porciento de la poblacion Americana, de acuerdo con el censo del 2010 y el libro, "La paradoja de la Inmigracion: Quince (15) consejos para ganar casos de inmigracion" por Charles Jerome Ware, Ex juez de inmigracion de Estados Unidos (iUniverse Editoriales).

HISPANICS: FASTEST-GROWING MINORITY

Hispanics, the largest and fastest-growing U.S. minority group, now number more than 50.5 million people --- 16.3 percent of the American population, according to the 2010 Census and the book, "The Immigration Paradox: 15 Tips for Winning Immigration Cases" by Charles Jerome Ware, former U.S. Immigration Judge (iUniverse Publishers).

"GENERATION P": Hooked on Credit Cards

(Excerpted from Chapter 13, "The Dark Secrets of Credit Cards and Debit Cards"; from the new book, LEGAL CONSUMER TIPS AND SECRETS, by Charles Jerome Ware, former Special Counsel to the Chairman of the U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) [iUniverse Publishers, 2011].

Credit card companies are getting more and more people, between the ages of 18 and 25, hooked on "plastic".  Increasingly these new victims are women.  Collectively, they are called "Generation P", meaning generation plastic; because this group rarely if ever leave home without a credit or debit card.  And they use them frequently.

"IDENTITY THEFT, 2011".

(Excerpts from the new book, LEGAL CONSUMER TIPS AND SECRETS, by Attorney Charles Jerome Ware).

Identity theft is now one of the fastest-growing crimes in the United States.  In recent reports, the U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) estimates that over 9 million Americans have their identities stolen each year [from Chapter 5: "Avoiding Identity Theft and Identity Fraud," by Charles Jerome Ware, former Special Counsel to the Chairman of the U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC)].

If you are a victim of identity theft, take the following 5 steps immediately:

(1)  Place a "fraud alert" on your credit reports and, of course, order and review them.

(2)  Close the accounts you know, or have good reason to believe, have been tampered with or opened fraudulently.

(3)  File an identity theft complaint with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC).

(4)  File an identity theft report with your local police or law enforcement agency in the community location where the identity theft occurred.

(5)  Keep a detailed record of your efforts and the responses you receive from your identity theft complaints, including copies of all correspondence related to them.

"BREAKING NEWS: U.S. SUES BANKS FOR MORTGAGE FRAUD"

The Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA), the government agency that oversees mortgage buyers Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac is suing 17 banking institutions for mortgage fraud.

The lawsuit was filed last Friday, September 2nd, 2011, against banking giants Bank of America, Merrill Lynch, Citigroup, J.P. Morgan Chase, Goldman Sachs, Barclays, Nomura, and ten more big banks seeking compensation for more than $41 billion of losses related to subprime mortgage bonds.

The lawsuit charges the banks with violating Federal and state securities laws in the fraudulent sale of home mortgages.

"HOME IMPROVEMENT SCAMS"

Tips and Secrets from the new book, LEGAL CONSUMERS TIPS AND SECRETS, by Charles Jerome Ware, former Special Counsel to the Chairman of the United States Federal Trade Commission (iUniverse Publishers, 2011), Chapter 12.

The consumer is cautioned to not be fooled by wide-spread hurricane and tornado scams, and advised to hire only licensed home improvement contractors for repairs.  The consumer is also urged to get several estimates for repair work, check the contractors' licenses, and only pay upon completion of the repair work [see "Chapter 12: Home Improvement Tips and Secrets", from the new book LEGAL CONSUMER TIPS AND SECRETS (iUniverse Publishers, 2011), by Charles Jerome Ware].

SELLING PATENTS: A New Revenue-Generator for Companies

In the current tight economy for everyone, including many companies, a new way to generate much-needed capital (money) for some companies is to sell some of their PATENTS to other companies.

An example is the very recent sale by NOKIA Corporation to MOSAID Technologies, Inc. of over 2,000 corporate patents.

Another example is GOOGLE Inc.'s expressed interest recently in acquiring MOTOROLA Mobility Holdings, Inc. for $12.5 billion.  GOOGLE mainly wants MOTOROLA'S PATENTS.

Further, MICROSOFT Corporation and RESEARCH IN MOTION Ltd. have combined resources to pay NORTEL NETWORK Corporation $4.5 billion for its wireless PATENTS.

ILLEGAL MERGER?: AT&T and T-Mobile USA

The Antitrust Division of the United States Department of Justice has filed a civil lawsuit to block the proposed $29 billion acquisition (takeover or merger) by AT&T of T-Mobile USA.

The Government states that the combination of the second (AT&T) and fourth (T-Mobile USA) largest cellphone companies in the U.S. would harm competition and probably raise prices for consumers.  We agree.

"WHISTLEBLOWERS: UPDATE", by Attorney Charles Jerome Ware, author of the best-selling book, UNDERSTANDING THE LAW: A Primer (iUniverse Publishers, 2008)

The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) lawyer who has very publicly accused the SEC of improperly destroying thousands of sensitive investigation documents of targeted companies and corporate officials was also successful in a previous whistleblower action in Michigan.  In that 1993 Michigan medicare fraud case, Darcy Flynn was awarded about $2.7 million as a whistleblower.  Michigan has its own whistleblower law.

In his current whistleblower action against the SEC, Mr. Flynn's complaint comes under the Federal Whistleblower Protection Act of 1989 which is designed to protect Federal employee whistleblowers who work for the Government and report Agency misconduct.  Mr. Flynn could, again, receive compensation from the Government for his SEC whistleblower actions.

"OBAMA FOR AMERICA, 2012"

A team of volunteers from the national law offices of Charles Jerome Ware, Attorneys & Counselors, will be canvassing the Columbia, Maryland 21044 area on Saturday, September 4th, 2011 in support of the "OBAMA FOR AMERICA, 2012" Campaign.

"DEBT NO-NOs":

Wisdom from the new book, "LEGAL CONSUMER TIPS AND SECRETS", by Attorney Charles Jerome Ware, former Special Counsel to the Chairman of the United States Federal Trade Commission (iUniverse Publishers, 2011).  6 Tips to follow WHEN YOU ARE IN HEAVY DEBT:

1.  Generally, go not make matters worse when you are in debt by committing common, unthinking mistakes.

2.  Do not rely on family and friends to pay your heavy debts.  This can destroy your relationship with them.

3.  Do not pay cash upfront to credit counselors or so-called debt settlement professionals.  These people rarely, if ever, deliver.

4.  Do not use new, high-interest loans.  This process serves to increase your debt load.

5.  Use bankruptcy only as a last resort.  Bankruptcy can be devastating to your financial future.

6.  Do not rely solely on paying the minimum on your credit cards or other debt.  Your debt only becomes larger.

"DEBIT CARD DANGER":

From the new book, "Legal Consumer Tips and Secrets" by Attorney Charles Jerome Ware, former Special Counsel to the Chairman of the United States Federal Trade Commission (iUniverse Publishers, 2011).

1.  Banks prefer that consumers use debit cards over credit cards.  Even though banks make lots of money on both cards, they make even more money on debit cards.

2.  Using debit cards online is dangerous for the consumer.  It is extremely difficult to refund a purchase or restore your account when the card number is stolen.

3.  Using debit cards for rental or security deposits is a bad idea.  Your money is taken immediately out of your bank account, with little to no recourse.

4.  Using debit cards in restaurants and bars can be dangerous.  Too public.  Too many searching eyes.  Think about it, employees in a restaurant or bar can actually walk away (and even out of sight) with your card.  Use cash instead of a card.

5.  Do not use debit cards to make regular payments on bills.  Not all businesses are honest.  Businesses love to get your debit card number to snatch money out of your bank account on a regular (and even irregular) basis, and many will do it without your permission.

6.  Consistent with 2, above, it is dangerous for the consumer to use debit cards in public Wi-Fi spots.  Hackers and scammers can and will steal your personal data.

7.  For more information, read Chapter 13, "Dark Secrets of Credit Cards and Debit Cards", from the new book, "LEGAL CONSUMER TIPS AND SECRETS", by Attorney Charles Jerome Ware (iUniverse, 2011).

"CLIENT UPDATES" from the national law firm offices of Charles Jerome Ware, Attorneys and Counselors:

Popular Actor and Social Activist Danny Glover said in Phoenix, Arizona on Wednesday, August 24th, 2011, even though Arizona's sweeping new law targeting "illegal" immigrants has created a moral crisis for the state, a boycott of Arizona may not be an appropriate response.

Danny appeared at the Phoenix Convention Center with Mayor Phil Gordon and a local civil rights activist, the Rev. Warren H. Stewart, Sr.

Oprah Winfrey will receive an honorary Oscar award from the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences in November 2011.  The Academy's "Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award" will be given to Oprah at the Academy's annual Governor's Awards program for her renowned philanthropy.

IMMIGRATION UPDATE: IMMIGRATION NEWS!!!

Featuring the award-winning and best-selling book, "THE IMMIGRATION PARADOX: 15 TIPS FOR WINNING IMMIGRATION CASES", by Attorney Charles Jerome Ware, former United States Immigration Judge (iUniverse Publishers, 2009).

IMMIGRATION AMNESTY?  One week after the announcement by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security of the OBAMA Administration's new policy of making undocumented immigrants with no criminal record a low-priority for deportation, two young men originally from Mexico successfully halted their deportation/removal proceedings in Georgia.  Look for thousands more beneficiaries of this new "amnesty" policy to come.

"Illegal" versus "Undocumented Aliens".
In America, no human being is "illegal" [see book, "THE IMMIGRATION PARADOX: 15 Tips for Winning Immigration Cases", by Attorney Charles Jerome Ware, former U.S. Immigration Judge].  However, the word "illegal" continues to be used a lot in immigration discussions.  Others prefer the word "undocumented".

The following appears to be the most-common differentiations between the use of the two terms:

The terms "illegal alien" appears to be used to describe a foreign national who has entered the United States without lawful permission or, even if having entered legally, has since lost that legal status because of a criminal act.

The term "undocumented alien" is considered more of a civil offense and not criminal in nature, and refers generally to a foreign national who has entered the U.S. legally but has overstayed his or her visa for legal entry.

"DEBT: Four (4) Things Not To Do When You Are In Debt"

Excerpts from the new book, "LEGAL CONSUMER TIPS AND SECRETS -- Avoiding Debtors' Prison in the United States", Chapter 9, by Attorney Charles Jerome Ware, former Special Counsel to the Chairman of the Federal Trade Commission.

1. Do not rely solely on “minimal payments” or small monthly payments on your credit cards to improve or even maintain your credit rating.  

2. Be wary or cautious about rolling your debt balance or credit card balance over to an introductory rate credit card.   

3. Never assume your interest rates are constant or the same.  

4. Be wary or cautious of debt settlement scams and schemes.

CLIENT UPDATES: Law Offices of Charles Jerome Ware, A National Law Firm

"Bounce TV", the first-ever 24/7 Broadcast Television Network created exclusively for African American audiences is on schedule to launch this Fall 2011, according to two of its founding members: former United Nations Ambassador Andrew Young and Martin Luther King III of Atlanta, Georgia.

Dr. Deepak Chopra: is supporting the World Peace Festival, August 20th to August 27th, 2011, in Berlin, Germany.

"Notting Hill" movie casualty.  The Travel Bookstore, made famous in Hugh Grant's popular movie "Notting Hill" has encountered insurmountable financial troubles and is closing for business after over 30 years in London, England.

IMMIGRATION: "The 'Green Card' Is Not Green"

From Chapter 12 of the best-selling book, THE IMMIGRATION PARADOX: 15 Tips for Winning Immigration Cases, by Attorney Charles Jerome Ware, former United States Immigration Judge.

The “Green Card” is not Green

Surprise! The “Green Card,” or United States Permanent Resident Card, is not green. Further, the Green Card has not been “green” for a very long time. Since its inception in or about 1947, the card has taken on a variety of different colors at different times in history. The “Green Card” actually started out in about 1940 as a white card.

We probably still refer to these Permanent Resident Cards as “Green Cards” for historical reference reasons. For example, in the field of law we refer to intended distractions as “red herrings;” dismissal from employment notices are called “pink slips;” excessively sensationalized news stories are called “yellow journalism;” and the phrase “firing” or “to fire” someone when their job is terminated comes from the inspired practice of burning down the house of neighbors when they were no longer wanted in the community [Attorney Charles Jerome Ware, Understanding The Law: A Primer, 2008, iUniverse Press (1-800-288-4677), www.iuniverse.com, www.amazon.com]. In each of the above-referenced examples, an idea was originally associated with an actual item of the respective or specific color.

Consumerism

According to some, "Consumerism" is now the largest fundamentalist religion in the United States.  In this context, "Consumerism" is defined as the deeply held American belief that buying goods and services can fill the voids in our hearts and souls [see, Chapter 20, "Legal Consumer Tips and Secrets", new book by Charles Jerome Ware (2011)].

Popular Actor --- Unfortunate Foreclosure:

Popular actor Burt Reynolds' multi-million dollar home in Florida is being foreclosed upon by the mortgagor/creditor, Merrill Lynch Credit Corp.  The foreclosure sale is being sought by the bank allegedly because Reynolds is over 6 months late in house payments.

Florida, like Maryland and a few other states, has no foreclosure redemption law that would allow the famous actor to reclaim his home after the foreclosure sale.

For a comprehensive legal discussion on foreclosure law in the United States, read Chapter 4 of Charles Ware's new consumer book, "Legal Consumer Tips and Secrets".

AUTHOR'S UPDATES: "Legal Consumer Tips and Secrets", by Attorney Charles Jerome Ware

Charles Jerome Ware, former Special Counsel to the Chairman of the United States Federal Trade Commission in Washington, D.C., is the author of the book, "Legal Consumer Tips and Secrets" (2011).

Another Ponzi Scheme:  The former CEO of an Austin, Texas-based investment firm has been convicted on federal charges that he schemed and defrauded investors out of more than $50 million between December 2005 and December 2009.  The victims included church members, athletes and other so-called "famous people". 

See Chapter 7 ("...the PONZI and the other schemes") and Chapter 8 (the Affinity Scam) of Charles Ware's new consumer book for legal background and discussion.

BREAKING NEWS!!! IMMIGRATION AMNESTY?: August 2011, by Attorney Charles Jerome Ware

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS), this week, quietly announced intention to implement a new policy of individually reviewing over 300,000 actively pending deportation cases in federal immigration courts.  So-called "lower-priority" deportation cases will be suspended.

Lower-priority cases are those which do not involve immigrants considered violent or otherwise dangerous to the American public.

The reason given for this new policy is the matter of prioritizing these cases and allocating more efficiently scarce resources.

Conservative critics, of course, are calling this new policy "backdoor amnesty" for undocumented aliens.

Author's Update: Charles Jerome Ware, former Special Counsel to the Chairman of the Federal Trade Commission, and author of the soon-to-be-published book, "LEGAL CONSUMER TIPS AND SECRETS".

"NIGERIAN INDICTED FOR ALLEGED SCAMMING OF LAW FIRMS"

A Nigerian man has been extradited from Nigeria to the United States and indicted for alleged scamming of over $31,000,000.00 from over 80 law firms and lawyers in this country.  Ironically, the alleged crimes involved debt collection scams [and see Chapter 11, "Legal Consumer Tips and Secrets", by attorney Charles Jerome Ware (2011)].

The alleged victims included several prominent Pennsylvania law firms, an Alabama law firm, as well as a Canadian law firm.

The man and his associates also attempted without success to defraud an additional 300 lawyers and law firms out of over $100,000,000.00.

CHARLES WARE AMONG "BEST LAWYERS" IN AMERICA

Attorney Charles Jerome Ware continues to be ranked among the "Best Lawyers" in America [see "Community Focus Online", www.communityfocusonline.com/CharlesJeromeWare].

Charles Ware is rated a "Great Lawyer", is the original recipient of the Charles Hamilton Houston Award for "Outstanding Litigation", and he is a former "Chief Justice Earl Warren Scholar".

SEC "whistleblower": An attorney at the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), Darcy Flynn, has accused his employer (the SEC) of systematically destroying important documents after closing "matters under inquiry" (MUIs).

MUIs are the SEC's preliminary inquiry or look into potential violations of U.S. securities laws.

Attorney Charles Ware's MENSA Quiz

- From Chapter 20 of Attorney Ware's 2008 best-selling book, "UNDERSTANDING THE LAW: A Primer":

- Which bodies of water inside the continental United States may be considered the high seas?

- Which president of the United States terminated diplomatic relations with the nation of Cuba?

- Which great American city attempted legalize prostitution in 1857?

"Current Immigration Issues in the United States": Update by Attorney Charles Jerome Ware, former United States Immigration Judge

-Chapter 21, from the 2009 best-selling book: The Immigration Paradox, by Attorney Charles Jerome Ware, former United States Immigration Judge.

-Current top ten (1) countries from which immigrants come into the United States: (1) Mexico, (2) China, (3) India, (4) Philippines, (5) Vietnam, (6) El Salvador, (7) Cuba, (8) former USSR, (9) Korea, and (10) Dominican Republic.

-Current most popular states for immigrants to settle in the U.S.: (1) California, (2) New York, (3) Florida, (4) Texas, (5) New Jersey, (6) Illinois, (7) Georgia, (8) Massachusetts, (9) Arizona, (10) Virginia, (11) Maryland, and (12) Washington.

"UPDATES: HUGH GRANT, DANNY GLOVER, DEEPAK CHOPRA"

-Attorney Charles Ware's latest book, tentatively titled "LEGAL CONSUMER TIPS AND SECRETS" is scheduled to be published soon (by Fall 2011).

-HUGH GRANT: Has turned down a multi-million dollar offer from Warner Brothers to replace Charlie Sheen in the popular TV sitcom "Two And A Half Men".

-DANNY GLOVER: Is among the 2011 Freedom Award Winners, sponsored by the National Civil Rights Museum in Memphis, Tennessee in honor of the museum's 20th Anniversary.

-DEEPAK CHOPRA: Deepak's "Seduction of Spirit" Meditation Retreat will be held this October 2011 in San Diego, California.

"ODD, WEIRD AND STRANGE LAWS"

From the best-selling book, "UNDERSTANDING THE LAW: A PRIMER" (2008, iUniverse Publishers), by Attorney Charles Jerome Ware, comes the following funny excerpts:

- In Florida, by statute, having sexual relations with a porcupine is illegal.  (Ouch!!!)
-In Florida, When having sex with another human being, only the missionary position is legal.
- In New York, the maximum punishment for jumping off a building is the death penalty.
- In New York City, it is illegal for a woman to be on the street wearing "body hugging clothing".
- In Alabama, it is illegal to play Dominoes on Sunday.
- Also, in Jasper Alabama, it is illegal for a husband to beat his wife with a stick larger in diameter than his thumb.  (So-o-o humane).
- In Arkansas, it is against the law to mispronounce the name of the state of Arkansas.  (Enacted clearly on a very slow day in the State Capitol.)
- In California, it is illegal to eat an orange in your bathtub.  (Message: PAY ATTENTION when bathing!)
- In Denver, Colorado, it is unlawful to lend your vacuum cleaner to your next-door neighbor.  (How un-neighborly!)
- In Connecticut a pickle, by official definition, is not a pickle unless it bounces.  (The "bounce" is in the pickle.)
- In Georgia, apparently in an effort to avoid indecent exposure, it is illegal to change the clothes on a storefront mannequin unless you draw the shades.
- In Delaware, getting married on a date is grounds for an annulment.  (And stupid, we might add.)
- In Arkansas a man can legally beat his wife, but not more than once a month.
- In Tucson, Arizona, it is unlawful for women to wear pants.
- In New Jersey, it is against the law to "frown" at a police officer.
- In North Dakota, it is illegal to whistle underwater.
- In Monroe, Utah, "daylight" must be visible between partners on a dance floor.
- In South Carolina, every citizen is obliged to carry his gun to church.

"WILL SMITH IN COLUMBIA, MARYLAND"

This past Wednesday evening, July 2th, 2011, I was walking to my home from my neighborhood bar & grill at my golf course here in Columbia, Maryland when suddenly I met my old friend, film icon WILL SMITH, who was taking a nice evening stroll with his daughter.

Will, wife Jada Pinkett Smith, and their children are visiting with Jada's parents in their newly-renovated home not far from my home here in Columbia's Hobbitt Glen neighborhood.

Look for huge and successful entertainment projects from Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith in 2012.

As background, it should be helpful to know that Will's wife, actress Jada Pinkett Smith, was born and raised in nearby Baltimore, Maryland.  Her mother, Adrienne Banfied, and her stepfather now live here in Columbia.

Jada Pinkett Smith attended the Baltimore School for the Arts, where she majored in dance and choreography.  One of her classmates was the now-deceased iconic rapper and actor Tupac Shakur.

"CONSUMER LEGAL TIPS AND SECRETS"

The following are excerpts from Attorney Charles Jerome Ware's new book, coming soon in 2011, tentatively titled "Consumer Legal Tips And Secrets".

Attorney Charles Jerome Ware is the former Special Counsel to the Chairman of the United States Federal Trade Commission (FTC).  His national law practice is headquartered in Columbia, Maryland, with other locations throughout the United States and the country of Colombia in Latin America.

1.  Credit Bureaus are not government agencies.  Typically they are private, profit-making companies that collect and sell your personal credit information or credit history.

2.  Credit bureaus make lots of money selling your personal information.

3.  In fact, the selling of your personal credit information is a multi-billion dollar business annually.

4.  The so-called "Big 3" major credit bureaus in the U.S. are Equifax, Experian and TransUnion.

5.  Credit reports are frequently wrong; particularly credit reports generated by the so-called "Big 3" major credit bureaus.

6.  Further, credit reports are always biased against the consumer --- that is, you.

7.  For example, a major bias exists on the part of credit bureaus against the inclusion of positive or good credit information in your credit report or credit file.

8.  In many years of experience, I have yet to see a credit report or credit file that, for example, accurately and truly reflects a positive payment history of anyone.

9.  The alleged "one credit score" for each person or consumer is a myth.  No such thing.  There usually are several "credit scores" at the same moment in time for each consumer, from different money-making credit bureaus.

10.  Your so-called "credit score" is allegedly calculated using a so-called "algorithm": an intimidating word meaning a complex mathematical formula that absolutely nobody understands.

11.  And, it gets worse.  Allegedly this so-called credit score algorithm is "proprietary" in nature.  This means this "algorithm" hocus-pokus is treated like a secret.  A huge money-making secret.

12.  There are probably numerous people around the world who have the individual knowledge and skills to an atomic but virtually no individual has the single knowledge to understand the credit score algorithm (or, I guess, manufacture Coca-Cola).

13.  In general, credit cards should be treated as your ENEMY; not your friend.

14.  Avoid, if at all possible, signing any contract that contains a "confessed judgment" clause.

15.  Remember the wisdom of CONTRACTS: The BOLD (large) print in a contract giveth, and the Fine (small) print taketh away.