Group items matching

in title, tags, annotations or url

http://www.myfoxtampabay.com/dpp/news/local/nature_coast/crackdown-on-synthetic-marijuana-02272012 Peter Linton-SmithFOX 13 News Pasco County reporter SPRING HILL - Brightly colored packages of potpourri can be found at many convenience stores -- and most of them are illegal. Last year, Florida banned some of the ingredients found in the potpourri because it is being used like marijuana. When the synthetic marijuana is used as pot, it can be dangerous. "It has a tendency to be more likely to lead to psychosis

http://www.myfoxtampabay.com/dpp/news/local/nature_coast/crackdown-on-synthetic-marijuana-02272012 Peter Linton-Smith FOX 13 News Pasco County reporter SPRING HILL - Brightly colored packages of potpourri can be found at many convenience stores -- and most of them are illegal. Last year, Florida banned some of the ingredients found in the potpourri because it is being used like marijuana. When the synthetic marijuana is used as pot, it can be dangerous. "It has a tendency to be more likely to lead to psychosis and sometimes prolonged psychosis," according to Hernando County Sheriff Al Nienhuis. Emergency rooms are beginning to report more cases of people with bizarre side effects related to the use of fake marijuana, sometimes called K-2. "These manufacturing conditions are not up to pharmaceutical grade," Sheriff Nienhuis added. This week, deputies fanned out across the county to visit 130 convenience stores. Deputy Steve Snell is one of the deputies checking the shelves. "We're going around to all our convenience stores our retailers that might be selling this type of product and trying to inform them what law changes have taken place," Snell said. Snell will deliver a page-long warning letter. It lists the ingredients in potpourri that are now banned. "This letter is to inform you of recent changes in the Florida State Statutes which specifically address the possession of chemicals in synthetic Marijuana (commonly referred to as Spice or K-2)." The letter goes on the warn the "...chemicals are now outlawed (making) it a third degree felony for ANYONE to posses of sell items that contain these chemicals." The warning letters have been well received thus far, according to Snell. "We haven't had any resistance. They're very appreciative of what we're doing. We're trying to make sure they're in compliance." Deputies will eventually make a return visit. If the K-2 or Spice is found on the shelves, the store owner could b

Source : http://newscenter.springhillgrouphome.com/ Springhill Group Home: Impact of Budget Cuts on Rural Housing and Availability of Mortgage http://newscenter.springhillgrouphome.com/2012/03/springhill-group-home-impact-of-budget-cuts-on-rural-housing-and-availability-of-mortgage/ The budget cuts on rural housing finance are raising many significant questions. In the present economic situation, where federal funding for the rural housing projects is much needed, the budget cut is really distressing. According to the rural market experts, Section 538 Rural Rental Loan Guarantee Program has offered the most effective service in this regard. However, the recent budget cut is much likely to affect the proceeding of this program and home loan rate for buying a rural property. Rural economics - Demand vs. supply line-

Sony, the giant Japanese electronics maker, plans to cut 6% of its workforce or around 10,000 jobs as they continue with their efforts to restructure their business, the 3rd job cut since 2005. It has already sold 2 divisions and is now scaling back its TV production.   According to Bloomberg's data, the biggest consumer electronics exporter in Japan has 168,200 staff last year. Around half of the job cuts resulted from publicized deals the company has previously made. Last month, Sony sold a chemicals subsidiary to the Development Bank of Japan while it spun off small LCD production last year into a joint deal with Toshiba and Hitachi. The remaining 5,000 job cuts will come from its unprofitable TV division that is now being overhauled in hopes of restoring the firm's health.   The 51-year old CEO, Kazuo Hirai, replaced Howard Stringer this month and immediately set out to do his promise of "unavoidable, painful choices" in order to turn the company's operations into a more profitable one.   Hirai has been credited in making the PlayStation business profitable; now he is set to put himself in charge of and bring a new team for the firm's TV business. Sony even revealed a new organizational chart that has omitted a management layer between the CEO and the head of TV department so Hirai could manage them directly.

South Korea Group of Springhill | edublogs.org May 22, '12 12:35 AM by SpringHill for everyone http://tonybricks96.edublogs.org/ http://tonybricks96.edublogs.org/2012/05/21/scrap-n-test-china-tells-n-korea/ China has been quietly and gently pressuring North Korea to scrap plans for a third nuclear test, said two sources with knowledge of closed-door discussions between the countries, but there is no indication how Pyongyang will react. If North Korea goes ahead with the test, China would consider taking some retaliatory steps, but they would not be substantive, a source with ties to Pyongyang and Beijing said. North Korea has almost completed preparations for the test, Reuters had reported in late April, a step that would further isolate the impoverished state after last month's failed rocket launch that the United States says was a ballistic missile test. "China is unhappy … and urged North Korea not to conduct a nuclear test near Changbai Mountain," said the source, who declined to be identified. China feared a radiation leak and damage to the environment from a blast, the source added. "China also complained about the environmental damage to the area after the first two tests." When North Korea conducted nuclear tests in 2006 and 2009, it caused environmental damage to the mountain straddling the border with China. North Korea ceded part of the mountain to China in 1963. It was unclear if the secretive North Korean government, typically unwilling to bow to outside pressure, would defer or drop the plans. China is the closest thing to an ally that North Korea has. "The impact on China's northeast would be huge," the source said of a third test. Chinese officials have discussed whether threats of diplomatic action would be effective, but any action might be restricted to some economic measures to signal China's displeasure and would not affect vital food aid for North Korea, the source said. A Western diplomat, who also asked n

Beijing fears radiation leak along border, say Chinese insiders China has been quietly and gently pressuring North Korea to scrap plans for a third nuclear test, said two sources with knowledge of closed-door discussions between the countries, but there is no indication how Pyongyang will react.  If North Korea goes ahead with the test, China would consider taking some retaliatory steps, but they would not be substantive, a source with ties to Pyongyang and Beijing said. North Korea has almost completed preparations for the test, Reuters had reported in late April, a step that would further isolate the impoverished state after last month's failed rocket launch that the United States says was a ballistic missile test. "China is unhappy ... and urged North Korea not to conduct a nuclear test near Changbai Mountain," said the source, who declined to be identified. China feared a radiation leak and damage to the environment from a blast, the source added. "China also complained about the environmental damage to the area after the first two tests." When North Korea conducted nuclear tests in 2006 and 2009, it caused environmental damage to the mountain straddling the border with China. North Korea ceded part of the mountain to China in 1963. It was unclear if the secretive North Korean government, typically unwilling to bow to outside pressure, would defer or drop the plans. China is the closest thing to an ally that North Korea has. "The impact on China's northeast would be huge," the source said of a third test. Chinese officials have discussed whether threats of diplomatic action would be effective, but any action might be restricted to some economic measures to signal China's displeasure and would not affect vital food aid for North Korea, the source said. A Western diplomat, who also asked not to be identified, confirmed that China has put pressure on North Korea to abandon the test. Major diplomatic repercussions were unlikely, however, s

http://newscenter.springhillgrouphome.com/2012/05/news-center-springhill-group-home-loans-tips-for-home-employment-to-avoid-work-at-home-scams/ 1.    You must know the person you are dealing with. Most company that hires employee do not offer to employ you directly, just to sell you training and materials and to look for customers for your work.2.    Do not be a dime a dozen. Managing a business is just like any other business which requires hard work, skill, good products or services, and time to make a profit. Additionally, there is no such thing as sitting on a rackin’ chair and just waiting for the time of giving checks.3.    Be observant and cautious about the emails you are receiving that includes an offering of work at home opportunities. Most of these acts are deceptive.4.    Put into practice the so called “know and pay”. You have to know first everything in detailed before making a plan or action to a certain situation.5.    Find a picture paints a thousand words. Claims that there are customers for

Springhill Group : Facebook might be reading your text messages The online community is all abuzz on Sunday after an explosive report has accused Facebook of snooping in smartphone users' text messages. Though Facebook admitted to reading SMS of users who have downloaded their app, they said they are only doing so as part of a limited testing phase prior to launching their own messaging service and not to deliberately expose users to fraud. The Facebook app running on Android is authorized to process, read, receive and write SMS, something they have declared in their terms beginning from the 1.7 version. Facebook said this is in anticipation of new features that will integrate Facebook tools with user texts. Now, if Facebook eventually introduces a feature that will be applicable to those permissions, they are ensuring the users even now that it will be accompanied by proper educational and guiding materials. Facebook retorted that users should be aware that it said it might access their messages, contained under "Permissions" - that long article you are expected to have read before downloading/using the app. Unfortunately, 70% of smartphone users do not seem to have the time for reading the terms and conditions attached to an app. Other popular companies that are using smartphones to access data and other personal details of users include Yahoo Messenger, Badoo, Google and Flickr. Several companies can reportedly control smartphone features remotely, which includes taking images and video using the camera, as in the case of YouTube. Also, details like contacts list, location and browser history are accessed and can be passed on to third-parties like advertisers. According to a statement issued by Facebook, it does not read user text messages and described the Sunday Times report as 'completely wrong' on their terminology and the impression they have made. But Facebook gave an explanation anyway: "…w

By Angie Barrett | November 28, 2011 10:09 am America's Choice Home Loans announced the opening of Branch 1013, located in Newberg, Oregon. Managed by Jerry Holman, a long time veteran of the mortgage industry, the branch opened on October 20."Please give Jerry a warm welcome and let him know he is a part of our family," says Jonathan Fowler, Director of National Production for the company. "Jerry, thank you very much for choosing America's Choice Home Loans. We appreciate you and your office and are here to make your lending career bigger and brighter than ever. You will find out why we are America's Choice Home Loans - Thank you very much and welcome." Being an expert in home loan and mortgage, Jerry will continue to concentrate on helping customers with their residential home loan needs. America's Choice Home Loan is continuously searching for experienced mortgage loan originators to join the company. Contrary to many in the industry who have been discouraged, scaled back or closed down completely, Mr. Fowler is unfazed. "America's Choice has the ability to expand, including the capacity for rapid growth. We have been positioning ourselves for this, and we're ready," adds Mr. Fowler. America's Choice Home Loans LP is located at 8584 Katy Freeway, Suite 200, Houston TX 77024 and can be reached at 713-463-6779. Visit their website www.achlonline.com and their Facebook fan page. About America's Choice Home Loans LP America's Choice Home Loans LP has been a retail mortgage lender since 1998. The company is a HUD, VA and USDA approved mortgagee headquartered in Houston, TX.

By Angie Barrett | November 28, 2011 10:09 am  America's Choice Home Loans announced the opening of Branch 1013, located in Newberg, Oregon. Managed by Jerry Holman, a long time veteran of the mortgage industry, the branch opened on October 20."Please give Jerry a warm welcome and let him know he is a part of our family," says Jonathan Fowler, Director of National Production for the company. "Jerry, thank you very much for choosing America's Choice Home Loans. We appreciate you and your office and are here to make your lending career bigger and brighter than ever. You will find out why we are America's Choice Home Loans - Thank you very much and welcome." Being an expert in home loan and mortgage, Jerry will continue to concentrate on helping customers with their residential home loan needs. America's Choice Home Loan is continuously searching for experienced mortgage loan originators to join the company. Contrary to many in the industry who have been discouraged, scaled back or closed down completely, Mr. Fowler is unfazed. "America's Choice has the ability to expand, including the capacity for rapid growth. We have been positioning ourselves for this, and we're ready," adds Mr. Fowler. America's Choice Home Loans LP is located at 8584 Katy Freeway, Suite 200, Houston TX 77024 and can be reached at 713-463-6779. Visit their website www.achlonline.com and their Facebook fan page. About America's Choice Home Loans LP America's Choice Home Loans LP has been a retail mortgage lender since 1998. The company is a HUD, VA and USDA approved mortgagee headquartered in Houston, TX.

By Angie Barrett | November 28, 2011 10:09 am  America's Choice Home Loans announced the opening of Branch 1013, located in Newberg, Oregon. Managed by Jerry Holman, a long time veteran of the mortgage industry, the branch opened on October 20."Please give Jerry a warm welcome and let him know he is a part of our family," says Jonathan Fowler, Director of National Production for the company. "Jerry, thank you very much for choosing America's Choice Home Loans. We appreciate you and your office and are here to make your lending career bigger and brighter than ever. You will find out why we are America's Choice Home Loans - Thank you very much and welcome." Being an expert in home loan and mortgage, Jerry will continue to concentrate on helping customers with their residential home loan needs. America's Choice Home Loan is continuously searching for experienced mortgage loan originators to join the company. Contrary to many in the industry who have been discouraged, scaled back or closed down completely, Mr. Fowler is unfazed. "America's Choice has the ability to expand, including the capacity for rapid growth. We have been positioning ourselves for this, and we're ready," adds Mr. Fowler. America's Choice Home Loans LP is located at 8584 Katy Freeway, Suite 200, Houston TX 77024 and can be reached at 713-463-6779. Visit their website www.achlonline.com and their Facebook fan page. About America's Choice Home Loans LP America's Choice Home Loans LP has been a retail mortgage lender since 1998. The company is a HUD, VA and USDA approved mortgagee headquartered in Houston, TX.

News Center Springhill Group Home is a housing finance company with the principal goal of achieving a social requirement of motivating home ownership by offering long-term finance to households. News Center Springhill Group Home has turned the idea of housing finance in Springhill into a world-class business venture with outstanding reputation for dependability, honesty and outstanding services. News Center Springhill Group Home has a wide network of contacts from different loan companies within United States and Asia catering to towns & cities spread across the country providing housing loans and property advisory services. For inquiries, email us at info@springhillgrouphome.com

http://www.valueinvestingnews.com/news-center-%E2%80%93-springhill-group-home-loans-america%E2%80%99s-choice-h-0   America's Choice Home Loans announced the opening of Branch 1013, located in Newberg, Oregon. Managed by Jerry Holman, a long time veteran of the mortgage industry, the branch opened on October 20. "Please give Jerry a warm welcome and let him know he is a part of our family," says Jonathan Fowler, Director of National Production for the company. "Jerry, thank you very much for choosing America's Choice Home Loans. We appreciate you and your office and are here to make your lending career bigger and brighter than ever. You will find out why we are America's Choice Home Loans - Thank you very much and welcome." Being an expert in home loan and mortgage, Jerry will continue to concentrate on helping customers with their residential home loan needs. America's Choice Home Loan is continuously searching for experienced mortgage loan originators to join the company. Contrary to many in the industry who have been discouraged, scaled back or closed down completely, Mr. Fowler is unfazed. "America's Choice has the ability to expand, including the capacity for rapid growth. We have been positioning ourselves for this, and we're ready," adds Mr. Fowler. America's Choice Home Loans LP is located at 8584 Katy Freeway, Suite 200, Houston TX 77024 and can be reached at 713-463-6779. Visit their website www.achlonline.com and their Facebook fan page. About America's Choice Home Loans LP America's Choice Home Loans LP has been a retail mortgage lender since 1998. The company is a HUD, VA and USDA approved mortgagee headquartered in Houston, TX.

http://ambersanpedro.livejournal.com/1011.html This project consisted of removing and replacing (2) existing 1100 ton chillers, removing (4) existing tower water pumps which were replaced with (2), and removing (3) existing chilled water pumps which were replaced with (2). A single new 400HP boiler was installed where one of the existing original boiler's was demolished by an owner paid subcontractor separate from this contract. There was also a generator that was removed in order to make room in the chiller room for the new equipment and piping. A large condensing unit servicing some operating rooms had to be relocated in order to allow access to the mechanical room for demolition and delivery of the new equipment and piping. Much of the existing chilled water and tower water piping was removed and replaced with throughout the chiller room and on the mezzanine above the chiller room. Steam, condensate and fuel oil piping servicing the old boiler was removed and re-configured to meet the needs of the new boiler. Access to the south mechanical room was very limited. All of the equipment and piping had to be hoisted into and out of an access shaft just large enough for the new equipment. Besides the limited space, the set-up area for the hoisting rig was right next to the Emergency Room/Helepad entrance. The coordination with our hoisting and rigging subcontractor, the hospital personnel and Stanger Industries years of experience with similar projects proved invaluable on this challenging aspect of the project. One of the stipulations of this project was to insure that all systems would remain on line during the installation of all of the new equipment. In order to accomplish this task, isolation valves were installed in key locations to allow us to isolate this south mechanical room from the rest of the system and utilize the north mechanical room's equipment to keep things on line. The shut-down/drain down of the towers was scheduled and coordinated with hosp

Over 200 people have been arrested in connection with a massive bank card fraud that may have bilked banks and clients out of a billion yuan ($159 million), the Xinhua News Agency reported yesterday.

Over 200 people have been arrested in connection with a massive bank card fraud that may have bilked banks and clients out of a billion yuan ($159 million), the Xinhua News Agency reported yesterday. The Ministry of Public Security detained 208 people in eight provinces and municipalities. Police said they confiscated thousands of bank cards and have frozen 150 bank accounts. Police in eight regions coordinated the bust on June 11, following a lengthy investigation of key suspects including a Taiwanese surnamed Wu and a South Korean surnamed Park. The investigation began in November 2011, when two Taiwanese were caught using a counterfeit bank card to withdraw cash from an automatic teller machine (ATM) in Shaoxing, Zhejiang Province, according to the ministry. A similarly faked card was used three days later when another suspect tried to withdraw money from an ATM on Jiefang Road in the city. The police investigation concludes that banks in South Korea and Thailand were the main targets of the swindle. Local police in Shaoxing confirmed to the Global Times yesterday that 146 suspects were arrested in the city alone. "All 208 suspects are now here for questioning, and no further details can be provided at the moment," a police officer surnamed Sun from Shaoxing public security bureau, told the Global Times. The Shanghai-based Oriental Morning Post reported that the bust involves the largest amount of money and the most suspects of any bank card fraud in China. It is not known how the gang may have managed to swindle hundreds of millions of yuan from Chinese ATMs without being detected earlier. Police say suspects in South Korea bought the phone numbers of bank clients online, and managed to scam them by posing as bank officials who were concerned their accounts were at risk, said Xinhua. The clients were told to use their account number and password to log onto seemingly official South Korean websites. After obtaining the bank client's account in

Springhill Group : Facebook might be reading your text messages The online community is all abuzz on Sunday after an explosive report has accused Facebook of snooping in smartphone users' text messages. Though Facebook admitted to reading SMS of users who have downloaded their app, they said they are only doing so as part of a limited testing phase prior to launching their own messaging service and not to deliberately expose users to fraud. The Facebook app running on Android is authorized to process, read, receive and write SMS, something they have declared in their terms beginning from the 1.7 version. Facebook said this is in anticipation of new features that will integrate Facebook tools with user texts. Now, if Facebook eventually introduces a feature that will be applicable to those permissions, they are ensuring the users even now that it will be accompanied by proper educational and guiding materials. Facebook retorted that users should be aware that it said it might access their messages, contained under "Permissions" - that long article you are expected to have read before downloading/using the app. Unfortunately, 70% of smartphone users do not seem to have the time for reading the terms and conditions attached to an app. Other popular companies that are using smartphones to access data and other personal details of users include Yahoo Messenger, Badoo, Google and Flickr. Several companies can reportedly control smartphone features remotely, which includes taking images and video using the camera, as in the case of YouTube. Also, details like contacts list, location and browser history are accessed and can be passed on to third-parties like advertisers. According to a statement issued by Facebook, it does not read user text messages and described the Sunday Times report as 'completely wrong' on their terminology and the impression they have made. But Facebook gave an explanation anyway: "…we have done some testing of pr

Statewide California Indian Legal Services Assistance: Foreclosure to all Native Americans living in California and other Residents of select Counties Location: Escondido, Bishop, Eureka, and Sacramento Website: http://www.calindian.org/ Phone: Escondido: (760) 746-8941 or (800) 743-8941 Bishop: (760) 873-3581 or (800) 736-3582 Eureka: (707) 443-8397 or (800) 347-2402 Sacramento: (916) 978-0960 or (800) 829-0284 Services: The various offices provides free and low-cost legal services to Native Americans and Native American tribes and residents of the Counties of Alpine, Inyo, Kern, Mono, Tuolumne, Imperial, Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, San Diego, Santa Barbara, Ventura, Del Norte, Humboldt, Lassen, Modoc, Shasta, Siskiyou, Trinity , Alameda, Amador, Butte, Calaveras, Colusa, Contra Costa, El Dorado, Fresno, Glenn, Kings, Lake, Madera, Marin, Mariposa, Mendocino, Merced, Monterey, Napa, Nevada, Placer, Plumas, Sacramento, San Benito, San Francisco, San Joaquin, San Luis Obispo, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Santa Cruz, Sierra, Solano, Sonoma, Stanislaus, Sutter, Tehama, Tulare, Yolo, Yuba. California Rural Legal Assistance (CRLA) Assistance: Foreclosure and Loan Modification Scams for California Residents in Rural Areas in English and Spanish Location: Coachella, Delano, El Centro, Fresno, Gilroy, Lamont, Madera, Marysville, Modesto, Monterey, Oceanside, Oxnard, Paso Robles, Salinas, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, Santa Cruz, Santa Maria, Santa Rosa, Stockton, Watsonville Website: http://www.crla.org/ Phone: To find the contact information for the office closest to you, please visithttp://www.crla.org/index.php?page=office-locations-amp-staff Services: CRLA provides free legal services to low-income residents in various rural counties. The organization assists with foreclosure and loan modification scam issues. In particular, CRLA operates free foreclosure intervention workshops out of the Mary

LA CRESCENTA, Calif. (KABC) - More than two dozen people say they fell victim to a costly home loan scam that targeted Korean immigrants. The lawyer accused of orchestrating it all is being sued. It took a life savings to buy this La Crescenta home. Losing it took mere months, all because of accused lawyer Timothy D. Thurman and Trinity Law Associates. Ok Kee Shin is just one of 28 alleged victims. "It is just such a shock, and that the house had been sold and foreclosed," said Shin through a translator. In a lawsuit, the Asian Pacific American Legal Center details a web of fraud. Though the plaintiffs are all Korean immigrants, people of any nationality could fall for this one. The suit says Trinity Law Firm hired Koreans to place ads, then illegally paid them, like bounty hunters, to bring in customers. "This practice known as 'running and capping' is against the law," said Yungsuhn Park, Asian Pacific American Legal Center. "Attorneys are prohibited from paying non-attorney agents to find clients." Everything seemed so credible. The Trinity Law Firm operated out of a high-rise on Wilshire Boulevard. "So he flipped through my loan documents and he told me that this was a bank that had a lot of errors in their loan documents," said Shin's translator, quoting her. She says Thurman assured her he could fix her loan for a fee of $7,000, and that she should stop paying her mortgage and ignore the foreclosure notices. Legal advocates now spread a warning: Avoid any person who offers guarantees to stop a foreclosure. Don't pay up-front fees: They are also illegal after a state law was passed last October. And seek help from a non-profit first. You don't need an attorney for loan modifications. As for Thurman, he was in trouble even before this suit. He pleaded guilty to forging the signature of a judge on a foreclosure document, a crime punishable by five years in prison - a penalty that comes too late to save former homeowners.

Statewide California Indian Legal Services Assistance: Foreclosure to all Native Americans living in California and other Residents of select Counties Location: Escondido, Bishop, Eureka, and Sacramento Website: http://www.calindian.org/ Phone: Escondido: (760) 746-8941 or (800) 743-8941 Bishop: (760) 873-3581 or (800) 736-3582 Eureka: (707) 443-8397 or (800) 347-2402 Sacramento: (916) 978-0960 or (800) 829-0284 Services: The various offices provides free and low-cost legal services to Native Americans and Native American tribes and residents of the Counties of Alpine, Inyo, Kern, Mono, Tuolumne, Imperial, Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, San Diego, Santa Barbara, Ventura, Del Norte, Humboldt, Lassen, Modoc, Shasta, Siskiyou, Trinity , Alameda, Amador, Butte, Calaveras, Colusa, Contra Costa, El Dorado, Fresno, Glenn, Kings, Lake, Madera, Marin, Mariposa, Mendocino, Merced, Monterey, Napa, Nevada, Placer, Plumas, Sacramento, San Benito, San Francisco, San Joaquin, San Luis Obispo, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Santa Cruz, Sierra, Solano, Sonoma, Stanislaus, Sutter, Tehama, Tulare, Yolo, Yuba. California Rural Legal Assistance (CRLA) Assistance: Foreclosure and Loan Modification Scams for California Residents in Rural Areas in English and Spanish Location: Coachella, Delano, El Centro, Fresno, Gilroy, Lamont, Madera, Marysville, Modesto, Monterey, Oceanside, Oxnard, Paso Robles, Salinas, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, Santa Cruz, Santa Maria, Santa Rosa, Stockton, Watsonville Website: http://www.crla.org/ Phone: To find the contact information for the office closest to you, please visithttp://www.crla.org/index.php?page=office-locations-amp-staff Services: CRLA provides free legal services to low-income residents in various rural counties. The organization assists with foreclosure and loan modification scam issues. In particular, CRLA operates free foreclosure intervention workshops out of t

Springhill Group : Facebook might be reading your text messages The online community is all abuzz on Sunday after an explosive report has accused Facebook of snooping in smartphone users' text messages. Though Facebook admitted to reading SMS of users who have downloaded their app, they said they are only doing so as part of a limited testing phase prior to launching their own messaging service and not to deliberately expose users to fraud. The Facebook app running on Android is authorized to process, read, receive and write SMS, something they have declared in their terms beginning from the 1.7 version. Facebook said this is in anticipation of new features that will integrate Facebook tools with user texts. Now, if Facebook eventually introduces a feature that will be applicable to those permissions, they are ensuring the users even now that it will be accompanied by proper educational and guiding materials. Facebook retorted that users should be aware that it said it might access their messages, contained under "Permissions" - that long article you are expected to have read before downloading/using the app. Unfortunately, 70% of smartphone users do not seem to have the time for reading the terms and conditions attached to an app. Other popular companies that are using smartphones to access data and other personal details of users include Yahoo Messenger, Badoo, Google and Flickr. Several companies can reportedly control smartphone features remotely, which includes taking images and video using the camera, as in the case of YouTube. Also, details like contacts list, location and browser history are accessed and can be passed on to third-parties like advertisers. According to a statement issued by Facebook, it does not read user text messages and described the Sunday Times report as 'completely wrong' on their terminology and the impression they have made. But Facebook gave an explanation anyway: "…we have done some testing of pr

Springhill Group : Facebook might be reading your text messages The online community is all abuzz on Sunday after an explosive report has accused Facebook of snooping in smartphone users' text messages. Though Facebook admitted to reading SMS of users who have downloaded their app, they said they are only doing so as part of a limited testing phase prior to launching their own messaging service and not to deliberately expose users to fraud. The Facebook app running on Android is authorized to process, read, receive and write SMS, something they have declared in their terms beginning from the 1.7 version. Facebook said this is in anticipation of new features that will integrate Facebook tools with user texts. Now, if Facebook eventually introduces a feature that will be applicable to those permissions, they are ensuring the users even now that it will be accompanied by proper educational and guiding materials. Facebook retorted that users should be aware that it said it might access their messages, contained under "Permissions" - that long article you are expected to have read before downloading/using the app. Unfortunately, 70% of smartphone users do not seem to have the time for reading the terms and conditions attached to an app. Other popular companies that are using smartphones to access data and other personal details of users include Yahoo Messenger, Badoo, Google and Flickr. Several companies can reportedly control smartphone features remotely, which includes taking images and video using the camera, as in the case of YouTube. Also, details like contacts list, location and browser history are accessed and can be passed on to third-parties like advertisers. According to a statement issued by Facebook, it does not read user text messages and described the Sunday Times report as 'completely wrong' on their terminology and the impression they have made. But Facebook gave an explanation anyway: "…we have done some testin