Page 4 July 25, 2013 TORRANCE TRIBUNE One Man’s Opinion Another Man’s Opinion By Gerry Chong into our lives. Imagine that! Our government and Bill Seeks to Ensure Funding forcommunications companies have entered profit-It was a warm summer day and I was half-napping and half-reflecting on a couple of news stories driven agreements to expedite privacy invasions. Domestic Violence Shelters that I thought could provide an exciting and So here’s my suggestion: Why don’t the revolutionary opportunity. You may remember conspirators up the ante? Raise the wire taps By Cristian Vasquez shelters by such criminals, there would now that the NSA has been bragging about the fact that and conversation invasions to the limit of the When convicted of a crime, it is common be a more readily available network for its spying capacity is so great that it can store government’s capacity--one billion calls per day- that the guilty party pay a fine in which the these victims. one billion stolen phone conversations each day. -and charge accordingly. The communication total sum is split into different parts and The bill was born after a 2012 State audit Moreover, it can spy limitlessly on foreign companies’ profits would explode, so they used for a variety of reasons. Assemblyman revealed that the distribution of payments governments directly or indirectly. For example, would not have to charge the rest of us for Chris Holden’s AB 139, which passed the used to support domestic violence shelters Senate vote, seeks to ensure that money in various counties leave a significant “According to the July 12 Associated Press release, a multi-million paid by the guilty party will go to a worthy portion of said payments uncollected. The dollar profit center has emerged from government spying.” cause--to fund domestic violence shelters. bill will ensure this is no longer the case, The bill would require that the penalties hence ensuring that the funds get to their we could spy on China directly or spy on Brazil’s using their systems. Voila! A win-win situation! paid by abusers be strengthened to ensure destination. It is already a challenge to contacts with China. Either way, we can spy on The government will have access to everything that more funding is made available for such convince victims of domestic violence to China. Bravo for us! That’s American knowhow about everyone, in exchange for which we will shelters. Having people who are guilty of seek the support and resources available to for you. Is this a great country or what? have free phone service. violence against their domestic partners (i.e., get away from their abuser. The challenge Now here’s the opportunity. According to You see, there is a precedent for this. Obama wife or husband, girlfriend or boyfriend) is significantly magnified when the funds the July 12 Associated Press release, a multi- has given free phones and free minutes to the pay a sum of money that will fund a local that are supposed to fund these resources million dollar profit center has emerged from needy, so what I suggest is only an extension domestic violence shelter is an idea that is fail to make it to their destination because government spying. AT&T charges Uncle Sam a of his free phone service program. Clearly it long overdue. of the wording of old laws. $325 activation fee and a $10 maintenance fee is constitutional or the President would not Unlike many fines that go to different While AB 139 still has to go back to the for each wire/phone tap. The always expensive have initiated it. departments and end up being split into Assembly floor in August for language changes, alternative, Verizon charges the government For those who are concerned about privacy, the several different portions for a variety of having the Assembly and the Senate moving $775 for the first month’s snooping and $500 Russians have led the way. They’ve gone retro reasons, AB 139 allows more funds to go in the same direction on this topic is per month for each subsequent month’s invasion and are using typewriters to defend against the directly to local domestic violence shelters. encouraging and long overdue. The victims of privacy. Facebook says its services to the insecurity of the Internet. Presumably, carrier The bill would require that anyone convicted of domestic violence, in their majority NSA are free, while Microsoft, Google, and pigeons will convey their written messages. of domestic violence must pay a $500 fee women and children, should not be made Yahoo won’t disclose its fee structure. Perhaps too, Native Americans can get into the after being granted probation. The $500 is a to wait or go without resources. Not all AT&T employs 100 people to hand over private private communications business with smoke fee–not a fine--and ensures that the money victims have family close to them to seek data, while Verizon says its 70 employees work signals for short range discourse. That would is used to directly help the victims of the refuge from an abusive partner. Furthermore 24/7 to field the quarter-million government bring a whole new meaning to communications crime. Unfortunately, the victims of domestic when children are involved, it becomes requests it gets each year. For this, AT&T “in the cloud...” violence have a tendency to return to their more difficult to find shelter. Ensuring that receives $6 million per year while Verizon Ahhh, well, maybe the afternoon sun has abusers. Whether out of fear or due to a these shelters are funded and available to receives $3-$5 million per year. Sprint has been gotten to me. I’d better get into the shade lack of resources, these victims are many victims will help the latter take control of their receiving eight million government requests for and make some phone calls the government times left with limited options and preyed lives and transition out of that violent snooping each year and has therefore upgraded can tap. The NSA and AT&T folks need upon by their abusers. By having a law to relationship in a faster and more effective its equipment to assist the government’s invasion something to do. • ensure that money is directly routed to these manner. • Burkley & Brandlin LLP A T T O R N E Y S A T L A W Living Trusts/Wills, Probate, Employment Law, Personal Injury Trust and Estates Litigation, Business Litigation, Civil Litigation 310-540-6000 *AV Rated (Highest) Martindale - Hubbell / **Certified Specialist Estate Planning, Trust & Probate Law, State Bar of California, Board of Legal Specialization Reach your Reach your homebuying goals homebuying goals Whether you’re buying your first home, a second home or Whether you’re buying your first home, a second home or refinancing your current home, Wells Fargo Home Mortgage refinancing your current home, Wells Fargo Home Mortgage has the products and programs to help you reach your has the products and programs to help you reach your homebuying goals. homebuying goals.preapprovalregistered.linBuyerPriority• •• FHA and VA loanspreapprovalregistered.linBuyerPriority • FHA and VA loans • Low down payment programs for qualified borrowers • Low down payment programs for qualified borrowers Contact your Wells Fargo Home Mortgage consultant today! 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Torrance 07_25_13
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