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Say No to War
Say No to War
by Stephen Lendman
Wolfgang Borchert: German, author, playwright, poet. His experience under Hitler and Wehrmacht service changed his life.
Walid Hanatsheh: Palestinian Prisoner of Conscience
Walid Hanatsheh: Palestinian Prisoner of Conscience
by Stephen Lendman
The Addameer Prisoner Support and Human Rights Association calls Hanatsheh "a human rights defender who is currently in administrative detention."
'Window pane bandit' (or a copycat) hits another bike shop
with a Surly LHT.
Southeast Portland bike shop Seven Corners Cycles was broken into this morning. The thieves (or thief) made out with one new bike (a large, black Surly Long Haul Trucker), seven Chrome messenger bags, and some lights and locks.
According to shop owner Corey Cartwright, they entered the store by carefully removing a glass panel next to the front door — using the same method as the "window pane bandit" that hit several bikes shops back in November.
In that month alone, six Portland businesses (including three bike shops and one bike rack retailer) were broken into via the same method. Following that crime spree, police offered a reward for tips leading to a suspect, but so far no arrests have been made.
Cartwright says the police that responded to his case determined that this, "fits the pattern of the other thefts"; but they were reluctant to say that it was the same suspect.
Seven Corners is a small neighborhood shop with a stellar reputation. Keep your eyes peeled around town and on Craigslist for a 60 cm Surly Long Haul Trucker with 700c wheels and new Chrome bags showing up on Craigslist.
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Bread and Roses on 02/03/12
This Friday on Bread and Roses, Del Criscenzo welcomes Samantha Taylor and Megan Snelling in the studio! Samantha is a Student Advocate for the Women's Resource Center at Portland Community College Sylvania campus. The WRC is "dedicated to providing a supportive, comfortable, encouraging and safe environment to all PCC students and offer programs to support personal and academic growth." Samantha will talk about the resources the WRC has to offer and introduce us to the Illumination Project. Megan is the co-producer for PCC's WRC 12th rendition of the Vagina Monologues. She will discuss their up-coming performances and this PCC's WRC tradition. (Performance dates: Feb 10th, 11th, 12th.
Book content: 0Blumenauer: Transpo bill mess could be "springboard" for the movement
on bicycling lightly.
(Photo © J. Maus/BikePortland)
As arguably the most bike and transit-sensitive member of the U.S. Congress, Earl Blumenauer has had a trying week.
Yesterday, the widely-maligned House transportation bill, a bill that eliminates the Safe Routes to School program and basically strips out all of the pro-bike provisions, moved through a marathon hearing and was passed out of committee this morning. Also this morning, Blumenauer saw the House Ways and Means committee debate — and then pass — a bill that severs the 30-year link between gas tax revenue and transit funding.
"If we do it right I think we'll come out of this stronger. If not, it could really complicate the next two years."
Reflecting on the actions of his Republican colleagues over the past two days, Blumenauer said, "I don't think they had a clue about what they were doing." While he was understandably baffled at what has transpired, he's already thinking ahead to what this means to the national bicycling movement.
The way Blumenauer sees, the direct threats to bicycling and transit should galvanize a nationwide response. "We're going to see if the networks we've been building around the country translate into something," he said.
"If we do it right," he added, "I think we'll come out of this stronger. If not, it could really complicate the next two years."
What does "doing it right" mean exactly? I asked...
"Now's the time to put the hammer down."
While the news from the Hill was troubling, Blumenauer pointed to the vast coalition of support that came together on very short notice to oppose the transit funding provision. He sees that as a very good sign:
"We had representatives of over 600 individuals and groups from the Chamber of Commerce to the Sierra Club... For the first time in history we are part of a very impressive, broad coalition that is all pulling in the same direction. We've got an administration that has been the most supportive in history and we've got facts on the ground. The work that has been done with the cycling community, to broaden the base, to deal with things like economic development and Safe Routes to School, it's all there...
It's a chance for us not just to beat back this bad legislation, but to educate elected officials."
Blumenauer then told a story (as politicians often do):
"I was in North Carolina a few weeks ago to do some events around livability... In the middle of the morning and with just one weeks' notice, there was a packed room in Durham for a talk about transportation and bicycling... There were business people, local officials, cycling activists... I think it's safe to say it really impressed my colleague [House Rep David Price (D-NC)]... He was really taken aback. He couldn't believe the energy and the interest, and this happens nearly everywhere we go.. it's gone viral."
Now Blumenauer says it's the perfect time to take that support and put it into action:
"This is the time! This is the time to take our game up a step, to make people realize that bashing cycling and pedestrians activities isn't a freebie but there are costs and consequences... That a community doesn't work without transit, walking, and biking."
Blumenauer is already strategizing, meeting with stakeholders, and prepping for a possible vote on the House transportation bill which he says could come within the next weeks. When it does come up for a vote, he figures, "There's an outside chance we could defeat it on the floor."
What's at stake for the U.S. bike movement? "This is chance to prove that the movement is real," said Blumenauer, "There have been a couple of times when they attacked Planned Parenthood and public broadcasting and they got their nose bloody. I think there's an opportunity for us to come out stronger. I think it's a springboard."
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Yemeni Americans to Protest at Yemeni Dictator’s Hotel
Yemeni Americans to Protest Ali Saleh’s Visit to U.S. and Call for His Prosecution
New York – On Sunday, February 5 and Friday, February 10, the Yemeni-American community will demonstrate against the visit to the U.S. of Dictator Ali Abdullah Saleh of Yemen and to demand accountability for crimes against the people of Yemen.
The first event, this Sunday, will be held outside the Ritz-Carlton Hotel on Central Park South in New York City, where Saleh is reportedly staying while in the U.S.
WHAT: Rally
WHEN: Sunday, February 5, 2012, 2pm
WHERE: Ritz-Carlton Hotel, 50 Central Park S, New York, NY 10019, where Saleh is reportedly staying during his visit.
WHO: The Yemeni American community, the Yemeni American Coalition for Change (YACC), communities in support of the people of Yemen, solidarity and rights groups, and invited speakers.
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WHAT: March/Protest
WHEN: Friday, February 10, 2012, 1:15pm
WHERE: Demonstrators will gather at the front of Al-Farooq Mosque at 1pm (Atlantic Ave. b/w 3rd & 4th Ave in Brooklyn) and march to New York City Hall via the Brooklyn Bridge.
WHO: The Yemeni American community, the Yemeni American Coalition for Change (YACC), communities in support of the people of Yemen, solidarity and rights groups, and invited speakers.
Project comes with four month closure of popular Gorge road
(Photo: Carye Bye)
For four months beginning this fall, a Federal Highway Administration project in the Columbia River Gorge will come with a road closure that will prohibit vehicle access — including bikes — to popular bicycling routes on the Historic Columbia River Highway (HCRH).
The Crown Point Viaduct Project will replace the aging, 600-foot long "half-bridge" that supports the sidewalk around Vista House, a popular viewpoint and destination. The project area also includes restoration to portions of the HCRH between Larch Mountain Road and Crown Point, and between Crown Point and Latourell Falls. (Fun trivia: The HCRH is one of only two roads in the United States designated as a National Historic Landmark, a National Scenic Byway, and a National Historic District.)
The viaduct.(Photo: ODOT)
Due to construction, a portion of the road will be closed to all vehicles (that means bikes too) from September 4th through December 31st of this year. Here are the specifics on the two closures that impact bike access:
September 4 - September 30, 2012: From Crown Point to Latourell Falls, the historic highway will be closed to all vehicles, including bicycles
October 1 - December 31, 2012: From its intersection with Larch Mountain Road to Latourell Falls, the historic highway will be closed to all vehicles, including bicycles.
The project is slated to begin in August, so stay tuned to the official project website for the latest info about road closures and other issues.
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Activist in Afghanistan Claims United States Using Depleted Uranium
From PressTV
An Afghan activist reveals the US is still using horrific depleted uranium weapons in Afghanistan, creating graveyards of people who die of cancer and other unusual diseases, Press TV reports."These weapons are still used. In fact, a US aircraft called A-10 warthog, normally, even if it doesn't use a uranium projectile in the machine gun, every third projectile is a uranium projectile and that's the working horse of the US army in Afghanistan. They use it left and right," Dr. Mohammad Daud Miraki said in an interview with Press TV.
"Apache helicopters and Bradley vehicles also utilize these projectiles in these weapons," he added.
The activist also noted that 62.7 percent of the population of Afghanistan has been targeted by the dangerous radioactive ammunitions.
Miraki explained that a group of researchers collected urine samples of people in Afghanistan and found uranium isotopes in the urine, which was about 300 percent to 2000 percent higher than normal level.
He further said that a lot of people in Afghanistan were identified with various bizarre diseases in different Pashtun-dominated villages.
The diseases were skin lesions, sudden deaths, spontaneous abortions among females, as well as deformities and multiple cancers.
The author also said the United States used depleted uranium weapons that is against international and US laws.
Meanwhile, Miraki criticized US officials and Afghan President Hamid Karzai for not investigating the crimes committed by the US administration.
BikeCraft: Coming soon to an online storefront
I've got some exciting news about the continued evolution of the annual BikeCraft event.
You'll recall this year I formally handed over the event to Aaron Kaffen and Amos Hunter after running it for six years (sniff, sniff). Amos and Aaron took it to a whole new level and the event was really solid. Now they're moving forward on the next evolution of BikeCraft — turning it into a curated online marketplace.
Taking the people and product that have made BikeCraft a success through the years and putting them online is something I've wanted to do almost since Day One. Since BikeCraft started in 2005, Etsy has redefined the online marketplace for small, independent makers. Doing something similar (but better!) with BikeCraft is a natural fit.
Here's how Aaron describes it:
"The new site will be an online marketplace where folks everywhere can browse, learn about and buy the kind of unique, high-quality, handmade bike-related goodies that Portlanders have been finding at BikeCraft events for years."
Aaron and Amos haven't revealed many details yet; but they're busy developing the new site and refining their list of vendors. A new URL, BikeCraftOnline.com has been established and they will announce an official launch date in the next few weeks.
They're still interested in hearing from potential vendors. Drop them a line at info [at] bikecraftonline [dot] com if you'd like to be one. You can also sign up via the new site to get the latest news about the launch.
Knowing Aaron and Amos, this news makes me excited about the future of BikeCraft. Stay tuned!
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Movin' On on 02/03/12
Alice Dimicele live on KBOO today! "Alice's music has that great combination of earthiness and groove that keeps it funky from the inside out. She's for real." --Bonnie Raitt. I first met Alice and heard her stirring vocals in the 1980s at a Cathedral Forest action group gathering in the forest outside Estacada. She and her trio are performing a concert tonight and video shoot at the Alberta Rose Theater.
Book content: 0City of Beaverton looking for feedback on downtown redesign
(Conceptual rendering by the City of Beaverton)
The City of Beaverton and the Beaverton Downtown Association are in the process of redesigning SW Broadway, the street that runs through the heart of downtown Beaverton. The goal of the redesign (one element of their larger Civic Plan) is to make Broadway "more pedestrian, bike, and business friendly."
Last month, the city held two walking tours of downtown and collected thoughts on what should be changed. Next week they're having a workshop to showcase specific design elements developed using those ideas.
The redesign focuses on the section of Broadway between Watson Avenue and Hall Boulevard. It includes improvements to pedestrian and bicycle access and may create a plaza or another type of car-free public space.
The full list of potential improvements includes:
- Sidewalk improvements
- Pedestrian crossings
- Street furniture
- Pavement treatments
- Curb extensions
- Landscaping and street trees
- Bollards
- Public plazas
Anyone interested in the project should plan to come to next week's design workshop. It takes place on February 6th from 6pm to 8pm at the Beaverton History Center.
More information about the project is available at:
BeavertonOregon.gov/Broadway
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Cities — including Portland — will vie for spot in "Green Lane Project"
Later today, the application period opens for the "Green Lane Project," a promising new initiative funded by national advocacy org Bikes Belong.
The project's aim is to help build "world-class cycling networks" in a select group of U.S. cities that are "poised to make significant progress over the next two years in installing cycle tracks and related improvements." To spur the development of high-quality bikeways, Bikes Belong will funnel 70% of their annual grant budget (about $140,000) and provide technical assistance and other resources to the selected cities (study trips are scheduled for Denmark, New York City, and the Netherlands). Cities that are chosen will sign a contract with Bikes Belong committing themselves to the partnership.
Only six cities will be chosen to participate, and you can bet the competition will be fierce.
"We have had conversations with Portland transportation folks and the mayor's office, and look forward to a strong application from the City of Portland."
— Martha Roskowski, Green Lane Project
In order to be selected, Bikes Belong says a city must "have a plan or vision that is supported by elected officials, leading staff, and the community." It's also not just about which city is #1 when it comes to biking. The team behind the project says the cities chosen will range from "known leaders" to ones that are "just embarking on making space for bikes."
Will Portland get a spot on this train? We're certainly a "known leader," but we've stalled when it comes to building world-class urban bikeways. Also, with a new Mayor and new City Commissioners set to take the helm, we need all the momentum and support we can get.
I haven't heard back from Mayor Adams' office or sources at PBOT, but Green Lane Project director Martha Roskowski says they've had conversations with them and that she's, "looking forward to a strong application from the City of Portland."
BTA Executive Director Rob Sadowsky says his organization is "excited about the potential" of Portland becoming one of the focus cities. "The BTA strongly urges the City to get on board," he shared via email this morning. "We need leadership at the local level, now more than ever, to showcase the changes that safe protected bicycle lanes bring to cities."
Other cities sure to vie for a spot will be Chicago, Philadelphia, San Francisco, New York City and Minneapolis.
Roskowski says they'll make decisions by the end of March. Learn more about the project on the official website and watch the video below...
Green Lane Project from Bikes Belong on Vimeo.
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Kucinich Writes to Rest of Congress: We're Being Lied Into Another Iraq in Iran
Fact Checking the Media
"Are they trying to develop a nuclear weapon? No."
-Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta on Iran
January 8, 2012, CBS’ Face the Nation
WASHINGTON, D.C. (February 3, 2012) -- Congressman Dennis Kucinich (D-OH) today sent the following message to his colleagues in Congress.
See video here.
Dear Colleague:
During an interview last month on CBS’ Face the Nation, Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta set the record straight on Iran: “Are they trying to develop a nuclear weapon? No.” But if you read recent news reports lately, you’d think otherwise.
The media coverage on Iran is mirroring the coverage in the lead-up to the Iraq war: grand claims about a smoking gun that doesn’t exist. For example, The New York Times incorrectly reported last month that the latest International Atomic Emergency Agency (IAEA) report on Iran concluded that their nuclear program had a military objective. The paper’s public editor, Arthur Brisbane, was forced to acknowledge their mistake and wrote: “Some readers, mindful of the faulty intelligence and reporting about Saddam Hussein’s weapons program, are watching the Iran nuclear coverage very closely.” Other media outlets such as National Public Radio, PBS and The Washington Post have been challenged on their coverage too.
A recent publication from the Center for Strategic and International Studies titled “The IAEA’s Iran Report and Misplaced Paranoia,” noted that “With few exceptions, these revelations are not exactly new. More importantly, neither is the thrust of the report: that Iran is developing some capabilities that can only be understood as preliminaries to the development of nuclear weapons. Unfortunately, early coverage of the report’s release gives the opposite impression.”
Many have recognized that the media failed to do its job in the lead-up to the Iraq war. The potential consequences of treading on that same path with Iran are grave. The U.S. has thus far spent over $1.2 trillion of borrowed money on the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Military action against Iran would be disastrous for the region and for U.S. moral standing. A serious diplomatic track based on mutual trust and respect is the only way to achieve increased transparency.
Sincerely,
/s/
Dennis J. Kucinich
Member of Congress
New "Bump" markings on Esplanade ramps part of larger safety campaign
(Photos © J. Maus/BikePortland)
Portland Parks & Recreation has added new pavement markings on the Eastbank Esplanade floating ramps to warn people on bikes to prepare for a bump. The new markings are part of a larger campaign aimed at improving safety of path users.
Back in July of 2010, we brought attention to these jarring bumps after hearing about a friend who had crashed after hitting them. Shortly after that story ran, Parks vowed to evaluate the situation and six months later they installed a less severe "transition strip" to flatten the bumps.
Now Parks has put down a series of pavement markings with the word "BUMP" along with white stripes across the path. I took a closer look at them yesterday and they seem to have an impact. People were noticeably grabbing brakes and slowing down as they approached...
Parks spokesman Mark Ross says the new markings were installed in response to "concerns raised by the Portland bike community," and are part of a larger effort to improve traffic safety on both the Esplanade and in Waterfront Park.
New signs coming soon."We are working in collaboration with PBOT on all of these improvements," said Ross via email this morning. He added that Parks is collaborating with bike safety experts at PBOT along with a traffic engineer to make sure the markings are consistent with what folks see on the street."
Other elements of the biking and walking safety effort will include new signs targeted at people on bikes and more pavement markings at "a few key intersections." The work is expected to be completed by this spring.
Have you seen the "Bump" markings? We'd love to know what you think about them.
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New Syria Resolution: Better but Still Flawed
New Syria Resolution: Better but Still Flawed
by Stephen Lendman
Its sponsors include America, Britain, France, Germany, Portugal, Colombia, Turkey, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Morocco, UAE, Oman, Lybia, Kuwait, Bahrain, and Togo.
Notably, Russia and China aren't included. Nonetheless, Russian UN ambassador Vitaly Churkin said:
Danny Schechter Does What Obama Won't: Talks to Ahmadinejad
ran seems to many observers to be next in line for the Iraqi freedom treatment, the latest in a long line of “enemy” nations menaced by overt and covert military threats by the United States and its allies.
As the psyops operations and media propaganda intensifies, you might think war is imminent and that Iran is doing what countries under threat do in these circumstances, such as mobilizing their people and preparing for a bombing onslaught.
NY Attorney General Sues BofA, JPMorgan Chase, Wells Fargo
http://www.ag.ny.gov/media_center/2012/feb/feb03a_12.html
Complaint Charges Use Of MERS By Bank Of America, J.P. Morgan Chase, And Wells Fargo Resulted In Fraudulent Foreclosure Filings Servicers And MERS Filed Improper Foreclosure Actions Where Authority To Sue Was Questionable Schneiderman: MERS And Servicers Engaged In Deceptive and Fraudulent Practices That Harmed Homeowners And Undermined Judicial Foreclosure Process
NEW YORK – Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman today filed a lawsuit against several of the nation’s largest banks charging that the creation and use of a private national mortgage electronic registry system known as MERS has resulted in a wide range of deceptive and fraudulent foreclosure filings in New York state and federal courts, harming homeowners and undermining the integrity of the judicial foreclosure process. The lawsuit asserts that employees and agents of Bank of America, J.P. Morgan Chase, and Wells Fargo, acting as "MERS certifying officers," have repeatedly submitted court documents containing false and misleading information that made it appear that the foreclosing party had the authority to bring a case when in fact it may not have. The lawsuit names JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., Bank of America, N.A., Wells Fargo Bank, N.A., as well as Virginia-based MERSCORP, Inc. and its subsidiary, Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems, Inc.
The lawsuit further asserts that the MERS System has effectively eliminated homeowners' and the public's ability to track property transfers through the traditional public records system. Instead, this information is now stored only in a private database – which is plagued with inaccuracies and errors – over which MERS and its financial institution members exercise sole control. Additional defendants include BAC Home Loans Servicing, LP, Chase Home Finance LLC, EMC Mortgage Corporation, and Wells Fargo Home Mortgage, Inc.
“The banks created the MERS system as an end-run around the property recording system, to facilitate the rapid securitization and sale of mortgages. Once the mortgages went sour, these same banks brought foreclosure proceedings en masse based on deceptive and fraudulent court submissions, seeking to take homes away from people with little regard for basic legal requirements or the rule of law,” said Attorney General Schneiderman. “Our action demonstrates that there is one set of rules for all – no matter how big or powerful the institution may be – and that those rules will be enforced vigorously. Only through real accountability for the illegal and deceptive conduct in the foreclosure crisis will there be justice for New York’s homeowners.”
The financial industry created MERS in 1995 to allow financial institutions to evade local county recording fees, avoid the hassle and paperwork of publicly recording mortgage transfers, and facilitate the rapid sale and securitization of mortgages. MERS operates as a membership organization, and most large companies that participate in the mortgage industry – by originating loans, buying or investing in loans, or servicing loans – are members, including JPMorgan Chase, Bank of America, Wells Fargo, Fannie Mae, and Freddie Mac. Over 70 million loans nationally have been registered in MERS System, including about 30 million currently active loans.
Through their membership in MERS, these companies avoided publicly recording the purchase and sale of mortgages by designating MERS Inc. – a shell company with no economic interest in any mortgage loan – as the "nominal" mortgagee of the loan in the public records. Instead, MERS members were supposed to log mortgage transfers in the MERS private electronic registry. The basic theory behind MERS is that, because MERS Inc. serves as a "nominee" (or agent) for most major lenders, it remains the "mortgagee" in the public records regardless of how often the loan is sold or transferred among MERS members. Thus, although MERSCORP has only about 70 employees, MERS Inc. serves as the mortgagee of record for tens of millions of loans registered in the MERS System.
MERS has granted over 20,000 “certifying officers” the authority to act on its behalf, including the authority to assign mortgages, to execute paperwork necessary to foreclose, and to submit filings on behalf of MERS in bankruptcy proceedings. These certifying officers are not MERS employees, but instead are employed by MERS members, including JPMorgan Chase, Bank of America, and Wells Fargo.
MERS' conduct, as well as the servicers’ use of the MERS System, has resulted in the filing of improper New York foreclosure proceedings, undermined the integrity of the judicial process, created confusion and uncertainty concerning property ownership interests, and potentially clouded titles on properties throughout the State of New York. In fact, several New York judges have questioned the standing of the foreclosing party in cases involving MERS loans and the validity of mortgage assignments executed by MERS certifying officers.
The lawsuit specifically charges that the defendants have engaged in the following fraudulent and deceptive practices:
- MERS has filed over 13,000 foreclosure actions against New York homeowners listing itself as the plaintiff, but in many instances, MERS lacked the legal authority to foreclose and did not own or hold the promissory note, despite saying otherwise in court submissions.
- MERS certifying officers, including employees and agents of JPMorgan Chase, Bank of America, and Wells Fargo, have repeatedly executed and submitted in court legal documents purporting to assign the mortgage and/or note to the foreclosing party. These documents contain numerous defects, including affirmative misrepresentations of fact, which render them false, deceptive, and/or invalid. These assignments were often automatically generated and "robosigned" by individuals who did not review the underlying property ownership records, confirm the documents’ accuracy, or even read the documents. These false and defective assignments often masked gaps in the chain of title and the foreclosing party's inability to establish its authority to foreclose, and as a result have misled homeowners and the courts.
- MERS' indiscriminate use of non-employee "certifying officers" to execute vital legal documents has confused, misled, and deceived homeowners and the courts and made it difficult to ascertain whether a party actually has the right to foreclose. MERS certifying officers have regularly executed and submitted in court mortgage assignments and other legal documents on behalf of MERS without disclosing that they are not MERS employees, but instead are employed by other entities, such as the mortgage servicer filing the case or its counsel. The signature line just indicates that the individual is an "Assistant Secretary," "Vice President," or other officer of MERS. Indeed, these documents often purport to assign the mortgage to the certifying officer's own employer. Moreover, as a result of the defendants' failure to track the designation of certifying officers and the scope of their authority to act, individuals have executed legal documents on behalf of MERS, such as mortgage assignments and loan modifications, when they were either not designated as a MERS certifying officer at the time or were not authorized to execute documents on behalf of MERS with respect to the subject loan.
- MERS and its members have deceived and misled borrowers about the importance and ramifications of MERS' role with respect to their loan by providing inadequate disclosures.
- The MERS System is riddled with inaccuracies which make it difficult to verify the chain of title for a loan or the current note-holder, and creates confusion among stakeholders who rely on the information. In addition, as a result of these inaccuracies, MERS has filed mortgage satisfactions against the wrong property.
The lawsuit seeks a declaration that the alleged practices violate the law, as well as injunctive relief, damages for harmed homeowners, and civil penalties. The lawsuit also seeks a court order requiring defendants to take all actions necessary to cure any title defects and clear any improper liens resulting from their fraudulent and deceptive acts and practices.
The matter is being handled by Deputy Bureau Chief of the Bureau of Consumer Frauds & Protection Jeffrey K. Powell, Assistant Attorney General Clare Norins, and Assistant Solicitor General Steven C. Wu, under the supervision of First Deputy Attorney General Harlan Levy.
Job of the Week
We had a really fun job opportunity posted this week. Check out the details in the job listing below...
- Models Who Can Ride Bikes — The PDX Bicycle Show
For a complete list of available jobs, click here. If you'd like more information about the BikePortland Job Listings, contact us, or visit the Job Listings page.
You can sign up for all the latest job listings via RSS, email, or by following us on Twitter.
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Drones So Popular in Pakistan, Congress Demands More of Them in US Skies
Secrecy News Blog: http://www.fas.org/blog/secrecy/
CONGRESS CALLS FOR ACCELERATED USE OF DRONES IN U.S.
A House-Senate conference report this week called on the Administration to accelerate the use of civilian unmanned aerial systems (UAS), or "drones," in U.S. airspace.
The pending authorization bill for the Federal Aviation Administration directs the Secretary of Transporation to develop within nine months "a comprehensive plan to safely accelerate the integration of civil unmanned aircraft systems into the national airspace system."
"The plan... shall provide for the safe integration of civil unmanned aircraft systems into the national airspace system as soon as practicable, but not later than September 30, 2015."
The conference bill, which still awaits final passage, also calls for establishment of UAS test ranges in cooperation with NASA and the Department of Defense, expanded use of UAS in the Arctic region, development of guidance for the operation of public unmanned aircraft systems, and new safety research to assess the risk of "catastrophic failure of the unmanned aircraft that would endanger other aircraft in the national airspace system."
The Department of Defense is pursuing its own domestic UAS activities for training purposes and "domestic operations," according to a 2007 DoD-FAA memorandum of agreement. ("Army Foresees Expanded Use of Drones in U.S. Airspace," Secrecy News, January 19, 2012.)