On Tuesday in federal district court, Judge Lee R. West of Oklahoma City ruled that the federal "Do Not Call" List scheduled to go into effect next week on October 1 said that Congress never gave the Federal Trade Commission the power to enforce the do not call rule. In essence, he blocked the implementation of the do not call rule.

Today, Congress answered. In a miraculous whirl wind piece of legislation, members of the House and Senate drafted a bill, voted on it, and passed the legislation all in one day in an effort to bolster the FTC's power and ascert they indeed have the right to make and run the list! The legislation arrived on the floor faster than it takes to hang up on a telemarker! The House voted 412-8 for a bill making clear that the Federal Trade Commission has the power to enforce the list. The Senate voted 95-0 several hours later. The list, which is supposed to be effective on Wednesday, had overwhelming support in Congress. President Bush is expected to sign the bill.

However, the list is still in jeapardy. Late Thursday another judge jumped into the foray. U.S. District Judge Edward Nottingham in Denver ruled that the Do Not Call List violated telemarker's freedom of speech. He did not examine the earlier issue of the FTC power to run the list. If Congress' legislation is signed into law by President Bush it does not automatically nullify the court order. West, the Oklahoma City judge, must still dismiss the case brought by telemarketers in order for the list to move ahead. Now the issue of freedom of speech looms large.

With some 50 million phone numbers added to the Do Not Call list, nearly one third of all US households have signed up to have thier numbers added to the list. There are about 166 million residential phone numbers in the United States and an additional 150 million cell phone numbers. The FTC’s rules require telemarketers to check the list every three months to see who doesn’t want to be called. Those who call listed people could be fined up to $11,000 for each violation.

Telemarker's have vowed to fight and it will hardly mean the end of legal challenges. The essential issue remains the telemarketing companies’ First Amendment right to free speech.

But what about consumer's freedom for no speech in the form of unsolicited marketing calls? Apparently the verdict is still out on that issue. I say, take your telemarketing calls and stuff them! Or give me you number and I'll call you every day at dinner even when you tell me to stop calling and to remove my name from your database. Apparently telemarkers numbers are all unlisted!

Get you number on the Do Not Call list at DoNotCall.gov or by calling 1.888.382.1222 from the phone number you wish added to the list.

» 7:39 PM :: permalink

The last pair of Bruce Springsteen Tickets for the Tuesday, September 16th show at Rentschler Field in East Hartford, CT are still available. Bidding starts at $39.99. The listing has a low reserve. Buy the tickets now for only $150 and save $30 off the ticket price. Check out the 5 day auction at http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=2191414939.

» 9:43 AM :: permalink

A couple of teens, called the sheriff's office by mistake looking for pot. The sheriff called back, said he was "Dupe" and arranged for a meeting at a convenience store for the sale. The teens showed up and were busted for possession of drug paraphernalia and intent to buy drugs. View the entire story of these two dope smoking stews in the Hartford Courant at ctnow.com.

ctnow.com | Dope-Seeking Teens Call Cops by Mistake

» 4:30 PM :: permalink

A 40-year-old Wisconsin man was arrested Wednesday and charged with stealing a computerized tracking device that uses a global positioning system (GPS) to keep track of jail prisoners on home detention. The $2,500 device was temporarily placed outside a home by a woman serving home detention. The device, which is a little bigger than a brick in size, has a built-in GPS satellite receiver.

By the time the prisoner called to report the theft Monday night, the device had automatically notified the jail that it had been taken outside the prisoner's home area. A trail of electronic dots led authorities to an apartment building, where the suspect was captured. Apparently the crook did not know that the object was GPS enabled.

» 7:50 PM :: permalink