New National State ID Card Regulations Issued

New National ID Card Regulations Issued

Homeland Security officials released guidelines that will turn state-issued identification cards into internal US passports. The new changes are expected to cost states and individuals $23 billion over 10 years.

The regulations are complex, ranging from the kinds of documents required to get a license, how states databases will interact, the required elements on a compliant I.D. document's face, how states need to store copies of your breeder documents, and how states can attempt to deal with homeless people and other cases, such as judges, police officers and victims of domestic violence and stalking.

The 162 pages of proposed rules (.pdf) require:

• Applicants must present a valid passport, certified birth certificate, green card or other valid visa documents to get a license and states must check all other states' databases to ensure the person doesn't have a license from another state.

• States must use a card stock that glows under ultraviolet light, and check digits, hologramlike images and secret markers.

• Identity documents must expire before eight years and must include legal name, date of birth, gender, digital photo, home address and a signature. States can propose ways to let judges, police officers and victims of domestic violence keep their addresses off the cards. There are no religious exemptions for veils or scarves for photos.

• States must keep copies of all documents, such as birth certificates, Social Security cards and utility bills, for seven to 10 years.

DHS estimates that it will take only 44 minutes for a current driver's license holder to get a certified copy of their birth certificate, travel to the DMV and get a new license when it expires. No current driver's license holder will be allowed to renew a license by mail.

Critics, such as American Civil Liberties Union attorney Tim Sparapani, charge that the bill increases government access to data on Americans and amplifies the risk of identity theft, without providing significant security benefits.

Sophia Cope, a staff attorney at the centrist Center for Democracy and Technology, says the rules only mention privacy once.

"The Real ID Act does not include language that lets DHS prescribe privacy requirements, so there are no privacy regulations related to exchange of personal information between the states, none about skimming of the data on the magnetic stripe, and no limits on use of information by the feds," Cope said.

The Real ID Act, slipped into an emergency federal funding bill without hearings, originally required states to begin issuing the ID documents by May 2008. The proposed rules allow states to ask for an extension until Jan. 1, 2010.

Cope wants Congress to step in and rewrite the rules. The ACLU and Jim Harper, a libertarian policy analyst at the Cato Institute who specializes in identity and homeland security issues, agree.

"With five-plus years behind us, now is the time to be looking at what works and what doesn't work," Harper said. "Students of identification know that a national ID does not help with security."

Maine has already declared it will not follow the rules, and other states are close to joining that rebellion. In Congress, a bipartisan coalition is forming around bills that would repeal portions of the Real ID Act, but it is unclear if today's rules will slow or accelerate these efforts.

The internet is faceless, we can't actually see those we help»» and maybe it's better that way for some people. Maybe people need to know they can help a cause financially without feeling too much guilt. I'm not one of those who can do that (sometimes). I went to the website and after reading some of the proposals I envisioned the faces of kids and teenagers who want to learn and teachers»» who are frustrated due to the lack of funding.

I found a website called Donors Choose where you choose where your donation goes. The first thing I thought of was "WOW - what a great idea."

How it works: Public school teachers write about special projects they would like to have their students participate in. The teachers write the proposal and submit it to Donors Choice.

Givers (that's you and me) choose which project we want to fund and we have the choice of funding the entire amount or a small amount as little s $10 - three & 1/3 Starbuck Chai with soy milk lattes... I can give up 3 of them things.

You can choose based on

* City
* % low income
* Art / Literacy, Math / Science, Physical ED
* Cost to complete

ect...

With Donors Choose I get to choose where financial donation goes and while I won't be able to fly to NY to see a school art performance at least I know there will be one.

See the original article at Make Sure Your Donation Makes A Difference

Please consider supporting me in the March of Dime’s Walk America campaign

Walk America is the nation's largest fundraising event for March of Dimes with the money going towards research and programs that help prevent premature births and save the lives of premature born babies.

From the Walk America website

It's a long-standing, highly respected nonprofit health organization that's leading the way in the fight to save babies from premature birth - the #1 cause of newborn death. Every year, more than half a million babies are born prematurely - and the number is increasing. The March of Dimes is funding research to find out why premature birth happens and what can be done to stop it. Our advocacy efforts in state and federal government are seeking expanded health coverage for mothers and babies. Our community programs are educating women about the signs of preterm labor and what to do if they have them. With your support, there's hope we will defeat premature birth and other threats to babies.

My March of Dime’s Walk America - Registered Walker website
SierraNightTide

Changing Your Truth

Video is becoming a mainstream business tool

Video clips is finding a spot in mainstream business. You Tube may still be known for they're inventory of quick laughs, but video is being considered for more serious subjects. Some of the Presidential announcements came through Google's You Tube as both Democrats and Republicans are singing up for You Tube channels in hopes of grabbing the technology savvy users.

When You Tube emerged as one of the Internet's most popular Web sites, most television executives dismissed it. However, You Tube claims approximately 40 million plays a day and video possibilities are expanding.

Anther up and coming video use is video interviewing. Video technology is being used today in Human Resources for everything from training to personal feedback and improvement and soon it may be used for interviewing candidates.

How the Presidential Hopefuls video channels will effect they're campaigns won't be known until the end of the year. But, video presentations are gaining popularly in business.

Read more about

US Presidential Candidates Open You Tube Channels

Top 10 best jobs

According to MONEY Magazine and Salary.com

1. Software Engineer

2. College professor

3. Financial adviser

4. Human Resources Manager

5. Physician assistant

6. Market research analyst

7. Computer IT analyst

8. Real Estate Appraiser

9. Pharmacist

10. Psychologist

Learn more about careers

Gothic Mayor Candidate response to Pasadena Star-News endorsing Bogaard

As a candidate for Mayor in the Crown City, I must point out some issues I have with your endorsement of Mr. Bogaard. I normally think endorsements are "for the birds" - because it should be up to the people who decide, not some newspaper or political action group.

To quote the endorsement: "Does any city in the nation have a more well-respected, energetic, indispensable Mayor than Pasadena's Bill Bogaard? Not one we've heard of."

Funny. First of all, if Mr. Bogaard is so popular, why didn't the 65,000 registered voters in Pasadena turn out in droves to re-elect him in 2003? Doesn't anyone see he only received 9800 votes - a small fraction of votes for even people that only vote in Presidential elections?

It's not that he's so properly popular that no player on the political scene even considered running against him - it's that people are afraid to lose favor with the Mayor by even disagreeing with him. Enter: Aaron Proctor. A true political outsider who isn't in this race for personal gain. I'm even willing to quit my current job - which pays twice what the Mayor of this City makes - to devote to being a full-time Mayor and a full-time fighter for the real people in this City. It's not the people's fault that nobody knows who Bill Bogaard is, it's Bill Bogaard's fault for keeping it that way.

It's easy to dismiss my campaign as a joke and it's even easier to dismiss me for being young or whatever else you want to point out about me. The fact of the matter is: I truly care about Pasadena and I truly love this City and I truly stand by my convictions on things that need to be changed.

Well written letter - read the entire letter

High school students bored, risk dropping out: survey

NEW YORK (Reuters Life!) - High school students in the United States say they are bored in class and many have considered dropping out, according to a new survey.

In the report conducted by Indiana University, 75 percent of the 81,000 students who participated said they were bored in class because the material wasn't interesting and 31 percent said they had no interaction with their teacher.

"I think what is happening is students are not being involved in interactive ways in the teaching and learning," Ethan Yazzie-Mintz, project director of the university's Center for Evaluation Policy, said in an interview.

Are there other education choices available for high school students?

Get in touch with your inner puppy

If your dog is your baby, then your just going to love spending 30 minutes working through yoga positions with Fido. The classic yoga pose, downward facing dog, has taken on a whole new meaning called "Ruff Yoga." Also called Doga, the dog & human yoga is gaining devotees across the dog parks.

The human- dog yoga bond was created from the exercise nuts enthusiast Suzi Teitelman of Crunch Fitness. She’s Crunch's New York-based director of yoga and came up with the idea from her at home yoga sessions.

Her devoted cocker spaniel, Coali, began hovering by her yoga mat during the sessions and the doggie light flipped on.

"Pretty soon I was getting Coali into positions, and I could just feel him getting happier," says Teitelman, who wears her dog-love proudly. "This is a partner class, where you and your dog get closer by working through poses together."

Crunch Fitness now offers free doggie-and-me sessions — called Ruff Yoga at locations from Los Angeles to New York. Dog owners run through poses and than finish by hugging they’re dogs.

Medical Lab Technicians Help Discover New Medical Advances

Must of use want to know that something we did made a difference in anther's life.

Some people donate to charity or give what we can no longer use to thrift shops to raise funds. Others are speakers or authors. It can be easy to forget the people working directly in the heart of research. They're not in the limelight of the good causes but they're work is essential. The teams that discover new information can consist of several specialists as well as Assistants.

Must Love Spiders

Dating is hard enough and dozens of books have made claims on how it can be easier to find your Soul Mate. Nevertheless, thousands have not met they’re mate and have resorted to tips and tricks such as acquiring a dog. Then again, some people choose slightly more peculiar pets such as lizards and even spiders.

If you are looking for the love of your life and your pet puts potential partners off there is still hope. A brand new web site has come to life where you can find a partner compatible with your dog, cat, snake or spider. The Dutch web site www.dier-en-mens.nl is a meeting place for all animal, reptilian and arachnids (spiders) lovers.

Whether you’re looking for a partner, or someone who will take care of your chickens when you want to go away for the weekend, the web site will assist you in finding the right person.

The Dutch-language web site was inspired by similar sites in the US and Britain. Much like a traditional dating / friends web site, members can describe themselves and their pets, and when they think they have found a potential friend who shares similar pet interests , they can contact each other through the web site.