Ending Robocalls

I submitted a plan to end Robocalls (Google <Cormode> and <robotelestop>) to my Congressperson.  Her reply implied that I was the only person in her district that had this problem.  I suspect that most other congressional representatives are as ignorant as she is.

I am communicating to her about each of my robocalls so that she can appreciate the problem. 

If you are also bothered by Robocalls, here is what you can do:

Contact your congressional representative.

Go to <House.gov> and look for Representatives <click>, then find your own congressional representative, e.g., Eshoo <click>.  Find <Contact> and follow up <By Mail and Phone> 

or <By E-mail>.  Tell your Representative about receiving yet another robocall and give the basic information that you have gathered as below.

When a robocaller or telemarketer calls, find out what the name of the company is, note the caller's name, the time and date, and what they are asking for.

If you are on the Do-Not-Call registry, you should so inform the caller of that and listen to their excuses.  They often will promise to put you on their own do-not-call list and that works for a week or so.

Don’t forget to forward this message to family and friends.

Russian Consequences

August 4, 2014

            As of this date, Ukraine is slowly whittling away at the Donetsk-Luhansk rebel area.  There is some concern that Russia, in the form of proxy ‘volunteers’, will invade and help the rebels preserve what is left to them.  Even worse would be if the revived rebel forces were to expand and retake much of what they have lost in recent weeks.

The following is a scenario of what could happen from the Western European point of view if the Russian intervention should take place.

Through backchannels, the Russians (Putin) should be made aware of the following consequences should Russia intervene in the Ukrainian rebellion.

1. NATO would immediately sign a mutual aid agreement with Ukraine and rush in troops to help establish Ukrainian border security.  The rationale is that any Russian action, no matter how covert, is a threat to NATO as Ukraine borders on four NATO members (Poland, Slovakia, Hungary, Romania).

This would create the worst Russian nightmare: NATO would now have a substantial border area directly abutting Russia, not just the Estonia and Latvia borders as previously held.

2. Kaliningrad would be more isolated than ever.  If NATO is having to confront

Russia’s military aggression, it stands to reason that NATO would cut off land access to Kaliningrad.  Air and naval supplies would not be curtailed.

3. The Transnistria statelet would be isolated and eventually eliminated.   

Transnistria is solely supported by Russia.  But with NATO helping Ukraine, Russian supply flights would be halted.  Any Russian plane flying to Transnistria would have to have Ukrainian (or Romanian) airspace permission.  That permission would only be allowed if the plane were to land in NATO territory and pass inspection.  No military cargo or personnel would be allowed to proceed.

4. Turkey would reach out to Georgia and Azerbaijan and form a mutual aid

group.  This would allow Turkey to have a buffer zone against Russian expansion designs while also establishing Turkish hegemony over the southern Caucasus area.

This would also isolate Armenia which would be especially appealing to Azerbaijan and be galling to Russia as Armenia is one of its allies.

Note:  For these purposes, the United Nations is considered to be ineffectual.  Even if it decided to do something, it would take too long to be of any benefit.

Lawyers and Global Climate Change

Almost all climate scientists agree that there is global climate change (including global warming) and that man is a major contributor to that change.

Does this human factor redefine or negate the terms “natural disaster” and “act of God” in insurance and other business activities?

If so, does this mean that lawyers will now have a whole new area of litigation?

Putin, Russia, and the Eastern Ukraine

Vladimir Putin and the Russians claim their interest in Crimea is to protect the Russian-speaking people of that area.

It is to be expected that soon Putin will claim to show an interest in protecting the Russian speakers in the Eastern Ukraine.  (Note: All Russian-speakers do not feel an affinity with Russia, as many younger people identify more with Ukraine.)

Instead of a confrontation in the Eastern Ukraine, Russia should welcome any alternative means for protecting their language-brethren.  Such an alternative would be to have the United Nations put an armed force in those areas that have Russian-speakers who culturally identify with Russia.

The UN force would relieve Russia of worrying about their language-brethren.  Perhaps Russia would be willing to pay for the force.  Even if the Russians will not pay for the force, it would be worthwhile to the world so as to de-escalate the situation.

Stop Robocalls and Telemarketing (RoboTeleStop)

NATIONAL ROBOCALL REGISTRY PLAN (RoboTeleStop)
RoboTeleStop: Controlling Robocalls and Telemarketing
Robocalling and Telemarketing are related activities, often intertwined
but they may be separable.
They share one major aspect – they are intrusive into the privacy of the
citizenry. Almost always they are unwelcome and disruptive, yet the different jurisdictions of government can or will do little to stop this invasion into the private spheres of each human being in this country.
Below is a two-part plan to stop or at least greatly curtail robocalling. With certain modifications, these same steps can be used to eliminate the telemarketers. The basis for ending robocall invasions is the Right of Privacy. Each person
has the right to not be disturbed in his or her personal sphere, whether in their domicile, their workspace, or simply out in public. Having a telephone (or cell phone) does not negate this aspect of the right of privacy.
Furthermore, the reciprocity inherent in the callmakers having to register their contact information is the epitome of equality under protection under the law. If a robocaller or telemarketer can call you, then you must be allowed to call them.
The RoboTeleStop system is both the spirit and the letter of the Constitution and the laws that execute it.
Robocalls – U.S. Origin
National Robocall Registry
Each and every person – such as regular workers and Temps, owners, support workers and contract workers – in the Robocall industry shall have to register.
Registrants will have to give their real name, valid home address and main home phone number, and their main personal email address. In addition, each registrant will list for whom and for what entity they are calling.
All registered data would be available to the public. When you receive a robocall, then you can reciprocate by contacting them at home.
Robocalls – Non-U.S. Origin
Many robocalls emanate from outside the U.S. since the ‘Do Not Call’ List does not apply there. At the same time, the NSA is recording all calls that are coming into the U.S. from outside our borders.
The NSA shall identify the robocalls that are coming into this country and where they are coming from.
The NSA shall then hand over the list of the 10 worst offending countries to the Secretary of State, who shall in turn place a ban on U.S. tourism and investment against the offending host countries. The United States should not have dealings with any country that allows the harassment of U.S. citizens.
The robocalls from those countries would soon stop. The workload of the NSA would lessen as they would no longer have to monitor those junk calls.
Note: This set of systems could also be applied to all other telemarketers.
Natl Robocall Registry Plan CyRt.doc
©JohnRCormode 2014      2/26/14