Journalist @baltimoresun writer artist runner #amwriting Chaplain PIO #partylikeajournalist

Journalist @baltimoresun writer artist runner #amwriting Chaplain PIO #partylikeajournalist
Journalist @baltimoresun writer artist runner #amwriting Md Troopers Assoc #20 & Westminster Md Fire Dept Chaplain PIO #partylikeajournalist

Friday, March 07, 2014

Associated Publishers Network magazine renewal complaints

Associated Publishers Network magazine renewal complaints

March 7, 2014

Associated Publishers Network
(866) 437-7897
850 S Boulder Hwy Ste 355, Henderson, NV 89015-7564



BBB has received a volume and pattern of complaints regarding billing and collection, delivery, refund or exchange, and sales practice issues.

According to consumer complaints, magazine subscription renewal notices are received from Associated Publishers Network (APN), also know as United Publisher's Clearing House, National Magazine Services, Orbital Publishing, and Publisher's Billing Exchange.

Complainants state they send in payment for renewal of their subscriptions to various magazines, such as Wall Street Journal, The Economist, New Yorker Magazine, and the Times, however, the magazines are not received.

When consumers contact the magazine companies, directly, to check on their subscription they are informed that payment was never received.

Complainants indicate that phone calls and emails sent to APN are generally ignored.

Complainants also state that The Economist, New Yorker Magazine, the Times and Wall Street Journal all claim no affiliation with APN.

APN's typical response states, in part, "Magazine publishers have created the agency sale system for the sale of subscriptions. The publisher contracts with clearinghouses. Under these contracts, the clearinghouse is authorized to sell subscriptions. The clearing house then permits thousands of third parties, such as Associated Publishers Network, to sell subscriptions, which are then "cleared" through the clearinghouse. These third parties have no direct contract with the publisher and their identities are unknown to the publisher.

Offers are sent out periodically and are marketing pieces only. We merely send out offers as stated plainly on each offer and no one is obligated to respond."

Additional responses from APN usually state that it takes 6-12 weeks for delivery.

BBB has informed the company of the volume and pattern of complaints and asked that the company address the issue.

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MSN Money: Is your subscription renewal notice real? By Mitch Lipka


Better Business Bureau issues warning about widespread fake subscription renewal scam after the New York Times and Wall Street Journal complain.

By Mitch Lipka Aug 29, 2013


If you get a subscription renewal, make sure who you're really paying before you send the check out. After getting peppered with complaints from magazine subscribers, and learning of complaints lodged by the publishers of the New York Times and Wall Street Journal, the Better Business Bureau on Thursday issued a warning to consumers about phony subscription renewals.

The BBB is warning about a Nevada-based operation called Associated Publishers Network. The company has generated 112 complaints just in the past year, the BBB said. The complaints are coming from all around the country.

[…]

If you get a renewal notice, check when your subscription really expires by looking at the actual subscription label or contacting the publisher directly. If it is time to renew, do it directly through the publisher or by using a notice directly attached to your magazine.

If you get a fake one, notify the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and the Federal Trade Commission.



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Federal Trade Commission
FTC Complaint Assistant

Welcome! Complaints from consumers help us detect patterns of fraud and abuse. The FTC would like to know more about your complaint and the Complaint Assistant will help guide you. To use the Complaint Assistant:

Choose a complaint category on the right. If you can't find a match select "Other". Answer a few questions related to your complaint. Tell us what happened in your own words.


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U.S. Postal Inspection Service


File a Complaint

Report these issues to the U.S. Postal Inspection Service online:

Mail fraud  (may include scams or deceptive ads via the mail, or postage fraud)
Mail theft (mail you failed to receive but should have, or that you received with the contents missing)
Vandalism to your mail receptacle

If you believe you’re a victim of fraud related to the U.S. Mail, including mailed sweepstakes, lotteries, on-line auctions, work-at-home scams or chain letters, report your concern to the U.S. Postal Inspection Service as mail fraud.

All information is voluntary, but the more you provide, the more likely it is that we can help you. We may share your information with other agencies if it comes under their jurisdiction. See the Privacy Act Statement for more details. This site uses secure methods to transfer data.

The Postal Inspection Service will contact you only if more information is needed. We gather data on mail-related crime to determine whether a violation has occurred. While we can’t guarantee we can recover lost money or items, your information can help alert Postal Inspectors to problem areas and possibly prevent others from being victimized. Inspectors base their investigations on the number, substance and pattern of complaints. We ask you to keep all original documents related to your complaint.

If you would prefer to mail in your report, click here to print a Mail Theft Complaint. If this is an urgent matter, contact your nearest law enforcement agency.

Report problems with mail delivery or service to the U.S. Postal Service.

Mail correspondence to this address:

CRIMINAL INVESTIGATIONS SERVICE CENTER
ATTN: MAIL FRAUD
433 W HARRISON STREET ROOM 3255
CHICAGO IL  60699-3255
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MSN Money: Is your subscription renewal notice real? By Mitch Lipka

MSN Money: Is your subscription renewal notice real? By Mitch Lipka


Better Business Bureau issues warning about widespread fake subscription renewal scam after the New York Times and Wall Street Journal complain.

By Mitch Lipka Aug 29, 2013


If you get a subscription renewal, make sure who you're really paying before you send the check out. After getting peppered with complaints from magazine subscribers, and learning of complaints lodged by the publishers of the New York Times and Wall Street Journal, the Better Business Bureau on Thursday issued a warning to consumers about phony subscription renewals.

The BBB is warning about a Nevada-based operation called Associated Publishers Network. The company has generated 112 complaints just in the past year, the BBB said. The complaints are coming from all around the country.

[…]

If you get a renewal notice, check when your subscription really expires by looking at the actual subscription label or contacting the publisher directly. If it is time to renew, do it directly through the publisher or by using a notice directly attached to your magazine.

If you get a fake one, notify the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and the Federal Trade Commission.


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Ukraine, Issa, Obamacare, millennials and other news from the The Hill's E-news for March 7, 2014

The Hill: The 2016 Comeback Kids?
By Cameron Joseph
A trio of familiar faces that will take the stage Friday at the Conservative Political Action Conference, hoping the second time's a charm for their presidential ambitions.

The Hill: Can Obama help bridge financial aid gap?
By Justin Sink
The president is expected to tout education initiatives found in his budget proposal released earlier this week.

The Hill: Issa hands Dems the mic
By Mike Lillis and Bernie Becker
House Republicans were thrust onto the defensive Thursday as Democrats waged a multi-pronged attack against Rep. Darrell Issa (R-Calif.) and his aggressive leadership style atop the House Oversight Committee.

The Hill: CPAC Day One showcases a divided GOP
By Alexandra Jaffe
The first day of the annual Conservative Political Action Conference raised more questions about the direction of the conservative movement than it answered.

The Hill: Study: ObamaCare not reaching uninsured
By Jonathan Easley
ObamaCare isn’t achieving its primary goal of extending coverage to the uninsured, according to a new study.

The Hill: Ukraine aid bill clears the House
By Pete Kasperowicz
The House on Thursday approved legislation that would allow the Obama administration to provide loan guarantees to Ukraine.

The Hill: Senate blocks Gillibrand sex assault bill
By Jeremy Herb and Ramsey Cox
The Senate on Thursday blocked Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand’s (D-N.Y.) controversial proposal to take sexual assault cases outside the military’s chain of command from moving forward.

The Hill: Issa to Cummings: Sorry
By Rachel Huggins
Rep. Darrell Issa (R-Calif.) said he personally apologized to Rep. Elijah Cummings (D-Md.) for cutting off his microphone during a heated hearing before the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee.

The Hill: Obama calls Putin, offers diplomatic resolution
By Rachel Huggins
President Obama held an hour-long phone conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin Thursdayafternoon to discuss the ongoing crisis in Ukraine.

The Hill: Sinema to stay put in current seat
By Alexandra Jaffe
Rep. Kyrsten Sinema (D-Ariz.) will run for reelection to her current seat, ending speculation over whether she’d switch to a much easier race in a neighboring, open district.

The Hill: Privacy is in our blood, says NSA official
By Kate Tummarello
Civil liberties are a top concern at the National Security Agency (NSA), the agency’s new privacy chief saidThursday.

The Hill: House takes first jab at Russia sanctions
By Julian Pecquet
A House panel on Thursday took the first, symbolic jab at sanctioning Russia over its incursion into Ukraine.

The Associated Press: Half of millennials more likely to lean Democratic
By Jesse J. Holland
Fifty percent of the millennials identify themselves as political independents, while only 27 percent said Democrat and 17 percent said Republican.

The Washington Post: No one blinking on Medicaid issue as Virginia approaches budget stalemate
By Michael Laris
Republican delegates and Gov. Terry McAuliffe showed no signs Thursday of budging in their standoff over expanding Medicaid, bringing Virginia closer to a historic budget stalemate.

Democrat says CFTC's low budget 'sucks'
By Tim Devaney
A leading House Democrat on the Appropriations Committee said Thursday that the federal regulator for commodities has such a small budget that it "sucks."

Ex-Obama adviser: 'Everything should be on the table' in Ukraine conflict
By Rebecca Shabad
A former national security adviser to President Obama said Thursday “everything should be on the table” in how the United States intervenes in the Ukraine-Russia conflict.

Congress facing consequences of defense cuts
By Kristina Wong
Lawmakers are coming to grips with a 2015 proposed defense budget that would cut the Army down to 420,000 active duty soldiers and cut the number of aircraft carriers down to 10.

House bill filed to undo airline ticket advertising rules
By Keith Laing
A bipartisan group of House lawmakers has filed a bill to undo regulations for airline ticket advertisements that have been enacted by the Department of Transportation under President Obama.

Whitehouse plans climate change all-nighter Monday
By Ramsey Cox
Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.) is planning an all-night session in the Senate Monday to discuss climate change, according to his staff.

FCC pushes new rules for broadcasters
By Kate Tummarello
The Federal Communications Commission took aim Thursday at advertising agreements that critics say allow broadcast stations to dominate media markets.

Opinion: Maintain the best features of Biggert-Waters
By Howard Kunreuther and Erwann Michel-Kerjan
The 2012 Biggert-Waters Flood Insurance Reform Act (BW12) is a bold step by Congress to reform the federally run National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP).

Obama rebukes deportation criticism
By Justin Sink
President Obama declared himself "champion-in-chief of comprehensive immigration reform" on Thursday, rebuking criticism from Hisoanic civil rights groups and Democratic lawmakers on his deportation policy.

Obama authorizes sanctions on Russia
By Justin Sink and Russell Berman
President Obama on Thursday authorized new sanctions on Russia that will restrict travel and freeze the assets of people the Obama administration identifies as being involved in the invasion of Crimea.

Pro-Keystone XL ad airs on White House site
By Laura Barron-Lopez
Advocates of the Keystone XL oil pipeline were briefly front and center Thursday on the White House's website.

FreedomWorks head: Neb. GOP primary a 'win'
By Alexandra Jaffe
FreedomWorks President Matt Kibbe doesn’t seem to mind whether the group’s endorsed candidate makes it through the Nebraska Senate Republican primary.

CBC asks that Issa be stripped of gavel
By Bernie Becker
The chairwoman of the Congressional Black Caucus is calling for House Oversight Chairman Darrell Issa (R-Calif.) to be stripped of his gavel for his behavior at a contentious IRS hearing on Wednesday.

Calls increase for SGR repeal before month's end
By Elise Viebeck
Pressure is building on congressional leaders to hold votes to overhaul Medicare's flawed physician payment system before the end of March, when the current "doc fix" expires.
*****

Textile artist Sue Helmken to open exhibit at Off Track Art in Westminster Friday evening March 7, 2014

Textile artist Sue Helmken to open exhibit at Off Track Art in Westminster Fri March 7, 2014 - Kevin Dayhoff http://westminster.patch.com/groups/kevin-e-dayhoffs-blog/p/textile-artist-sue-helmken-to-open-exhibit-at-off-track-art-in-westminster-friday-evening-march-7-2014
When: Friday, March 7, 2014 from 5:30 to 7:30 PM at the Off Track Art gallery at 11 Liberty Street Side Entrance in historic downtown Westminster:

Sue Helmken is a textile artist with over 30 years’ experience in weaving, dyeing and teaching.

According to information provided by the gallery and the artists, Ms. Helmken earned a B.A. in Design at East Carolina University and has continued learning new techniques by experimenting and by studying with fiber artists such as Madelyn Van der Hoogt, Alice Schlein, Barbara Cooper, Donna Sullivan, Jozef Bajus, and Holly Brackmann.  She also studied at the Penland School of Crafts and the Corcoran College of Art and Design.

Experimenting with new techniques and non-traditional materials is her favorite challenge. Mixing wire and yarn, she weaves narrow bands and shapes them into 3-dimensional forms.

Some are patterned after natural forms while others mimic fashion accessories.  She also weaves clothing and accessories.  

Ms. Helmken uses a variety of yarns and fibers to develop cloth with textures and patterns not found in commercially woven fabric.

Ecclesiastical pieces such as stoles, banners, and altar cloths are another facet of her work. 

Ms. Helmken has been a juried member of Gallery 209 in Savannah, GA, Fiberworks Gallery and The Potomac Fibersrts Gallery in the Torpedo Factory of Alexandria, VA, Studio Fiberarts at the Workhouse Arts Center in Lorton, VA. 

Her work has been accepted in juried
shows throughout the Southeast and Mid-Atlantic regions, most recently at AASU Gallery, The Blackrock Arts Center, Sweetwater Center for the Arts, The Art League of Alexandria, VA, and The Workhouse Center for the Arts. 

She taught weaving and dyework at Armstrong Atlantic State University; she conducts workshops and classes for fiber guilds and offers private lessons as well.

Off Track Art: 11 Liberty Street Side Entrance
Westminster, MD 21157




Friday evening March 7, 2014: “Off Track Art” is an artists’ collective & gallery located in the historic Liberty Building at 11 Liberty St. – next to the railroad tracks, off of the Sentinel parking lot at the corner of W. Main St & MD 27-Liberty St - in historic downtown Westminster, Md.

The inspiration for forming the co-op was spearheaded by local artists Susan Williamson & Pam Zappardino. Off Track had its grand opening on Feb. 13th, 2009.

For the past 4-yrs, the partners in the Off Track Art co-op have changed; however the artist-partners in the co-op have been dedicated to advancing the arts in Westminster as well as the careers, ideas, and artistic visions of its members.


 Google profile: https://profiles.google.com/kevindayhoff/
Kevin Dayhoff Art: http://www.kevindayhoff.com/ (http://kevindayhoffart.blogspot.com/http://www.kevindayhoffart.com/ New Bedford Herald: http://kbetrue.livejournal.com/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/kevindayhoff
Google profile: https://profiles.google.com/kevindayhoff/ “Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God’s grace in its various forms.” 1 Peter 4:10

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Kevin Dayhoff is an artist - and a columnist for:

Twitter: https://twitter.com/kevindayhoffTwitpic: http://twitpic.com/photos/kevindayhoff
Kevin Dayhoff's The New Bedford Herald: http://kbetrue.livejournal.com/ = www.newbedfordherald.net

Tumblr: Kevin Dayhoff Banana Stems www.kevindayhoff.tumblr.com/
Smurfs: http://babylonfluckjudd.blogspot.com/
Google profile: https://profiles.google.com/kevindayhoff/

E-mail: kevindayhoff(at)gmail.com
My http://www.explorecarroll.com/ columns appear in the copy of the Baltimore Sunday Sun that is distributed in Carroll County: https://subscribe.baltsun.com/Circulation/
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Textile artist Sue Helmken to open exhibit at Off Track Art in Westminster Friday evening March 7, 2014

Textile artist Sue Helmken to open exhibit at Off Track Art in Westminster Fri March 7, 2014 - Kevin Dayhoff http://westminster.patch.com/groups/kevin-e-dayhoffs-blog/p/textile-artist-sue-helmken-to-open-exhibit-at-off-track-art-in-westminster-friday-evening-march-7-2014
When: Friday, March 7, 2014 from 5:30 to 7:30 PM at the Off Track Art gallery at 11 Liberty Street Side Entrance in historic downtown Westminster:

Sue Helmken is a textile artist with over 30 years’ experience in weaving, dyeing and teaching.

According to information provided by the gallery and the artists, Ms. Helmken earned a B.A. in Design at East Carolina University and has continued learning new techniques by experimenting and by studying with fiber artists such as Madelyn Van der Hoogt, Alice Schlein, Barbara Cooper, Donna Sullivan, Jozef Bajus, and Holly Brackmann.  She also studied at the Penland School of Crafts and the Corcoran College of Art and Design.

Experimenting with new techniques and non-traditional materials is her favorite challenge. Mixing wire and yarn, she weaves narrow bands and shapes them into 3-dimensional forms.

Some are patterned after natural forms while others mimic fashion accessories.  She also weaves clothing and accessories.  

Ms. Helmken uses a variety of yarns and fibers to develop cloth with textures and patterns not found in commercially woven fabric.

Ecclesiastical pieces such as stoles, banners, and altar cloths are another facet of her work. 

Ms. Helmken has been a juried member of Gallery 209 in Savannah, GA, Fiberworks Gallery and The Potomac Fibersrts Gallery in the Torpedo Factory of Alexandria, VA, Studio Fiberarts at the Workhouse Arts Center in Lorton, VA. 

Her work has been accepted in juried
shows throughout the Southeast and Mid-Atlantic regions, most recently at AASU Gallery, The Blackrock Arts Center, Sweetwater Center for the Arts, The Art League of Alexandria, VA, and The Workhouse Center for the Arts. 

She taught weaving and dyework at Armstrong Atlantic State University; she conducts workshops and classes for fiber guilds and offers private lessons as well.

Off Track Art: 11 Liberty Street Side Entrance
Westminster, MD 21157




Friday evening March 7, 2014: “Off Track Art” is an artists’ collective & gallery located in the historic Liberty Building at 11 Liberty St. – next to the railroad tracks, off of the Sentinel parking lot at the corner of W. Main St & MD 27-Liberty St - in historic downtown Westminster, Md.

The inspiration for forming the co-op was spearheaded by local artists Susan Williamson & Pam Zappardino. Off Track had its grand opening on Feb. 13th, 2009.

For the past 4-yrs, the partners in the Off Track Art co-op have changed; however the artist-partners in the co-op have been dedicated to advancing the arts in Westminster as well as the careers, ideas, and artistic visions of its members.


 Google profile: https://profiles.google.com/kevindayhoff/
Kevin Dayhoff Art: http://www.kevindayhoff.com/ (http://kevindayhoffart.blogspot.com/http://www.kevindayhoffart.com/ New Bedford Herald: http://kbetrue.livejournal.com/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/kevindayhoff
Google profile: https://profiles.google.com/kevindayhoff/ “Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God’s grace in its various forms.” 1 Peter 4:10

University of Delaware students skip spring break to volunteer in Dominican Republic





March 3, 2014

Instead of taking a "typical" spring break trip this year ten University of Delaware students will be working with underprivileged children at a local literacy and learning center in Batey Libertad, a small community in the Dominican Republic.

One of the students is my niece, Alexander Handzo, and she will be joining nine other University of Delaware students on this week-long alternative break sponsored by the UD Honors Program and University of Delaware's Alternative Breaks.

In a recent fundraising letter I received from Ms. Handzo, she said, “Our goal is to support Yspaniola, an education-focused non-profit  based in the Dominican Republic that works to increase access to high quality education  for marginalized communities  by supporting universal literacy and higher education.

“On our trip, we will visit two major cities, Santiago and Santo Domingo, and spend time living with Dominican families in Batey Libertad. In addition to working with children, we will learn about community development in Batey Libertad and have discussions about human rights issues, education, migration, and international affairs.

“We will also contribute to Yspaniola's supplies and education programs. The Batey Libertad Learning Center provides high quality educational programming for children in Batey Libertad between the ages of 5 and 14; the curriculum focuses on building reading and writing skills while encouraging critical thinking and supporting healthy emotional development.

“The Scholarship Program allows promising students from Batey Libertad to attend college in Santiago. Without the scholarship, these students would not have the opportunity to further their education, so Yspaniola's program changes their lives.

“Since last fall I've been preparing for this trip and I am incredibly excited about the opportunity to make a difference in a new environment. To make our visit as fruitful and beneficial to the community as possible, we are asking for you to make any donation you can to support our mission.”

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More information about donating may be found at a fundraising website:

BENEFITING: YSPANIOLA INCORPORATED

EVENT DATE: MAR 29, 2014


This spring break, 10 University of Delaware Honors students will be traveling to the Dominican Republic to work with Yspaniola, an education-based non-profit working towards the promotion of social justice and education in Batey Libertad. Help support us in our efforts to raise money for Yspaniola to aid their Learning Center, provide university scholarships to promising students, and work together towards social equality. The video and pictures to the left provide a glimpse of how your donations can help the Batey Libertad community.

To donate to this cause, please go to the web site: http://www.crowdrise.com/udhonorstobateylibertad

If you would prefer to write a check, please address it to:

Yspaniola att. Jon DiMaio
158 Ridgewood Ave.
North Haven, CT 06473

Please make the check out to "Yspaniola" and include "University of Delaware" and the student, Alexander Handzo, you are supporting in the memo line.

Thank you in advance for your consideration and generosity! We are so excited about this opportunity to make a difference in a new environment.

-UD Students traveling to Batey Libertad, 2014

For more information please go to: http://www.crowdrise.com/udhonorstobateylibertad

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Univ Delaware students skip spring break volunteer in Dominican Rep - Kevin Dayhoff's Blog Patch http://westminster.patch.com/groups/kevin-e-dayhoffs-blog/p/university-of-delaware-students-skip-spring-break-to-volunteer-in-dominican-republic via @WestminstrPatch
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Thursday, March 06, 2014

Suit seeks removal of Peace Cross at Bladensburg World War 1 Peace Memorial


I’m not making this up…

According to an article in the Washington Post on March 1, 2014 by wirter Michael E. Ruane, “The American Humanist Association filed a lawsuit last week in federal court in Maryland calling for the removal of Bladensburg’s 40-foot Memorial Peace Cross, which honors men from Prince George’s County who died during World War I.

“The association and three individual plaintiffs contend that the cross, which is on state property, violates the constitutional principle of separation of church and state. The cross was dedicated in 1925.

“The lawsuit states that the humanist association is an organization that advocates progressive values and equality for humanists, atheists, and freethinkers. One of the individual plaintiffs, Steven Lowe of Washington, contends that the cross “associates a Christian religious symbol with the state and gives the impression that the state supports and approves of Christianity, as opposed to other religions,” the suit says.”


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