Verizon's Edge trade-in program now lets customers upgrade after just 30 days

Sick of your new phone already? Verizon would like a word with you. Over the weekend, the company made some changes to its Edge upgrade program, drastically reducing the amount of time customers need to wait before pursuing an upgrade. The plan originally allowed trade-ins for devices that were half paid off and about six months old; now the waiting period has been reduced to a mere 30 days. Verizon told CNET the tweak was technically a promotion, but it's not actually much of a deal. Although the wait-time has been reduced by a factor of six, the amount due hasn't changed a penny: users seeking a new device still need to pony up at least 50 percent of the phone's value, even if they've only been using it for a few weeks. While it's always good to have options, maybe it's a better idea to sort out your buyer's remorse during your carrier's return window.

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Source: Verizon, CNET

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The ACLU Will Appeal Court Decision Declaring The NSA’s Phone Metadata Program Legal

In an expected move, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) today announced that it would appeal the dismissal of its case relating to the National Security Agency’s telephony metadata program. Recently, US District Judge William Pauley III ruled that the program was constitutional.

The case in question, ACLU v. Clapper, was set back by Judge Pauley III who invoked past terror attacks as reason for the metadata program’s existence, and argued that protections under the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court were stiff enough to protect constitutional rights.

The ACLU disagrees, and in a statement claimed that “the NSA’s call-tracking program violates both statutory law and the Constitution.”

There have been two legal decisions of note thus far regarding the NSA’s surveillance programs and their relation to the rights of American citizens. The first ruling, Judge Richard Leon indicated that the metadata program was likely unconstitutional. The second, and the one under new appeal by the ACLU, came to the precise opposite conclusion.

The Pauley III decision contains a piece of argument that I find, as have hosts of others, particularly troubling.

Regarding the statutory arguments, there is another level of absurdity in this case. The ACLU would never have learned about the section 215 order authorizing collection of telephony metadata related to its telephone numbers but for the unauthorized disclosures by Edward Snowden. Congress did not intend that targets of section 215 orders would ever learn of them. And the statutory scheme also makes clear that Congress intended to preclude suits by targets even if they discovered the section 215 orders implicating them. It cannot possibly be that lawbreaking conduct by a government contractor that reveals state secrets – including the means and methods of intelligence gathering – could frustrate Congress’s intent. To hold otherwise would spawn mischief: recipients of orders would be subject to section 215′s secrecy protocol confining challenges to the FISC, while targets could sue in any federal district court. A target’s awareness of section 2015 orders does not alter the Congressional calculus. The ACLU’s statutory claim must therefore be dismissed.

The argument that if a party learns of potential government abuse via a leak there should be no legal recourse for them due to the source of the information is unsettling, in my view. This case is therefore more broad in its impact than the fate of a single NSA program.

The ACLU hopes that the Second Circuit of Appeals “will set an expedited briefing schedule and that it will hear oral argument in the spring

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Apple Says It Has Never Worked With NSA To Create iPhone Backdoors, Is Unaware Of Alleged DROPOUTJEEP Snooping Program

Apple has contacted TechCrunch with a statement about the DROPOUTJEEP NSA program that detailed a system by which the organization claimed it could snoop on iPhone users.

Apple says that it has never worked with the NSA to create any ‘backdoors’ that would allow that kind of monitoring, and that it was unaware of any programs to do so.

Here is the full statement from Apple:

Apple has never worked with the NSA to create a backdoor in any of our products, including iPhone. Additionally, we have been unaware of this alleged NSA program targeting our products. We care deeply about our customers’ privacy and security.  Our team is continuously working to make our products even more secure, and we make it easy for customers to keep their software up to date with the latest advancements.  Whenever we hear about attempts to undermine Apple’s industry-leading security, we thoroughly investigate and take appropriate steps to protect our customers.  We will continue to use our resources to stay ahead of malicious hackers and defend our customers from security attacks, regardless of who’s behind them.

The statement is a response to a report in Der Spiegel Sunday that detailed a Tailored Access Operations (TAO) unit within the NSA that is tasked with gaining access to foreign computer systems in order to retrieve data to protect national security. The report also pointed out a division called ANT that was set up to compile information about hacking consumer electronics, networking systems and more.

The story detailed dozens of devices and methods, including prices for deployment, in a catalogue that could be used by the NSA to pick and choose the tools it needed for snooping. The 50-page catalog included a variety of hacking tools that targeted laptops and mobile phones and other consumer devices. Der Spiegel said that these programs were evidence that the NSA had ‘backdoors’ into computing devices that many consumers use.

Among these options was a program called DROPOUTJEEP — a program by which the NSA could theoretically snoop on ‘any’ Apple iPhone with ’100% success’. The documents were dated 2008, implying that these methods were for older devices. Still, the program’s detailed capabilities are worrisome.

Researcher and hacker Jacob Applebaum — the co-author of the articles, coinciding with a speech he gave at a conference about the programs — pointed out that the ’100% success rate’ claimed by the NSA was worrisome as it implied cooperation by Apple. The statement from the company appears to preclude that cooperation.

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How to Find the Best Weight Loss Program for You

Are you looking to lose weight? If you are, you may be interested in joining a weight loss program. When it comes to joining a weight loss program, you will find that you have a number of different options. If this is your first time joining a weight loss program, you may be unsure as to what you should look for in a weight loss program. If that is the case, you will want to continue reading on.



One of the best ways to go about finding the perfect weight loss program for yourself is to ask yourself a number of important questions. One of the first questions that you should ask yourself is how much time you have to devote to weight loss meetings. If you were to join a local weight loss program, you would likely be required to attend weekly meeting. Whether you are busy with your family or busy at work, you may not have the time to do so. In that case, you should look into joining an online weight loss program, as they are often designed for those with busy schedules.



Another question that you will want to ask yourself, when looking to find the perfect weight loss program is your willpower. Should you join an online weight loss program, you will be given more freedom, as you do not have to physically report to meetings and answer to group leaders. While this freedom is nice, it has allowed many hopeful individuals to go off track. If you do not think that you can stick with your online weight loss program goals and instructions, it may be better to join a local weight loss program instead.



Another one of the many questions that you will want to ask yourself, when looking for a weight loss program to join, is how much money you have to spend. While it is possible to find free weight loss programs, both locally or online, it is actually quite rare. In your search for weight loss programs, you will find that they have a wide range of membership fees. Commonly, you will find that online weight loss programs are cheaper than locally operated weight loss programs. If you are on a budget, the cost of each weight loss program that you come across should play a large role in your decision.



You should also ask yourself if you are embarrassed with your current weight or your physical appearance. Although you should have nothing to be ashamed of, you may still feel that way. If that is the case, you may be afraid of attending local weight loss meetings. Of course, you need to remember that everyone else in your meetings is likely feeling the same way, but you dont have to put yourself in an awkward situation. If you are concerned with your appearance or what others may think of you, you may want to look into joining an online weight loss program instead.



The above mentioned questions are just a few of the many that you should ask yourself if you are interested in joining a weight loss program. While there are a number of benefits to joining a locally operated weight loss program, as well as an online weight loss program, you need to make the decision that is best for you and your own needs.

Benefits of a good after school program

Children grow up in a society that demands expertise in everything. You

really cannot sit back and decide that learning from textbooks is enough

for the overall development of your child. It's the age of specialization

and your child cannot afford to miss out on this window of opportunity.

So, scour your locality for the most advantageous programs and enroll them

for the ones you think are the best.



After school programs are basically designed to develop a talent or a

skill that is ignored by regular schools. These programs could be

educational or recreational in nature. Whatever type they are, they

basically aim to keep the child active and interested.



The most important advantage of a good after school program is that it

widens your child's area of interests. He or she is introduced to new

things, sometimes interesting, sometimes challenging. Mastering a new art

form or a new skill increases the child's self-esteem. It also allows you

to introduce your child to new career options. A child attending a music

class may decide that she likes it so much that she wants to make a career

out of it in the long run.



Socialization is another great advantage of after school programs.

Children get to meet others who share their interests and make new

friendships. An acting class or a soccer class can be lots of fun. Many of

these programs coach children for performances or matches. Performing on

stage or playing a match can be a great experience for a young child.



After school programs keep your teenager busy. He or she thus has some

amount of protection from destructive habits like drugs and alcohol.

Surveys indicate that children who are kept busy through diverse absorbing

activities are less prone to abuse, depression and burnout. Significant

increase in achievement and attendance and a reduction in drop out rates

are other advantages of a good after school programs.



Most after school programs have children interacting with one or more

adult. This allows them to benefit from positive relationships with

adults. Children often find it difficult to confide in parents and

teachers, but may open up with other adults.



Many children are put into recreational after school programs so that they

reduce weight and remain healthy. A newly emerging trend shows that about

15% children below the age of 16 are obese. Parents who cannot put their

children on a strict diet resort to sports and games to burn fat. With

cases of child diabetes on the increase, this has become a prime focus of

many after school programs.



A good after school program has many benefits. It keeps the child

entertained as well as busy, and thus prevents children from becoming

addicted to TVs and PCs. By giving them ways to burn up their excess energy

and explore their creativity, after school programs help to shape the

overall personality of the child.

After school program - recreational vs. educational

So, your child is beginning to get restless and make you restless. He has got more time than is good for him, and you are now considering after school programs - anything that will keep him busy for a few life-saving hours! Most after school activities can be broadly classified into three - recreational, educational and society-oriented. The last bit usually comes in when your child is already a bit grown up and can voice his own interests.



Educational activities aim at furthering the knowledge of your child. His general awareness, his understanding and his memory are targeted and he is given various techniques that will help him improve one or all of these. Programs such as intensive memory training and speed mathematics are educational after school activities. There are academic programs that will go over your child's homework and class work and help the child gain more in-depth knowledge in the various subjects. Thus academic programs have a definite edge over the fun and games, especially if parents feel that their child has a lot of catching up to do.



Recreational activities include sports and games, fine arts, painting etc. The main thrust here is to have fun. Of course, classes become more competitive as the child climbs up the ladder. Many sport events, competitions, stage performances etc are held to encourage the child.



When we compare the merits of the two kinds of activities, I believe that the recreational programs have more meat. Firstly, children do not enjoy learning unless they themselves feel curious about something. Most academic programs are standardized courses that are not too flexible. They have a general purpose and a well laid out methodology. After a number of hours at school, the child may feel bored. Further study may overwhelm him and make him feel frustrated. Burnout is very much a possibility here.



Recreational programs provide a welcome break from the monotony of learning and studies. The mental challenge and the physical exertion make the child feel a renewed zest and a pleasant sense of fulfillment. Group activity teaches him social skills, discipline and patience. It is a proven fact that children involved in extra curricular activities get better grades than others. Sometimes closing the textbooks and playing a game may be the best way to handle your studies.



Whatever program you choose for your child, regular evaluation is the key to success. You will have to measure the child's progress. If progress is unsatisfactory, shift your child out of the program. The child should also have the freedom to reject an activity if and when he feels bored with it. Generally, programs that combine the educational with the recreational are best suited especially for younger children. This way, children can have fun while they learn.

A home-based after school program

So, your son's school does not offer any extracurricular activities. You

are worried of depriving your child of all that extra knowledge and fun.

What should you do?



After school activities need not be taught in a school-like environment by

professional teachers in a structured and timely manner. There is a lot

YOU can do to support your child's academic, physical and social

development. Do not be too concerned about formal programs, as many of our

children are already over-scheduled.



Obviously, school is top priority for children. They need to go to school,

and finish their homework. They should then do their daily reading or

writing work etc. This may take about 30-60 minutes. In the course of his

daily work, your child may develop certain academic preferences and

interests. In that case, you can try and find a program in a college or a

community center that will help him and encourage him. In the age of the

Internet, information is really not a rarity. Allow him to use the net to

find more information about thing that he likes. Encouraging the child to

do independent research to gain in-depth knowledge is something that no

formal program does.



If you are concerned about the lack of social life, enroll him or her in a

club - a reading club maybe. Visit public libraries or even the theatre,

if your child is interested. It is not necessary for your child to make

friends with children his own age. A parent-child book club is another

interesting option. If you can round up a number of like-minded children

and their parents, you may well start your own after-school program.



When there is no organized group activity, look to your community. Many

children love to get involved in social problems. They get their first

real taste of suffering, charity and community help from such experiences.

Volunteering for clean-up sessions, adult education programs etc could be

a real eye-opener for your child. The lessons thus learnt are invaluable.



If physical activity or the lack of it is your major concern, enroll your

child for some dancing classes. If organized sports are impossible to get,

try to enroll her in a gym. She may find friends there and may take to the

treadmill.



Your child does not necessarily have to be a part of an organized group to

benefit from after-school activities. There are various avenues open in

front of you. Roping in the enthusiasm of your children in daily household

activities like cooking, cleaning etc can also provide them with a

refreshing extracurricular experience. Moreover, it will improve family

Federal Judge Rules NSA’s Phone Metadata Program Likely Unconstitutional

A district court judge has declared the National Security Agency’s bulk collection of telephone metadata likely unconstitutional. While civil liberties groups are hailing the ruling as a victory, Judge Richard Leon has stayed his ruling pending government appeal.

The ruling is a legal setback for the NSA, and its defenders who have maintained that the program is at once legal, and an important tool for protecting national security. In his ruling, Judge Leon casts doubt on both counts.

Regarding its legality, the judge argues that past precedent used to legally support the program is outdated, rendering it obsolete in the face of modern technology and smartphone ubiquity. He also maintains that the government consistently argues that the program is needed for quick searching at a moment’s notice, but fails to back that up with real-world examples.

The summation of his argument is that the metadata program does clash with protections included in the Fourth Amendment.

Edward Snowden, the source of leaked documents that brought the program to the public eye, released a statement following the ruling:

I acted on my belief that the NSA’s mass surveillance programs would not withstand a constitutional challenge, and that the American public deserved a chance to see these issues determined by open courts

The Department of Justice, meanwhile, claims to be “reviewing the court’s decision.”

You can read the full ruling here.

Top Image Credit: Flickr

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