Monday 8/30/10

Human Interest News — Posted on August 30, 2010

Numbers racket
It’s probably true that more people know Todd Davis’ Social Security Number than any other person’s in America. That’s because for years Davis’ company, LifeLock, published his number on billboards and advertisements across the country as a way to prove their identity theft prevention services were ironclad. But as details emerged from a complaint to the Federal Trade Commission launched by 35 states, it seems LifeLock CEO Todd Davis’ digits weren’t so safe. The complaint revealed Davis’ identity had been compromised or stolen no fewer than 13 times. And despite the company’s claims that its customers would never have their identities stolen, hundreds of customers fell victim to ID theft. The Arizona company agreed to pay $12 million to settle the case of deceptive advertising.

Scorching
The decision by NBA stars LeBron James and Chris Bosh to join Dwyane Wade in Miami and play for the Heat was great for the team’s ticket sales-but not so great for the team’s ticket sellers. With all of the Heat’s season tickets already bought up for the 2010-2011 season, the team opted to lay off its entire season ticket sales staff. “They let us go because there was really nothing left to do anymore,” one of 30 fired staffers told the Miami Herald.

Fair treatment?
Police in LaPorte County, Ind., were not amused when county fair officials threw up a petty roadblock: The county police department dispatched an officer to the fair to take a man wanted on a felony warrant into custody. But when the officer arrived, staff refused to let him into the fairgrounds without a $5 ticket. Annoyed, the officer paid the gate attendant and waited for a receipt for reimbursement. When the fair employee was slow in getting the receipt, the officer went into the fair anyway and apprehended the suspect.

Saying thanks
No one will be chastising 10-year-old Stephen Goodman for not having a productive summer. The Surprise, Ariz., elementary-school student has spent his entire summer vacation working with his grandfather to make a personalized thank-you card for each U.S. military member serving overseas-all 180,000 or so of them. Stephen told reporters in the Phoenix suburb that it’s his personal mission to make sure each American fighting man and woman gets a card. “I’m just doing it to make them feel good. Because it’s not like anyone ever thanks them . . . maybe a couple people do . . . so I just wanted to change that and make it one person higher,” Stephen told KSAX in Phoenix. The boy uses colored construction paper, ribbons, and markers to make his handwritten cards, which contain messages like “You’re giving us freedom.” Thankfully, Stephen isn’t alone in his task. His grandfather, a Vietnam veteran who understands the power of a personalized card, is helping him with paper cutting and ribbon tying.

No place to park
After spending close to $200,000 in legal fees in a drama that lasted for more than two years, A.J. Vizzi of Odessa, Fla., has finally won the right to park his vehicle on his driveway. The problems began for Vizzi more than two years ago when Eagles Master Association, his HOA, informed him he could not park his Ford F-350 Super Duty pickup truck in his driveway anymore. That was news to Vizzi, who had already received permission from his smaller community association. To enforce the rule, Eagles Master Association sued Vizzi, forcing the Odessa resident to fork over a small fortune to defend himself. But in late July, a judge settled the case, siding with Vizzi and charging the man’s $187,000 in legal fees to the homeowners association.