Lick The Jack Boots: Reports and stories of outrageous control policy

[Brocke]

Bank uses 'heavy-handed' tactics to fix ATM bungle

By David Mark

Updated 1 hour 23 minutes ago

On March 1 around 40 Commonwealth Bank ATMs in Sydney and Melbourne went offline.

Customers were able to withdraw large amounts of money, and in some cases overdraw their accounts.

Now the Commonwealth Bank is seeking to recover "deliberately accessed funds" from customers.

Some customers on welfare who withdrew money have had their accounts closed or frozen without notice.

The ABC's AM program has seen a letter written by the bank 10 days ago to a welfare recipient, threatening court action unless a debt of more than $700 is paid by today.

In part it reads: "You are required to repay the overdrawn funds by Friday 15th April, 2011. Failure to do so will result in further action by Commonwealth Bank to recover the debt which could include court action. The bank will also report suspected fraudulent activity to law enforcement authorities."

The bank says it is just trying to recover money that was fraudulently withdrawn.

Kat Lane is the principal solicitor for the NSW Consumer Credit Legal Centre and the lawyer for the Commonwealth Bank customer who received the letter.

She has accused the bank of having no commitment to people in financial hardship.

read more: http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2011/04/15/3192227.htm?section=justin

[Brocke]

South Korea bans youngsters from playing online games after midnight

    * From: NewsCore
    * April 30, 2011 11:39PM

YOUNG South Koreans will be banned from playing online video games later than midnight after lawmakers passed a new curfew law.

Yonhap news agency reported the new law - which bans anyone under 16 from playing online into the early hours - was passed by lawmakers worried about growing levels of addiction to gaming among youngsters.

http://www.news.com.au/technology/gaming/south-korea-bans-youngsters-from-playing-online-games-after-midnight/story-e6frfrt9-1226047652627

[Brocke]

$50 'disaster cap' would stop panic buying, says Flegg

    Andrew Macdonald
    From: The Courier-Mail
    May 05, 2011 1:10PM


Panic buying

Bruce Flegg has proposed a $50 spending cap during disasters to prevent panic buying. Source: The Daily Telegraph

STATE MP for Moggill Bruce Flegg has told the flood inquiry he believed a $50 cap on fuel and food purchases during disasters help prevent panic buying.

However, the inquiry has also been told any such plan would have to gain the support of local police to ensure such a scheme ran smoothly.

Under cross examination this morning Dr Flegg said the $50 cap could help avoid a repeat of situations where police were forced to shut down a Kenmore shopping centre due to panic buying in the lead up to the disaster.

The state MP said he believed the cap was enough to "get most cars back on the road" or buy a "basket" of essential food items at the same time as ensuring limited resources were distributed equally throughout the community.

Dr Flegg pointed to a situation during the floods where a Karana Downs service station capped fuel purchases at $10 but added the scheme worked because of a strong local police presence.

read more: http://www.couriermail.com.au/news/queensland/flood-inquiry-to-reexamine-triple-0-calls/story-e6freoof-1226050359309

[Brocke]

Pooch patrol: city adopts one-dog policy

    From correspondents in Shanghai
    From: AFP
    May 16, 2011 4:41PM


Boom in popularity of dogs as pets
But officials crack down on owners
Expect many to now abandon their dogs

SHANGHAI dog owners have rushed to license their pets over the weekend as the city imposed a new one-dog policy in response to the growing popularity of man's best friend.

Hundreds of citizens microchipped and vaccinated their pets as a new law took effect limiting households to a single canine in an effort to curb rampant barking, unscooped waste and the growing risk of dog attacks, according to state media.

To encourage more pet owners to license their dogs, the government of the commercial metropolis slashed the cost of the permits in the city centre to 500 yuan ($73) from the previous 2,000 yuan, the Shanghai Daily said.

Read more: http://www.news.com.au/world/chinese-city-adopts-one-dog-policy/story-e6frfkyi-1226056921279#ixzz1MVZWb4ty