DEMOCRATIC PARTY ALERT / MESSAGE FROM CARE2 -- Urge Congress To Enact Strong Identity Theft Protection!

As identity theft scandals mount, it seems as if it's only a matter of time before virtually everyone will fall victim to this insidious form of fraud. That's not as far-fetched as it sounds. The Federal Trade Commission estimates that 9.9 million Americans are victimized by identity theft every year. That's 19 new ID theft victims every minute! Nearly every week we hear about new security breaches at companies like ChoicePoint, Lexis-Nexis, Bank of America and numerous universities, which have put millions of Americans' personal information at risk. Fortunately, Congress is finally recognizing the urgency of this issue. Pending legislation would require tighter security for information brokers, mandate that companies notify you when your personal data is compromised, and limit the use of Social Security numbers that puts your identity at risk. Urge your Congressional Representatives to enact strong identity theft protection legislation ... http://www.care2.com/go/z/23977

ENJOYING LIFE AT THE SHARPE END
FANS of a hit Sean Bean TV series have been treated to a weekend [May 14th & 15th] of swashbuckling action. The Firepower Royal Artillery Museum in Woolwich Arsenal [England] hosted the event devoted to SHARPE, the 1990s' ITV action series set during the Napoleonic Wars. The Sharpe Appreciation Society weekend gave fans the chance to dress up as their favourite characters and watch the reconstruction of scenes from the show. There was also a chance to meet Bernard Cornwell, who writes the original Sharpe books. Plus Jason Salkey, who starred in the TV adaptation as Harris, and Michael Meirs, who also starred in the adaptation as Cooper. Firepower Education Officer Bob Lindridge said: "The weekend proved just how popular the Sharpe novels and the TV series are."

ANNOUNCEMENT ... Seattle rock group, Pearl Jam, will be opening for the Rolling Stones on September 28th in Pittsburgh at PNC Park. This is not a first for the band, as they opened for the Stones four times in Oakland in 1997. [Tickets for this show go on sale Saturday, May 21st, in the AM.]