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Google look alike site Goojjle launches in China

February 8th, 2010

China once is again showing why patents and copyrights are meaningless, and why companies who hold such intellectual property cannot trust the Chinese government. A Google look-alike site called Goojjle has launched in China, yes, China allows a fake Google.

Goojjle a Chinese Google Look Alike

Google has had a well-publicized spat with the Chinese government regarding its alleged hacking of gmail accounts, and threatened to leave the country. This bodes well for Baidu, the Chinese-run search engine, and the rip-off artists who take others’ ideas and copy them for their own profit, without risk of backlash from the lawless Chinese government.

A similar site in a country with enforceable laws would have been taken down almost immediately, with cease and desist letters sent within minutes of Google’s legal department becoming aware of the site.

It is pretty clear that China’s government is no friend of the United States legal system, and has no interest in enforcing laws within its borders so long as it can benefit monetarily. Our government seems to turn the blind eye when it comes to foreign relations with China, not wanting to upset them for fear of something, of which I am not certain.

While I am a huge proponent of using their limitless labor pool which helps us monetize the Chinese market from sales of McDonalds, Coke and eBay, any company that decides to use this labor to build a patented product should do so at their own risk.

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Tags: baidu, china, copyright laws, fake google, google, goojjle, patents
Posted in Business, Politics, The Economy | No Comments »

Dummies Guide to Scamming the United States Government for Immigrants and Foreigners

January 28th, 2010

With all the scams being run on the U.S. government, I am surprised there is not a Dummies Guide to Scamming for U.S. Government for foreigners, and immigrants, legal or otherwise.

If you are born in this country, and middle-class, you are out of luck for most everything – even with the Barack Obama for Middle Class crock pot speech last night. Double down on the child care credit, wow, thanks.

Mr. President, $85,000 in Butte, Montana or Lufkin, Texas is decent money, and clearly middle-class. $85,000 in San Francisco, New York, Chicago, or most large metropolitan areas doesn’t allow you to afford child care. The typical pre-school in San Jose runs between $900 and $1250 per month per child. Of course, I can find some un-licensed home where I can drop the kids, so they can have their mind numbed from 10 consecutive hours of TV, interrupted by a bowl of macaroni and cheese for half that price, but I digress.

Dummies Guide to Scamming the United States Government for Immigrants and Foreigners:

Chapter 1: Secure a tourist visa into the United States and travel with your not-yet visibly pregnant wife. Develop “complications” so she (and you) can stay over for the birth of newly-minted American citizen.

Chapter 2: Foreign countries can populate American universities with graduate engineering students. A large percentage will secure jobs with American technology companies after receiving their degrees, on the path to a Green Card, at which time they can begin sponsoring family members.

Upon garnering citizenship, they are able to work for government agencies and labs. Can we play connect the dots?

Currently, the CIO of the United States of America, Vivek Kundra, the person who heads technology for the country was not born on our soil.

CIO Vivek Kundra Was Not Born in America

Chapter 3: Make your way to Mexico from wherever you are, sneak into the country and wait for Democrats to offer amnesty. It’s faster than applying the old-fashioned way for a visa.

Feel free to chime in with ideas for Chapter 4, 5 and 6.

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Tags: barack obama, cio of the united states, dummies guide, middle class child care tax credit, scamming the government, vivek kundra
Posted in Business, Community, Political Satire | No Comments »

Chinese Search Engine Baidu Sues Register.com

January 25th, 2010

There is some real irony here as Chinese search engine, Baidu, is suing Register.com, it’s U.S. based web hosting company for allowing hackers to penetrate their servers and take down their site.

Baidu tops Google in the Chinese search market with a 60-percent market share, and after service was reinstated, they posted the following on their homepage: “The fault of register.com led to the malicious and unlawful altering of the domain name of Baidu, which made thousands of people unable to visit baidu.com and brought serious losses to Baidu.”

The hackers re-directed Baidu traffic to a page that read, “This site has been hacked by Iranian Cyber Army.” These are the same folks who have allegedly hijacked several other well-known sites in the last few months.

A company headquartered in a country with little litigation and nominal copyright protection, that is also believed to be behind many high-profile cyber attacks themselves, can sue an American company for negligence. That is funny, but not in the ha-ha fashion.

I realize this is our system, a system that offers outsiders all the protections of citizens, but that same system can also be our downfall when we offer these rights to those who can abuse them for the benefit of their government. Certainly if the tables were turned, a US-based company would have little or no recourse suing a Chinese company on Chinese soil, just ask Bill Gates and Microsoft.

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Tags: baidu, bill gates, china, copyright protection, google, iranian cyber army, lawsuit, litigation, microsoft, register.com
Posted in Business, Politics | No Comments »

Welcome to The People’s Republic of Berkeley

January 22nd, 2010

Why are some really smart and intelligent people Democrats? It’s a really good question to ponder, and most of these Democrats cannot really tell you why, other than “because.”

I had lunch with a friend recently who is a registered Democrat, and a graduate of U.C. Berkeley, arguably the finest public university in the United States. This person graduated with a degree in Economics, and a grade point average north of 3.5. If we add up the thousands of hours of studying in high school to keep an A-average that is required to gain admittance to Berkeley, unless you are a star athlete or an “under-represented” minority, and the additional thousands of hours to achieve the high class-standing, it is staggering. The level of sheer commitment and dedication is not only admirable it is commendable.

In review: UC Berkeley graduate who studied for thousands of hours over an eight-year period to find a great job, earn a healthy salary, drive a nice car and live in a clean, safe neighborhood is a Democrat. Q: Why? A: Because.

When asked if he felt that it would be correct to have some of his wealth re-distributed to level the playing field of life, there was a prolonged silence.

He asked for clarification, so I said, “I’m sure you know some people from high school that decided to hang out instead of study like you did, who made some dumb life choices and are now janitors, un(der)-employed or out on parole, right?”

He said, “Yeah, so, we all do…what’s the point?”

“Well, they made a choice to hang out on the corner, not study or skip going to class, while you were busting your ass to get in to Berkeley, right”

He said, “Yeah, so…the point?”

“Well, your president, the guy you voted for would like you to help them out, and not just with a hand, but a hand out…and not just once or twice, but basically forever,” I said.

“Essentially, what I am asking is this: Do you believe you should be rewarded for all your hard work, or should you be penalized for succeeding?”

“Rewarded, of course,” he said. “Why the hell should I be penalized for doing the right thing?” he asked.

My point exactly!

Why can’t more democrats and self-professed Obama lovers read between the lines and see reality? Tax investments, money that was already taxed the first time? Over tax and target the very people who start the companies that hire our citizens? This defies all logic!

Should I, he, you, or anyone who does the right thing have to support others until the day they die simply because they are too lazy to look for a job or study for a class? I am not speaking of down-on-their-luck, disabled, handicapped, mentally or physically challenged folks here, but rather those who made bad choices and make no effort to remedy the situation. Government assistance, unemployment benefits and food stamps all have a place in our society to help people and families get back on their feet, not to become a way of life.

In San Francisco, for example, the Community College, City College of San Francisco has campuses all over town which are accessible by bus. They hold day classes, night classes, weekend classes…classes during the summer, spring and fall, and even winter session. If you cannot afford the tuition there are waivers and grants; if you need child care that is also offered at no cost. Pretty sweet deal.

The People’s Republic of Berkeley

Berkeley is a unique place, where freedom of speech means that your speech better be in alignment with their opinions, or you will be shot down (figuratively), assaulted (physically) and censored. I can understand how peer pressure can turn influential 17 year-old freshmen into Kool-Aid drinking liberals, the same way a particular dictator spread goose-stepping throughout a region.

Yes, Berkeley is a place where wearing a “Proud to be a Republican” t-shirt may lead to a physical assault by those who believe in freedom of speech…Welcome to The People’s Republic of Berkeley.

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Tags: city college of san francisco, democrats, freedom of speech, obama lovers, people's republic of berkeley, uc berkeley
Posted in Business, Community, Political Satire, Politics, The Economy | No Comments »

1-800-Flowers Class Action Lawsuit Is A Joke

January 12th, 2010

Not a month goes by without my mailbox or email box receiving a notice that I am part of class-action lawsuit or settlement. Some of them are downright ridiculous, asking for information from a decade ago that was discarded or is now lost. And some are like this that was received yesterday from-1-800-Flowers.

I, like many people buy flowers for family or friends and have them delivered in far-away places from companies like FTD.com or the company mentioned above. Apparently they overcharged people, and someone decided to get their 15-minutes of fame and sued, making a lawyer a boatload of cash.

They sued and “we” won, getting a voucher for a future purchase. Here is what really irks me, the “settlement” calls for the company to issue a “voucher” on a purchase – but that purchase cannot be in the days leading up to Valentine’s Day or Mother’s Day. Some deal. Let’s also not forget that they are still getting a sale! This settlement is essentially an advertisement for the company and we get a coupon with limitations.

Here is the email they sent me:

Dear 1-800-Flowers.com Customer:

Because you purchased products between March 1, 2006 and February 5, 2008 from the www.1-800-Flowers.com website, when a “shipping charge” was noted on the website and the products were delivered by a local florist, you are a Class Member. Under a proposed class action settlement, upon final Court approval, you are entitled to a Gift Voucher of $10 for each order that you placed at www.1-800-Flowers.com between March 1, 2006 and February 5, 2008. Simply visit www.1-800-Flowers.com, choose any bouquet, gift basket or other product, and then enter your Gift Code Number at time of check out. Your Gift Code Number or Numbers are NJGZIY.

Each Gift Voucher is valid for a single Internet order during the six month period following final Court approval (the “Redemption Period”) and is not valid for redemption or delivery of products during the one-week period (7 days) prior to Valentine’s Day and Mother’s Day. Complete details, along with dates of the Redemption Period, can be found at www.molnarsettlement.com. Please check the www.molnarsettlement.com website after March 29, 2010 to determine whether and when Final Approval has been granted and the exact dates of the Redemption Period.

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Tags: 1-800-flowers lawsuit, class action, ftd, settlement, voucher
Posted in Business, Things That Irritate Me | 1 Comment »

Spam Costs Us Billions Each Year

January 11th, 2010

This is not a political issue though it could (should) be, as it wastes a monumental amount of our time, and costs us money, lots of money. I am not speaking of government pensions, lazy DMV workers or pothole crews that stand around drinking coffee instead of filling potholes. No, I am talking about SPAM. Spam cost Americans roughly $42 Billion in 2009 in lost productivity.

It’s not the pork shoulder and ham concoction that comes is in a blue can from Hormel, is a favorite in the Hawaiian Islands and contains more salt than a lake in Utah. No, it’s the irritating emails we all get each and every day trying to sell us something, try something at no cost, or help us get rich, really quick.

A can of Hormel Spam

Spammers are not content trying to get me to buy surplus land in Arkansas or get a free sample of paper towels. Nope, now since I am officially a blogger, they now spam my Comments section each and every day trying valiantly to get a cherished link from The Logical Republican!

Today I log in to check my emails (fortunately all comments must be approved before they appear), and what do I see: 19 Comments Awaiting Approval. Nine of them are in Russian characters, which I cannot read, so they get deleted right away. Another five are listing where you can get Viagra and Cialis online without a prescription. Then here are the funny ones – they write a semi-appropriate comment that somewhat addresses the blog topic, but, when I look closely, they have embedded a link to some company’s website trying to get a stealth link. Tricky, those Spammers.

Comments are a very valuable part of any blog, as it gives the readers a voice in what I write, and allows me to see things from another angle. The Spam is irritating, and other than filters that often do not work, there isn’t much we or I can do about this other than grin and have another slice. I like my Spam with steamed rice, a sunny-side-up egg and a dash of soy sauce!

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Tags: hormel, spam, spammers, wasted productivity
Posted in Business, The Economy, Things That Irritate Me | No Comments »

Chinese Government Blocks Yahoo Meme and Social Network Sites

January 8th, 2010

Let’s expand to China…let’s invest in China…China is the fastest growing economy…China this and China that. The Chinese government has been savvy enough to control the better portion of their 1.3 billion citizens and silence the ones who have gotten in the way.

Supposedly if you are on Chinese soil and search Google for “Tiananmen Square” you will not receive any results that mention a student revolt, death, demonstrations, worldwide outrage – nothing like that. This link to the Huffington Post illustrates the point succinctly – China censors Google. Of course, Google allows this to happen, but that is not the point of this article.

Tiananmen Square Student Tank Protest

Chinese ability to muzzle their citizens is masterful, bordering on amazing. Yahoo has a microblogging site called Meme, that is now available in Chinese, but the world’s largest audience of Chinese speakers and readers cannot access this site because the Chinese government has blocked access on the mainland. Yes, Yahoo’s Meme in Chinese is not available in China.

Facebook, Twitter and many other blogging and social networks have been blocked at times or are currently blocked to Chinese Internet users. Some members of the government believe that increased online access can lead to social instability and unrest and have requested that websites “monitor” content.

If faced with these restrictions in the USA, there would be a revolt of citizenry, as we are accustomed to and granted certain freedoms, whereas the Chinese are just now able to own personal property, wear (fake) Nike shoes and watch (bootlegged) Hollywood movies. My question is, are we as Americans better off with China becoming more open and democratic or with their government running the show?

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Tags: bootleg, censorship, china, facebook, google, meme, tianenman square, twitter, yahoo
Posted in Politics | No Comments »

Free Pocket Constitution and Declaration of Independence

January 5th, 2010

Sometimes we wake up and read the newspaper headlines and truly wonder if we are still living in America. I drive down the street in Cupertino and all I see is Chinese writing on company signs, or read the headlines that Congress is leaning toward some form of amnesty for illegal aliens.

To help keep us centered, The Heritage Foundation is offering a free pocket-sized Declaration of Independence and Constitution for simply filling out a form. No strings attached or donations required, though I am sure they would be welcomed.

Let’s keep America strong – learn our history and study the writings of our Founding Fathers.

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Tags: keep america strong, the heritage foundation
Posted in Community, Politics | No Comments »

English As A Second Language in Corporate America

December 31st, 2009

First off, I want to wish everyone a Happy New Year, and that 2010 is everything 2009 was and 500% better! I am looking toward the new year and new decade as a new beginning where abundance will be filling my lifestyle rather than a semi-cloudy day. I am a firm believer in what Tony Robbins said in one of his programs, “Every day above ground is a great day!”

Tony Robbins in Shallow Hal

Now onto today’s subject. My day job is working for a Silicon Valley technology company, and because of the potential rewards, we attract the world’s best and brightest. That said, this was the out-of-office notice for someone I deal with:

Dear Sender ,
I will be out off corporate office on this afternoon. Pleae feel free call my cell phone at +1 408-xxx-xxxx or send me email. For immediatly assistant, please contact Yijen at X 6323 or James at +1 408 …….. I will return to office on…
Thanks for your email & You have a nice day!

Now, this person is originally from Taiwan, but was educated here and works for an American company. I don’t think I am being overly harsh by thinking twice if I want to do business with a company that presents itself without spell-checked email and in broken English. Not everyone speaks perfect English, obviously, so please tell me if I am off-base here in wondering if their email messages are this sloppy, maybe something else is not as clean either?

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Tags: broken english, esl, happy new year 2010, silicon valley, spell check, tony robbins
Posted in Business, Community, Race and Ethnicity | No Comments »

High School Student Suspended for Dressing as Santa Claus

December 25th, 2009

Let me begin by wishing everyone a Merry Christmas, and now for the Scrooge and Grinch of the Season award.

A kid, Michael Hance at Strath Haven High School in Wallingford, Pennsylvania, just outside Philadelphia, told his principal that he was going to wear a Santa suit to school and hand out candy. She said no, but he did it anyway. They grabbed him and suspended him for defying her.

Strath Haven High School Prinipal MaryJo Yannacone Contact Information

The Strath Haven High School principal’s name is MaryJo Yannacone and her email is myannacone@wssd.org

Outside of this being ridiculous, absurd and downright dumb, let me know if you are in agreement that we should drop MaryJo Yannacone a note and let her know just how we feel, and if you happen to have one of those 11 year-old fruitcakes from Aunt Louise, here is her address:

Strath Haven High School

MaryJo Yannacone

205 S. Providence Road

Wallingford, PA 19086.

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Tags: maryjo yannacone, michael hance, principal, santa claus, strath haven high school, suspended, wallingford pa
Posted in Community, Political Satire, Things That Irritate Me | No Comments »

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Dummies Guide to Scamming the United States Government for Immigrants and Foreigners:

The People’s Republic of Berkeley

Strath Haven High School Prinipal MaryJo Yannacone Contact Information