Pied Type
Business
Try this on for size
We’ve heard a lot of discussion in recent weeks about copyright and trademark law on the Internet, but I’m not going there again, at least not this time. No, this is about a different trademark infringement issue which you might or might not have heard about. Shoes. Or rather, their soles. Specifically, red soles. At … Continue reading
Another Comcast complaint
They say you get what you pay for. So when Comcast gives you something for free — say, a router for your wireless network — you probably shouldn’t expect much from it. In my case, the router in question lasted not quite six months. It failed a few days ago, which is why I’ve been … Continue reading
FTC slaps Facebook
The Federal Trade Commission has finally taken Facebook to task. Now, because of previous violations of its users’ privacy, the social network’s privacy policies will be subject to scrutiny by third-party auditors every two years for the next 20 years. And from now on Facebook must obtain approval from its users before making any changes … Continue reading
Targeting Thanksgiving
Change.org. Ever heard of it? It’s a website where anyone can start a petition about anything. I was drawn there looking for the petition that a Target employee started to protest employees having to report to work on Thanksgiving instead of enjoying the day with their families. Despite some really nasty comments here and there … Continue reading
OWS: Focus or fail
Yesterday was declared “Bank Transfer Day” by the Occupy Wall Street folks. Everyone was supposed to move their money from the giant, greedy national banks to small, local banks and credit unions. Great idea, but not particularly original. Arianna Huffington, back in 2009, helped launch the Move Your Money campaign, and I wrote about it … Continue reading
Perhaps airline passengers are too compliant
I wish I could say I was surprised to hear that once again, airline passengers have been stranded and basically held prisoner inside a grounded plane for eight hours. But I can’t. Thanks to the big snowstorm that blasted the Northeast U.S. yesterday, some JetBlue passengers had to endure such treatment. Never mind that previous … Continue reading
You can petition against that BofA debit card fee
Interested in telling Bank of America what they can do with their $5 debit card charge? One woman, 22-year-old Molly Katchpole, has started a petition that you can sign here. She has gathered more than 220,000 signatures and a phone call from Andrew Plepler, Bank of America’s social responsibility and consumer policy executive (don’t you … Continue reading
Insperity?
INSPERITY — Now there’s a “coined” corporate name I could do without. Inspire + prosperity? Doesn’t work for me.
MDA telethon airs without Jerry Lewis
Apparently a lot of people are aghast that Jerry Lewis wasn’t hosting this year’s Muscular Dystrophy Labor Day telethon. There are claims Lewis was forced out suddenly because of something he said recently and speculation that he was hesitant or evasive in explaining his departure. Conspiracy theories abound. People are outraged. I don’t get it. … Continue reading
Corporations aren’t ‘obligated’ to build in US
My background noise this morning was Candy Crowley’s State of the Union. Her guest was James P. Hoffa, president of the Teamsters Union. I wasn’t paying much attention until I heard Hoffa say: “Look at Honda. They’re building a new plant in Mexico. Don’t they have an obligation to build here?… “… Apple. Don’t they … Continue reading
About that S&P downgrade
Standard & Poor’s did it Friday. The U.S.-based financial services agency downgraded the U.S. credit rating from AAA to AA+. For the first time in history. And surprise, surprise — the Democrats are blaming the Republicans for causing it and the Republicans are blaming the Democrats. In the headlines. In the news. In the interviews. … Continue reading
I’ve never been good with economics
I’ve never particularly cared for numbers and economics, certainly not when they rise to national or international levels. It’s enough for me to know that “things” in general look good, bad, awful, etc. If I can pay my bills and have a general idea of where my checks are coming from, that’s enough for me. … Continue reading
Microsoft needs geography lesson
Microsoft is making big plans to challenge Apple’s burgeoning number of retail outlets across the country. To announce the company’s plans, COO Kevin Turner presented a slide show at the recent Microsoft Worldwide Partner Conference. Personally, I think if Microsoft expects to mount any kind of creditable challenge, they’d better bone up on their geography. Note … Continue reading
Giving new meaning to ‘mixed drinks’
A few days ago, USA Today ran a story about fast food restaurants serving alcoholic beverages. I think it’s a really bad idea and was disappointed to read that some of my favorite chains — Burger King, Sonic, and Pizza Hut — are already doing so in Florida. Fast food is fast — eat and … Continue reading
The giraffe is back
DirecTV’s silly Russian guy is back with another ad. He has added a weightlifter to his entourage of beautiful women. Also back and busily upstaging him is his mini giraffe. No longer a lazy, pampered pet, the giraffe is now working out on a treadmill, inspired by a screen full of free-running wild giraffes. At … Continue reading
Lieberman’s moratorium should be on earthquakes, not power plants
Sen. Joe Lieberman (I-CT) wants a moratorium on the construction of nuclear power plants in the U.S. It was only a matter of time until someone in this country freaked out over events in Japan, and the Senator stepped up. On “Face the Nation” this morning, he opined: “… I don’t want to stop the … Continue reading
It’s time to bust the unions
I have great respect for teachers. I really do. Especially those grade school and high school teachers who, in addition to teaching, have to act as baby sitters and disciplinarians for disinterested students who would rather be someplace else. That said, I think Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker should fire the state’s teachers and bust their … Continue reading
Will Wikileaks be the death of big business?
“Why Wikileaks will be the death of big business and big government” is the thought-provoking title of an opinion piece by Noam Scheiber over at The New Republic. Although at first blush this sounds like a baseless and somewhat hysterical conclusion about the power of Wikileaks, Scheiber presents a creditable case for his position. Simply … Continue reading
Surprise, the oil isn’t gone
Remember that little “oops” of an oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico over the summer? That wee little incident that BP and the U.S. government kept insisting wasn’t as bad as we all knew it was? The one they assured us was all better now? Of course we didn’t believe the whole mess was … Continue reading
Wiretapping, Obama-style
Two days ago this story appeared on the New York Times website: U.S. Tries to Make It Easier to Wiretap the Internet Shades of George Bush and his warrantless wiretaps. Only this time it’s the Obama administration wanting easier access to Americans’ Internet activities. Law enforcement and national security officials want to be able to … Continue reading
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