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Hats off to Yobie Benjamin for his great blog post on Windows 7 and the Apple Snow Leopard. As a devoted Apple Computer user, 2007 MacBook running version 10.4.11, I'm in need of an upgrade but was thinking more about just adding a new computer. I have two MacBooks as of this writing.
But my friends in the event planning business have PCs, so I'm called on to help them and while I have been impressed with Microsoft's improvements to the Windows operating system, it wasn't enough to cause me to think of buying a PC.
But the needs of my suddenly growing sim business and vlogging business are such that having a PC's a smart move just to have another test platform. The only bad point is the expense of Windows 7. I may just stick to the emulator systems I've used to date to test website content.
As for the Snow Leopard news, I'll have to try that myself as I've seen a number of Mac users with my computer upgrade to Snow Leopard without incident. But Yobie's upgrade horror story is a cautionary tale.
Thursday, October 22, 2009
Yobie Benjamin on Windows 7 may make me buy a PC for the first time
Steve Phillips girlfriend? Rich Liberman says SF Bay Area has "ESPN sex scandal"
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Forgetting the "City of Oakland's Claudia Herrera fix-the-parking-system issue" for the moment, we turn to the important Internet business matter of "Steve Phillips' girlfriend". That's the ESPN sex scandal I blogged about Wednesday.
Anyway, I just got an email from Rich "Big Vinny" Lieberman of "The Rich Lieberman Report" that made me howl. It's regarding his blog post on the ESPN sex scandal and idea that's sure to send shivers down the spines of Bay Area Media types. This is what he wrote at his blog:
See, the media people do have agents and lawyers to protect them. It's one thing for an affair to go public because a disgruntled ex-boyfriend is caught by the Feds while extorting a famous talk show host, or because a police report against an ex-girlfriend was filed, or because a blogger recorded her personal experience with a current or a former lover complete with emails exchanged, but slinging mud without concrete evidence is dangerous and hurtful to those involved.
Now if you had a video camera...
Forgetting the "City of Oakland's Claudia Herrera fix-the-parking-system issue" for the moment, we turn to the important Internet business matter of "Steve Phillips' girlfriend". That's the ESPN sex scandal I blogged about Wednesday.
Anyway, I just got an email from Rich "Big Vinny" Lieberman of "The Rich Lieberman Report" that made me howl. It's regarding his blog post on the ESPN sex scandal and idea that's sure to send shivers down the spines of Bay Area Media types. This is what he wrote at his blog:
IT FINALLY DAWNED ON ME.All I can say is it's better to be real careful with that stuff, Rich. Anyone can name a name doing a thing, but that doesn't mean it's true at all. And in this case, Richard, someone could send you an email that points in the wrong blogging direction and could wind up in a nasty lawsuit.
The Bay Area media needs a good 'sexscapade story sort of like the ESPN/Steve Phillips story. Think of the possibilities. Hell, just take a look at the NY Post! Can you imagine the PR gold?!
Oh sure, there'd be a temporary hit, but long term, we're talking PR bonanza. And judging from the stories I've heard and frankly know about, there's a bevy of stories out there in our vast 415-408-510 TV/radio media wasteland involving high line station execs, cute, girly, preppy interns and "staff assistants"--so I'm betting all we need is one good, albeit verified story and account.
Like I said, everyone benefits. "Friend with benefits?" Yeah, sure. But even more, lots of PUB and potential appearances on the Ronn Owens program.
Here's what I propose. If you know of a friend, say, an intern that's been banging the company boss at any given outlet, (media only please) send me the info. I'll be discreet, as should you. Be specific. If its you that's doing the banging, then do provide all the juicy details and I'll try to investigate. That's why I'm ME and that's why you be you. We're all in this together, right? The juicier the better.
Fringe benefits? Take a look at that headline above the mast?!! You can't even get that pub if you win a Nobel peace prize!
See, the media people do have agents and lawyers to protect them. It's one thing for an affair to go public because a disgruntled ex-boyfriend is caught by the Feds while extorting a famous talk show host, or because a police report against an ex-girlfriend was filed, or because a blogger recorded her personal experience with a current or a former lover complete with emails exchanged, but slinging mud without concrete evidence is dangerous and hurtful to those involved.
Now if you had a video camera...
Brooke Hundley, Marni Phillips, Steve Phillips form ESPN's sex scandal
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Brooke Hundley, Marni Phillips, and Steve Phillips do form ESPN's sex scandal, but there's more to it than that. It's the story of an abandoned, emotionally needy young woman.
Two weeks ago we had the waning story of David Letterman's affair with his assistant Stephanie Birkitt, and I made the point that this kind of office affair is so common that some of the people complaining about David Letterman may have been involved in one themselves. In fact by one estimate almost one of every two office workers has been involved in some kind of affair or flirtation over the course of their work history.
But unlike David Letterman and Stephanie Birkitt, or even Jimmy Kimmel and Molly McNearey (where the LA Times weighs in with new news involving another employee) this ESPN scandal is a rather ugly one and not just because Steve Phillips is married as of this writing.
Steve Phillips is a former Major League Baseball general manager with the New York Mets who is now a well known, and is in my opinion very effective ESPN baseball analyst (now suspended) and who's married to Marni Phillips, and has four kids, but had an affair last summer with 22-year old ESPN Production Assistant Brooke Hundley.
According to a number of blogs like Zimbio.com, Phillips tried to end the affair, but Hundley wasn't ready for that and what follows is something out of Fatal Attraction." (As far as I'm concerned, as a aside, Steve Phillips should be massively kicked in the ass for treating his wife like that. At least David Letterman wasn't married at the time of the start of his affair.)
Basically, Brooke, a 2008 graduate of Ithaca College according to her Facebook page, went off and so much so that Phillips eventually told the police "I have extreme concerns about the health and safety of my kids and myself," and said that that Brooke was "obsessive and delusional" after he tried to end the affair.
Brooke wrote a letter that I first saw on Zimbio, which means that thanks to the NY Post, which as it turned out posted the letter first, it's made it's way around the Internet. But folks, this letter's a doozy. Brace for impact:
What's most galling about Brooke's letter is that she would tell Marni Phillips that she wants to connect with her, after writing that Marni's basically no good for Steve and she's got "passion and drive to really do something with my life."
The NY Post reports that Marni Phillips got a voicemail from Brooke stating "I care about Steve and make him happy and we both can't have him."
That's nerve to an almost criminal level. It could only be topped by instant messages from "Riotgirl4life" to Steve Phillips' son, who believed it to be Brooke Hundley because according to LaLate.com, the person was asking a lot of personal questions about the family.
The bottom line is Brooke fell in love and frankly the poor thing didn't know what to do when the more experienced Phillips broke off the affair. I write this because somewhere Brooke's mother is crying that her daughter's at the center of this, and wondering what she did wrong in raising her.
My answer is this: nothing. Brooke made a mistake. The whole episode where Marni Phillips complained that Brooke hit a trash can while backing out of the house was simply Brooke being afraid that she was going to get caught while leaving the letter. I don't think from reading all that I have that Brooke Hundley has a yen to hurt anyone. She's reacting to feeling abandoned by Phillips, period.
But I do wish her parents would take her aside and let her know that they love her. Somewhere in all this I have the feeling that's what's missing in Brooke's life.
Brooke Hundley, Marni Phillips, and Steve Phillips do form ESPN's sex scandal, but there's more to it than that. It's the story of an abandoned, emotionally needy young woman.
Steve Phillips and Brooke Hundley
Two weeks ago we had the waning story of David Letterman's affair with his assistant Stephanie Birkitt, and I made the point that this kind of office affair is so common that some of the people complaining about David Letterman may have been involved in one themselves. In fact by one estimate almost one of every two office workers has been involved in some kind of affair or flirtation over the course of their work history.
But unlike David Letterman and Stephanie Birkitt, or even Jimmy Kimmel and Molly McNearey (where the LA Times weighs in with new news involving another employee) this ESPN scandal is a rather ugly one and not just because Steve Phillips is married as of this writing.
Steve Phillips is a former Major League Baseball general manager with the New York Mets who is now a well known, and is in my opinion very effective ESPN baseball analyst (now suspended) and who's married to Marni Phillips, and has four kids, but had an affair last summer with 22-year old ESPN Production Assistant Brooke Hundley.
According to a number of blogs like Zimbio.com, Phillips tried to end the affair, but Hundley wasn't ready for that and what follows is something out of Fatal Attraction." (As far as I'm concerned, as a aside, Steve Phillips should be massively kicked in the ass for treating his wife like that. At least David Letterman wasn't married at the time of the start of his affair.)
Basically, Brooke, a 2008 graduate of Ithaca College according to her Facebook page, went off and so much so that Phillips eventually told the police "I have extreme concerns about the health and safety of my kids and myself," and said that that Brooke was "obsessive and delusional" after he tried to end the affair.
Brooke wrote a letter that I first saw on Zimbio, which means that thanks to the NY Post, which as it turned out posted the letter first, it's made it's way around the Internet. But folks, this letter's a doozy. Brace for impact:
What's most galling about Brooke's letter is that she would tell Marni Phillips that she wants to connect with her, after writing that Marni's basically no good for Steve and she's got "passion and drive to really do something with my life."
The NY Post reports that Marni Phillips got a voicemail from Brooke stating "I care about Steve and make him happy and we both can't have him."
That's nerve to an almost criminal level. It could only be topped by instant messages from "Riotgirl4life" to Steve Phillips' son, who believed it to be Brooke Hundley because according to LaLate.com, the person was asking a lot of personal questions about the family.
The bottom line is Brooke fell in love and frankly the poor thing didn't know what to do when the more experienced Phillips broke off the affair. I write this because somewhere Brooke's mother is crying that her daughter's at the center of this, and wondering what she did wrong in raising her.
My answer is this: nothing. Brooke made a mistake. The whole episode where Marni Phillips complained that Brooke hit a trash can while backing out of the house was simply Brooke being afraid that she was going to get caught while leaving the letter. I don't think from reading all that I have that Brooke Hundley has a yen to hurt anyone. She's reacting to feeling abandoned by Phillips, period.
But I do wish her parents would take her aside and let her know that they love her. Somewhere in all this I have the feeling that's what's missing in Brooke's life.
City of Oakland's Claudia Herrera is the real parking czar who must fix the system
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This week for me in the City of Oakland has been one in hell. First, some housekeeping: for anyone who came to see my experimental Oakland talk show at the Lake Chalet, I'm sorry for not being there Wednesday as I was dealing with this City of Oakland issue far longer than I expected to. I'm going to do it again on Friday at 4 PM.
It's one thing to deal with tickets, but quite another to learn that if you pay the California DMV , the City of Oakland will not honor that payment for Oakland tickets if your car was towed. I also learned that its common for Oaklanders to "double pay" - that is pay the DMV first, but then be arm-twisted into paying the City of Oakland for the same set of tickets already paid for at the DMV!
Got that? And while the City of Oakland says it will pay you back, it takes almost a year to do, when it's done! In other words, you're paying for the City of Oakland's money collection issues with the DMV.
And a lot of Oaklanders have had their cars towed because the city "needs the money" from all the people I talked to at City Hall Wednesday.
The person who caused me to understand this apparent policy (I have my doubts) ia Claudia Herrera, the City of Oakland's parking supervisor, who's over the mess that is the sixth floor Oakland Parking Office at the Oakland City Administration Building at 250 Frank Ogawa Plaza, next to Oakland's City Hall.
Why do I know this? Because yesterday, in explaining why she could not clear the documents that read I paid Oakland tickets at DMV, she gave me a verbal run-around that bent logic and time and space in such a way that by the time I was done talking to her, I was in a near catatonic state.
She assumed I paid all of it to the DMV by cashier's check (some of it) and said "we don't accept cashier's checks. But I paid the DMV not the City of Oakland, and Oakland tickets were part of that payment.
She told me that a cashier's check is like a personal check! I'm serious. That was when I figured that nothing was going to get done. See, they're supposed to help you, not hurt you.
Plus, both Herrera and her assistant at the front counter didn't even look closely at my document to see what was paid until I insisted that they look at it.
I wound up being the last person to leave the office, and even then I didn't get the help I needed and as I sat in a state of shock over what I was going through, Herrera just walked off.
So I asked for her to come back - everyone of the parking patrons was gone by then and there was just staff - but she didn't and some person came out and said suddenly if I didn't leave she was going to call security. At that point, I whipped out my Flip Video Camera.
Oh, I've got that on video to come, so they can't twist the story!
I understand Claudia Herrera didn't create the system, but she can fix it. She's in the best position to do it. This isn't personal - she seems like a very decent person - but it's important because her decisions impact a lot of people in Oakland. And with Oakland's focus on gaining revenue from parking, people like Claudia Herrera should be known to the public.
So my next move is to call the DMV but perhaps take some measure that makes this whole deal go away for me. But I'm on the offensive because the City of Oakland needs to put a stop to this "misery industry" they've created.
Here's how it works:
The City of Oakland makes it hard for you to park your car. Then you get ticket after ticket. Once you get over five tickets, you become a tow target. If they tow your car and you pay DMV the City of Oakland will still hold you up from getting your car back from the tow yard.
Why have you not heard about this before? Because people don't want to talk about their misery from something that leads to the comment "Well you should not have parked there." Everyone knows that, but in Oakland a whole industry has been created from it, with the parking office, the police department, and the tow companies and this "double charging" of tickets already paid for at the DMV.
Parking rates are raised to levels that should be illegal, tickets are written, cars are towed at an alarming rate, and people are harmed by the misery industry.
It must stop. More later.
This week for me in the City of Oakland has been one in hell. First, some housekeeping: for anyone who came to see my experimental Oakland talk show at the Lake Chalet, I'm sorry for not being there Wednesday as I was dealing with this City of Oakland issue far longer than I expected to. I'm going to do it again on Friday at 4 PM.
It's one thing to deal with tickets, but quite another to learn that if you pay the California DMV , the City of Oakland will not honor that payment for Oakland tickets if your car was towed. I also learned that its common for Oaklanders to "double pay" - that is pay the DMV first, but then be arm-twisted into paying the City of Oakland for the same set of tickets already paid for at the DMV!
Got that? And while the City of Oakland says it will pay you back, it takes almost a year to do, when it's done! In other words, you're paying for the City of Oakland's money collection issues with the DMV.
And a lot of Oaklanders have had their cars towed because the city "needs the money" from all the people I talked to at City Hall Wednesday.
The person who caused me to understand this apparent policy (I have my doubts) ia Claudia Herrera, the City of Oakland's parking supervisor, who's over the mess that is the sixth floor Oakland Parking Office at the Oakland City Administration Building at 250 Frank Ogawa Plaza, next to Oakland's City Hall.
Why do I know this? Because yesterday, in explaining why she could not clear the documents that read I paid Oakland tickets at DMV, she gave me a verbal run-around that bent logic and time and space in such a way that by the time I was done talking to her, I was in a near catatonic state.
She assumed I paid all of it to the DMV by cashier's check (some of it) and said "we don't accept cashier's checks. But I paid the DMV not the City of Oakland, and Oakland tickets were part of that payment.
She told me that a cashier's check is like a personal check! I'm serious. That was when I figured that nothing was going to get done. See, they're supposed to help you, not hurt you.
Plus, both Herrera and her assistant at the front counter didn't even look closely at my document to see what was paid until I insisted that they look at it.
I wound up being the last person to leave the office, and even then I didn't get the help I needed and as I sat in a state of shock over what I was going through, Herrera just walked off.
So I asked for her to come back - everyone of the parking patrons was gone by then and there was just staff - but she didn't and some person came out and said suddenly if I didn't leave she was going to call security. At that point, I whipped out my Flip Video Camera.
Oh, I've got that on video to come, so they can't twist the story!
I understand Claudia Herrera didn't create the system, but she can fix it. She's in the best position to do it. This isn't personal - she seems like a very decent person - but it's important because her decisions impact a lot of people in Oakland. And with Oakland's focus on gaining revenue from parking, people like Claudia Herrera should be known to the public.
So my next move is to call the DMV but perhaps take some measure that makes this whole deal go away for me. But I'm on the offensive because the City of Oakland needs to put a stop to this "misery industry" they've created.
Here's how it works:
The City of Oakland makes it hard for you to park your car. Then you get ticket after ticket. Once you get over five tickets, you become a tow target. If they tow your car and you pay DMV the City of Oakland will still hold you up from getting your car back from the tow yard.
Why have you not heard about this before? Because people don't want to talk about their misery from something that leads to the comment "Well you should not have parked there." Everyone knows that, but in Oakland a whole industry has been created from it, with the parking office, the police department, and the tow companies and this "double charging" of tickets already paid for at the DMV.
Parking rates are raised to levels that should be illegal, tickets are written, cars are towed at an alarming rate, and people are harmed by the misery industry.
It must stop. More later.
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
Tom Hayes: Does TV try too hard to present balance?
Dara O'Briain sets the record straight about the public understanding of facts. He talks about crime statistics, science, herbal medicine, and the tendency of TV to try to present a "fair and balanced" coverage - which results in him using some strong language, so you might want to consider where you are as you watch this.
I think Dara is Ireland's slightly more refined, restrained version of Lewis Black. Slightly.
I think Dara is Ireland's slightly more refined, restrained version of Lewis Black. Slightly.
Carrie Prejean Breast Job: K2 Productions wants money back - but which K2 Productions?
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Seems Carrie Prejean can't catch a break. Remember her? The former Miss California who's not-so-smart foray into anti-Gay Marriage activism and overall alleged unprofessionalism cost her the title is now apparently owes $5,200 to K2 Productions for a boob job they paid for.
But who's K2 Productions?
They're a North Carolina film and video production company according to their website, which leads me to wonder if they did this for publicity. If so, I certainly got suckered into this one, huh?
Not really.
I mean there's the Atlanta-based K2 Production company as well. They too are involved in the film business, but they provide "equipment."
Uh, just not boobs.
Turns out the North Carolina company and the Atlanta firm are enjoying some free pub because Miss California USA organizers also use the same company name but with a California adress! I'm laughing as I write this, it's so funny.
It's a classic case of a firm not doing its Internet homework in establishing a unique company name and making sure that its not like any other firm name when a search for K2 Productions is done online.
So North Carolina and Atlanta's K2 Production company can have part of the boob job money, huh?
I think the LA version of the K2 Production firms needs to get its messaging straight. If I were representing Carrie Prejean I'd have a field day with this. I'm sorry but this is too funny not to make fun of.
Keith Lewis, the person who's over K2 Productions in LA and who reportedly paid for the boob job for Carrie Prejean should be smart and recover the money by contracting for Carrie to work for the other K2 Production companies and get whatever percentage of revenue he can secure.
Otherwise the whole deal's just really silly in my view.
Seems Carrie Prejean can't catch a break. Remember her? The former Miss California who's not-so-smart foray into anti-Gay Marriage activism and overall alleged unprofessionalism cost her the title is now apparently owes $5,200 to K2 Productions for a boob job they paid for.
Carrie Prejean
But who's K2 Productions?
They're a North Carolina film and video production company according to their website, which leads me to wonder if they did this for publicity. If so, I certainly got suckered into this one, huh?
Not really.
I mean there's the Atlanta-based K2 Production company as well. They too are involved in the film business, but they provide "equipment."
Uh, just not boobs.
Turns out the North Carolina company and the Atlanta firm are enjoying some free pub because Miss California USA organizers also use the same company name but with a California adress! I'm laughing as I write this, it's so funny.
It's a classic case of a firm not doing its Internet homework in establishing a unique company name and making sure that its not like any other firm name when a search for K2 Productions is done online.
So North Carolina and Atlanta's K2 Production company can have part of the boob job money, huh?
I think the LA version of the K2 Production firms needs to get its messaging straight. If I were representing Carrie Prejean I'd have a field day with this. I'm sorry but this is too funny not to make fun of.
Keith Lewis, the person who's over K2 Productions in LA and who reportedly paid for the boob job for Carrie Prejean should be smart and recover the money by contracting for Carrie to work for the other K2 Production companies and get whatever percentage of revenue he can secure.
Otherwise the whole deal's just really silly in my view.
Kane West not dead; Kanye West not in an accident
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Kanye West is not dead, contrary to some news rumors. This prank has happened before involving other celebrities and here we go again. Twitter's the origin for the latest round of this trick, this time focusing on Kanye West.
According to LaLate.com, this happened to Miley Cyrus and Lil Wayne this year, and now Kanye West.
Some tweets report that he was in a car accident, but the truth is that happened in 2002. He's fine.
Why is West the target? I think the whole Taylor Swift controversy has something to do with it; an incident that even caused President Obama to refer to him as a "jackass":
Kanye West is not dead, contrary to some news rumors. This prank has happened before involving other celebrities and here we go again. Twitter's the origin for the latest round of this trick, this time focusing on Kanye West.
According to LaLate.com, this happened to Miley Cyrus and Lil Wayne this year, and now Kanye West.
Some tweets report that he was in a car accident, but the truth is that happened in 2002. He's fine.
Why is West the target? I think the whole Taylor Swift controversy has something to do with it; an incident that even caused President Obama to refer to him as a "jackass":
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