Saturday, August 28, 2010
Paul Allen Sues Google by Suzannah B. Troy
A firm owned by Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen has filed a lawsuit against Google, Apple, Facebook, and other companies alleging that they have violated patents related to search, multimedia, screen pop-ups and database management. Billionaire Paul Allen of Microsoft fame is suing Google among others as reported by IDG, Washington Bureau in an article by Grant Gross.
Gross reported, these, "...companies named in the lawsuit are Aol, Apple, eBay, Facebook, Google, Netflix, Office Depot, OfficeMax, Staples, Yahoo and YouTube."
An unnamed Google representative states this:
"This lawsuit against some of America's most innovative companies reflects an unfortunate trend of people trying to compete in the courtroom instead of the marketplace. Innovation -- not litigation -- is the way to bring to market the kinds of products and services that benefit millions of people around the world," a Google representative said."
My Suzannah B. Troy thoughts on this is how many plebeians dream of doing what Paul Allen is doing? I have to laugh out loud. It is not just that Paul Allen co-founded Microsoft by that he has the chutzpah or should I say moxie to take companies that us plebs dream of taking on.
Good luck Paul Allen and I look forward to how this story ends because Paul Allen isn't the kind guy use to losing.
The 99er video has been released
The 99er video has been released and it is excellent. This emotional 2 minutes, 15 seconds on YouTube really speaks to the 99er plight, desperation and frustration with Washington indifference. See America's 99'ers: The Forgotten video below.
The 99er Nation is hopeful their video can go viral, that way it will be covered on all the big TV media outlets in America. The video showcases one of thousands of suicides that have occurred since the beginning of America's tragic recession, including the note one man left for his children.
America's 99'ers: The Forgotten was professionally created at a production company in Atlanta. The 99er community were asked to send in their pictures and this story really hits home. There was not room in the video to show the hundreds of pictures which were sent in to the studio, but the photos put a human face on the statistics and untenable situation of long term unemployment in America today.
The 99er movement in America is dedicated to lobbying Washington for jobs and until those jobs are available, the UI benefits needed to survive. All of the sudden, Congress has forgotten that the 11 million job loss fiasco over the past 3 years was caused by Wall Street and not America's Jobless victims. Washington bailed out Wall Street because the bankers line the pockets of Congress with campaign contributions and lobbying graft, but the unemployed have no such money to bribe Congress to get the help they desperately need.
If the lawmakers on Capitol Hill were more interested in helping the economy and not building their own wealth/campaign war chests it would behoove them to remember that the most immediate and stimulative thing to do is to extend UI benefits to all the longest term unemployed. For every $1 in UI benefits spent by Congress, over $1.90 is put back into the economy immediately. (this according to NELP and the Congressional Budget Office)
With the release of the 99er video comes the hope that Americans and politicians alike will see first hand the suffering of their brethren and do something before yet another 99er takes their life, goes homeless or God forbid turns to crime in order to feed their family.
If the video does not work try this link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zSVkgXoijwI&feature=player_embedded
UC Berkeley Letter To Students On California By Prof Michael O'Hare
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| Berkeley Prof. Michael O'Hare |
Jerry Brown was Governor of California when Prop 13 (also called AB 8), the legislation reducing property taxes to 1 percent, was passed in 1978. Prop 13 us widely pointed to as the legislative device that robbed California of the tax revenue is used to provide the public services it was known for.
Meg Whitman never voted or bothered to register to vote, or participated in California Government and politics, but now thinks she can run the state. The idea of running for governor somehow entered her head 26 months ago.
Who Is Michael O'Hare?
Michael O'Hare is Professor of Public Policy At The UC Berkeley Goldman School Of Public Policy, where he's chair of that schools undergraduate minor program. He also maintains a blog at Samefacts.com.
This blogger saw the "UC Berkeley Letter" in a group email from the Oakland, California-based Welstone Democratic Club's Yahoo Group, and it was taken his blog entry at Samefacts.com.
August 23rd, 2010
A letter to my students
by Michael O'Hare
Welcome to Berkeley, probably still the best public university in the world. Meet your classmates, the best group of partners you can find anywhere. The percentages for grades on exams, papers, etc. in my courses always add up to 110 percent because that's what I've learned to expect from you, over twenty years in the best job in the world.
That's the good news. The bad news is that you have been the victims of a terrible swindle, denied an inheritance you deserve by contract and by your merits. And you aren't the only ones; victims of this ripoff include the students who were on your left and on your right in high school but didn’t get into Cal, a whole generation stiffed by mine. This letter is an apology, and more usefully, perhaps a signal to start demanding what’s been taken from you so you can pass it on with interest.
Swindle - what happened? Well, before you were born, Californians now dead or in nursing homes made a remarkable deal with the future. (Not from California? Keep reading, lots of this applies to you, with variations.) They agreed to invest money they could have spent on
bigger houses, vacations, clothes, and cars into the world’s greatest educational system, and into building and operating water systems, roads, parks, and other public facilities, an infrastructure that was the envy of the world. They didn’t get everything right: too much
highway and not enough public transportation. But they did a pretty good job.
Young people who enjoyed these ‘loans’ grew up smarter, healthier, and richer than they otherwise would have, and understood that they were supposed to "pay it forward" to future generations, for example by keeping the educational system staffed with lots of dedicated, well-trained teachers, in good buildings and in small classes, with college counselors and up-to-date books. California schools had physical education, art for everyone, music and theater, buildings that looked as though people cared about them, modern languages and ancient
languages, advanced science courses with labs where the equipment worked, and more. They were the envy of the world, and they paid off better than Microsoft stock. Same with our parks, coastal zone protection, and social services.
This deal held until about thirty years ago, when for a variety of reasons, California voters realized that while they had done very well from the existing contract, they could do even better by walking away from their obligations and spending what they had inherited on
themselves. "My kids are finished with school; why should I pay taxes for someone else’s? Posterity never did anything for me!" An army of fake 'leaders; sprang up to pull the moral and fiscal wool over their eyes, and again and again, your parents and their parents lashed out
at government (as though there were something else that could replace it) with tax limits, term limits, safe districts, throw - away - the - key imprisonment no matter the cost, smoke - and - mirrors budgeting, and a rule never to use the words taxes and services in the same paragraph.
Now, your infrastructure is falling to pieces under your feet, and as citizens you are responsible for crudities like closing parks, and inhumanities like closing battered women’s shelters. It's outrageous, inexcusable, that you can't get into the courses you need, but much
worse that Oakland police have stopped taking 911 calls for burglaries and runaway children. If you read what your elected officials say about the state today, you'll see things like "California can't afford" this or that basic government function, and that "we need to make hard choices" to shut down one or another public service, or starve it even more (like your university). Can't afford? The budget deficit that's paralyzing Sacramento is about $500 per person; add another $500 to get back to a public sector we don't have to be ashamed of, and our average income is almost forty times that. Of course we can afford a government that actually works: the fact is that your parents have simply chosen not to have it.
I'm writing this to you because you are the victims of this enormous cheat (though your children will be even worse off if you don't take charge of this ship and steer it). Your education was trashed as California fell to the bottom of US states in school spending, and the
art classes, AP courses, physical education, working toilets, and teaching generally went by the board. Every year I come upon more and more of you who have obviously never had the chance to learn to write plain, clear, English. Every year, fewer and fewer of you read newspapers, speak a foreign language, understand the basics of how government and business actually work, or have the energy to push back intellectually against me or against each other. Or know enough about history, literature, and science to do it effectively! You spent your school years with teachers paid less and less, trained worse and worse, loaded up with more and more mindless administrative duties, and given less and less real support from administrators and staff.
Many of your parents took a hike as well, somehow getting the idea that the schools had taken over their duties to keep you learning, or so beat - up working two jobs each and commuting two hours a day to put food on the table that they couldn't be there for you. A quarter of
your classmates didn't finish high school, discouraged and defeated; but they didn't leave the planet, even if you don't run into them in the gated community you will be tempted to hide out in. They have to eat just like you, and they aren't equipped to do their share of the
work, so you will have to support them.
You need to have a very tough talk with your parents, who are still voting; you can't save your children by yourselves. Equally important, you need to start talking to each other. It's not fair, and you have every reason (except a good one) to keep what you can for yourselves with another couple of decades of mean - spirited tax - cutting and public sector decline. You're my heroes just for surviving what we put you through and making it into my classroom, but I’m asking for more: you can be better than my generation. Take back your state for your kids and start the contract again. There are lots of places you can start, for example, building a transportation system that won't enslave you for two decades as their chauffeur, instead of raising fares and cutting routes in a deadly helix of mediocrity. Lots. Get to work. See you in class!
50 Cent tweets up a storm By Nikky Raney
It is unclear whether 50 Cent is tweeting under the influence, if Kanye West hacked his Twitter account, or if he just wants to be outrageous.
In any event the tweets that 50 Cent has posted are getting lots of attention for outlandish statements, references to Ja Rule (Shady records and Murder Inc. had the huge feud that spewed between Ja Rule and 50 Cent), the Obama administration, and details of his intimate life.
Here are some screenshots of the tweets from the past few hours:
The tweets may be entertaining and re-tweetable, but let's hope that everyone will be able to just laugh it off.
Huge Jobs-Justice-Peace Rally in Detroit
Today thousands of Americans gathered, chanted and marched through the streets of Detroit in the huge Jobs-Justice-Peace Rally, sponsored by the UAW and Jackson's Rainbow Push Coalition. Jackson encouraged citizens across the state to rally together on Saturday, for various causes, including student loan forgiveness, jobs and ending the current wars.
Participants in Saturday's march were asked to meet at 10:30 a.m. at the UAW-Ford National Programs Center, 151 W. Jefferson Ave Detroit, Michigan, for a march, prior to the rally. The rally itself was held at the Grand Circus Park. People were bussed from neighboring states by the rally's sponsors and the turn out was stunning.
According to The Detroit News: Jackson said the focus of the initiative is to ensure policy makers put people first when making decisions.
Rep. Maxine Waters (D-CA), said Detroit was chosen as the kickoff site for the campaign because it is at the heart of the nation's economic fight. "This is the epicenter for the struggle for jobs, justice and peace," she said at a press conference before the march. "We have come here because we have no choice."
It is unknown at this time how many other similar rallies are planned for the Jobs-Justice-Peace Campaign, but if Jesse Jackson in behind this effort, the series of rally dates is sure to be a huge success, drawing media attention wherever they decide to march.
Glenn Beck's rally a religious experience? By Nikky Raney
So in the previous blog posted it was made clear that Glenn Beck denies that this is a political rally, and after reading more about what has gone on at the rally it seems as though Beck has attempted to turn the rally into a religious experience.
As the rally opened Beck told his supporters, "America today begins to turn back to God. For too long this country has wandered in darkness."
The event even included a pastor making a prayer offering while Beck continued to add references to God within his speech. This "Restoring Honor" rally seems more like "Restoring Religion."
The rally even included gospel music and the speeches sounded more like sermons. Beck says:
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| Photo Courtesy of the Associated Press |
"It has nothing to do with this city or politics. It has everything to do with God Almighty."
Beck is a converted Mormon. He welcomed Evangelical leaders to speak - and the speakers were frequently interrupted with shouts of praise and "AMEN!"
Beck tried to make a point of saying not to mix politics and religion by suggesting, "We cannot mix those two, but we must give a voice to what God says we must do."
See, that is considered mixing the two - because the first Amendment gives the right to freedom of religion which means that not everyone believes in God.
He continues to say, "My message to you tonight [tonight? this speech was given at noon] is stand where He wants you to stand and trust in the Lord. If He tells you to do it, do it. If you can't figure it out, He will. Just do it."
The part of the event that was well received and respected by all was the honoring of the Veterans and the supporting of the troops - which was something all Americans regardless of political party or religion could appreciate.
Even Chuck Norris was at the event.
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The Tea Party movement is really getting out of hand. The Boston Tea Party was revolutionary and was an act against the British - this Tea Party movement is an act against its own country. The rally speaks of supporting troops overseas in the war, and it seems as though the troops are the only thing America can unanimously support. The Boston Tea Party was to help strengthen America - but this Tea Party makes a mockery by dividing America into another group and pinning Americans against one another, but more about the Tea Party in another post.
Do wealthy Americans discount the 99er movement?
Do wealthy Americans discount the 99er movement or do they even know these 'Exhaustees' exist? What could it possibly hurt if the 99er Nation of nearly 5 million hurting Americans gets their desperately needed Tier 5? The wealthy members of Congress are all too familiar with the Americans who have exhausted their UI compensation, but only recently have they introduced legislation to address this issue.
As the November election draws near, it is unclear if Washington will address this legislation in September, let alone pass The Americans Want to Work Act.
With the Congress in recess until the middle of September, there is not much to report on the Tier 5 bill at present. Still the story of the moment is how the 99er Nation will be able to change the focus of Washington from their own reelections back to the Tier 5 bill before they reconvene. It will take continued, unrelenting pressure on the White House, the media and your Congressional leaders to get this accomplished.
In an interesting article titled Wealthy America’s Perspective on Tier 5 Unemployment Extension: ’99ers Can’t Hurt Us
(published August 4, 2010), Michael Danielson lays out some excellent points. From the article: “The question that we all need to answer, then, is simple: how can we forcibly reconnect the rich to the society that they parasitically feed upon while making and spending their money overseas? Until that happens, the American economy isn’t ever going to improve, and no amount of Tier 5, 6, or 7 unemployment extensions is going to fix the long-term problems that the ’99ers and the other 30 million unemployed Americans are facing.”
“The Tier 5 unemployment extension means nothing to the wealthy, because the entire country means nothing to the wealthy. We know that politicians are dependent on the wealthy to stage campaigns, especially in a recession (when normal folk have nothing to donate). That means that politicians, in turn, have no real incentive to create a Tier 5 unemployment extension, either. The ’99ers — and the working class at large — are powerless on a deeper and more pervasive level than ever in American history.”
I strongly disagree with the assertion that we are powerless. After all, only a few months ago, the position of Washington lawmakers was: “there will not be Tier 5 legislation, period.” The 99er Nation’s hard work has paid off in the introduction of not one but two bills currently in Congress. (S 3706 and HR 6091) Now the battle begins to see to it that the Stabenow bill (S 3706) is extended to include all states then get the bill passed. Once that is done, it should sail through the House quickly then Obama can sign it into law. Sounds much easier than it really will be to accomplish.
The 99er issue, being sidelined in the media these days for more intriguing headlines (like the Mosque near ground Zero) it is easy to feel forgotten and unmotivated. The 99ers are urged to step up their efforts to a feverish pace, as the prize (even their very survival) is nearly at hand.
Continue to call, fax, email and participate in events for candidates courting your vote. Inundate the White House with calls demanding the President speak out on this issue to pressure Congress to pass The Americans Want to Work Act.
A complete list of legislator contact information can be found at: Jobless Unite http://joblessunite.yolasite.com/legislators-contact-list.php
Congressional Toll free Switchboard: 1-866-220-0044
WE NEED ALL AMERICANS concerned about this crisis to contact the White House Comments Line 202-456-1111 Comment line is only open 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM Monday thru Friday EST. Remind the President how the economy began to slip backwards again this past April and it is no coincidence that the bulk of the 99ers ran out of money by the end of March.
Passing a Tier 5 immediately will give the economy a huge shot in the arm as soon as it is passed. Using an average of $300.00 per week, multiplied by 5 million recipients, that will put 1.5 billion dollars into the hands of people who will spend it immediately. If the CBO (Congressional Budget Office) is correct that every $1 spent on UI benefits results in a stimulative effect of $1.93, that means nearly 3 billion dollars injected into the economy for each of the 20 weeks proposed for a Tier 5. That is a great deal of help for America's economy and may translate into a hero's welcome for Democrats in November. This would also make the question of whether or not wealthy Americans discount the 99er movement a moot point at best.
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