Barry Zito’s Award

Coming to AT&T Park today, I was so amazed by the fact that Barry Zito won the Patriot Award on behalf of his charity Strikeouts For Veterans. What I find so amazing is the fact that he’s been working with MLB and BofA in helping returning vets and their families.

I think he should be remembered for this and be given a chance to put forth his vision before Congress. Additionally, I’m thinking about starting a drive on FB to get President Barack Obama to appoint him to a commission to help vets and soldiers, along with their families, during the off-season. 

Barry Zito’s Award

Coming to AT&T Park today, I was so amazed by the fact that Barry Zito won the Patriot Award on behalf of his charity Strikeouts For Veterans. What I find so amazing is the fact that he’s been working with MLB and BofA in helping returning vets and their families.

I think he should be remembered for this and be given a chance to put forth his vision before Congress. Additionally, I’m thinking about starting a drive on FB to get President Barack Obama to appoint him to a commission to help vets and soldiers, along with their families, during the off-season. 

Such An Aggrivating Day

Good God, I’ve never been this pissed off in my life. It’s just one of those days where you want to go off somewhere and scream. Let me explain in the two following stories.

In the first story, it has to do with AT&T (infamous from my last posting), only this time not in conjunction with Starbucks. What happened was that at work, we (meaning our small insurance company) had no internet, and as a result, could not do any work all day. Imagine if you can’t email clients or check the status of other business when all of it is online, and then having to wait until close to the end of the workday for a repair person to come and fix the issue. For us, the repairer was attending a house call first down in Daly City before shooting up 280 to get to us asap. This I know, at AT&T has little to no ability to coordinate its workers to house calls, when only having a call center located at the headquarters in Dallas. These guys don’t know the San Francisco Bay Area’s geography or metropolitan make-up in any form, which leads to more confusion than ever for their workers. I just hope that they can get their act together before people begin to leave in large droves.

In the second story, I learned from a woman with whom I was on the bus with that she’s been dealing with SamTrans about filing a complaint about a driver who shut the bus’ front doors on her ankle on March 5, 2013. The driver in question wears the badge #1115 and drives bus #333, if someone sees his name, please send it to her, or post it here on my blog. She should not have had this happen to her, and for SamTrans to be pushing this much red tape on her is beyond inexcusable. She just wants this issue dealt with by the proper channels so that it’s fully resolved.

Such An Aggrivating Day

Good God, I’ve never been this pissed off in my life. It’s just one of those days where you want to go off somewhere and scream. Let me explain in the two following stories.

In the first story, it has to do with AT&T (infamous from my last posting), only this time not in conjunction with Starbucks. What happened was that at work, we (meaning our small insurance company) had no internet, and as a result, could not do any work all day. Imagine if you can’t email clients or check the status of other business when all of it is online, and then having to wait until close to the end of the workday for a repair person to come and fix the issue. For us, the repairer was attending a house call first down in Daly City before shooting up 280 to get to us asap. This I know, at AT&T has little to no ability to coordinate its workers to house calls, when only having a call center located at the headquarters in Dallas. These guys don’t know the San Francisco Bay Area’s geography or metropolitan make-up in any form, which leads to more confusion than ever for their workers. I just hope that they can get their act together before people begin to leave in large droves.

In the second story, I learned from a woman with whom I was on the bus with that she’s been dealing with SamTrans about filing a complaint about a driver who shut the bus’ front doors on her ankle on March 5, 2013. The driver in question wears the badge #1115 and drives bus #333, if someone sees his name, please send it to her, or post it here on my blog. She should not have had this happen to her, and for SamTrans to be pushing this much red tape on her is beyond inexcusable. She just wants this issue dealt with by the proper channels so that it’s fully resolved.

Apple and Taxes

I have got to say this as candidly as I can: under no circumstances is Apple the only company engaged in tax-dodging. While I’m not happy to know that they have been using tax shelters (especially in places like Ireland), I think that Apple‘s actions are only a small role in a much larger problem with the American Tax System. The problem America faces in terms of lost tax revenue is the allowing of corprorations to create subsidiaries and other shadow companies as a means of moving profits away from the taxation system through several legal loopholes. Essentially what should be noted and used sparingly as a tool of legal tax avoidance has instead turned into a legalized version of tax evasion by several of America’s largest companies.

Moreover, the recent report released by the Senate about Apple’s activities should be placed in the context of doing something about reforming the tax system as a whole. This means that both the President and Congress need to do everything they can to close as many of these loopholes as possible and identify companies that do this as a way of increasing profitability. I’m for business success, but not at the expense of everyone else.

Apple and Taxes

I have got to say this as candidly as I can: under no circumstances is Apple the only company engaged in tax-dodging. While I’m not happy to know that they have been using tax shelters (especially in places like Ireland), I think that Apple‘s actions are only a small role in a much larger problem with the American Tax System. The problem America faces in terms of lost tax revenue is the allowing of corprorations to create subsidiaries and other shadow companies as a means of moving profits away from the taxation system through several legal loopholes. Essentially what should be noted and used sparingly as a tool of legal tax avoidance has instead turned into a legalized version of tax evasion by several of America’s largest companies.

Moreover, the recent report released by the Senate about Apple’s activities should be placed in the context of doing something about reforming the tax system as a whole. This means that both the President and Congress need to do everything they can to close as many of these loopholes as possible and identify companies that do this as a way of increasing profitability. I’m for business success, but not at the expense of everyone else.

Starbucks and AT&T Internet.

The Starbucks in San Francisco on Fillmore Street, has some of the greatest workers, and the greatest ability to provide customer service on a scale not seen. However, I noticed that they were having some connectivity issues with their router in providing their customers with continuous wi-fi. Speaking to the manager, I think, I learned that he’s been complaining to both Starbucks corporate and to AT&T, to the point that AT&T won’t take his calls, or the company’s for that matter. He’s a great guy, but what AT&T’s doing is beyond any kind of comprehension. In my eyes, it’s up to AT&T to address this, if they wish to keep Starbucks as a customer.

Speaking of my own experience, from working in a small insurance office (we have AT&T U-Verse internet) we’ve had so many connectivity issues, that it’s getting rediculous. This is not to say that Comcast is any better, because let’s face it, they’re not. My point is that their service is terrible and their customer service is beyond unacceptable, as the level of red tape they throw at customers trying to solve a problem is unbelievable. I wish the manager at the Starbucks here on Fillmore Street luck, and hope that this new set of publicity will finally make AT&T act.

Starbucks and AT&T Internet.

The Starbucks in San Francisco on Fillmore Street, has some of the greatest workers, and the greatest ability to provide customer service on a scale not seen. However, I noticed that they were having some connectivity issues with their router in providing their customers with continuous wi-fi. Speaking to the manager, I think, I learned that he’s been complaining to both Starbucks corporate and to AT&T, to the point that AT&T won’t take his calls, or the company’s for that matter. He’s a great guy, but what AT&T’s doing is beyond any kind of comprehension. In my eyes, it’s up to AT&T to address this, if they wish to keep Starbucks as a customer.

Speaking of my own experience, from working in a small insurance office (we have AT&T U-Verse internet) we’ve had so many connectivity issues, that it’s getting rediculous. This is not to say that Comcast is any better, because let’s face it, they’re not. My point is that their service is terrible and their customer service is beyond unacceptable, as the level of red tape they throw at customers trying to solve a problem is unbelievable. I wish the manager at the Starbucks here on Fillmore Street luck, and hope that this new set of publicity will finally make AT&T act.

Recent step by China against North Korea

Well, ain’t this a piece of good news. Then again, it confirms what I’ve said in my last posting about the situation with North Korea. In this new development, by the New York Times, it turns out the Bank of China, one of its state-owned commercial banks, has cut ties to some North Korean banks (essentially refusing to lend them any more money). The reason for saying that this is a positive step and is a real step in showing China’s growing frustration is that North Korea has largely been ignoring all kinds of warnings telling it not to continue on with its illegal nuclear weapons program, nor more provocative actions. Only now can we see what steps North Korea will take in response. Maybe in the next week, or several, I think the North Koreans will start launching massive threatening volleys at the Chinese, and perhaps, at the Russians as well, since both seem committed to implementing the newer and heavier sanctions just passed in March.

I selected this post to be featured on my blog’s page at Blog Nation.

Recent step by China against North Korea

Well, ain’t this a piece of good news. Then again, it confirms what I’ve said in my last posting about the situation with North Korea. In this new development, by the New York Times, it turns out the Bank of China, one of its state-owned commercial banks, has cut ties to some North Korean banks (essentially refusing to lend them any more money). The reason for saying that this is a positive step and is a real step in showing China’s growing frustration is that North Korea has largely been ignoring all kinds of warnings telling it not to continue on with its illegal nuclear weapons program, nor more provocative actions. Only now can we see what steps North Korea will take in response. Maybe in the next week, or several, I think the North Koreans will start launching massive threatening volleys at the Chinese, and perhaps, at the Russians as well, since both seem committed to implementing the newer and heavier sanctions just passed in March.

I selected this post to be featured on my blog’s page at Blog Nation.