Well I hope everyone had a very Happy Christmas of eating, drinking, being merry and binging on Christmas TV!  I certainly did – I even watched Eastenders last night something I haven’t done since my student days.   

A very generous Santa bestowed a breadmaker upon me this year (a breadmaker!!).  As I type this I’m waiting expectantly for my first loaf – it’s sort of like how I imagine waiting for your first child to be born feels.  Excitement mixed with fear and a dread that it won’t work out (sorry, a better analogy escapes me).  Hopefully I’ll master the art, or the science, as it appears to be better termed, relatively quickly and thereby forever be exonerated from buying crappy supermarket breads at inflated prices.  I bet it will taste delicious too.

Alongside my carbohydrate-producing mean machine I received a book entitled ‘Less is More’ by Cecile Andrews and Wanda Urbanska (New Society Publishers, 2009).  The tagline reads ‘embracing simplicity for a healthy planet, a caring economy and lasting happiness’, and it contains a collection of essays by people who write regularly about simple living.  It appears to come from a similar background to ‘All Consuming’ by Neal Lawson, which I read and couldn’t put down so it remains to be seen if this latest offering has the same effect.  I also received a hand-knitted scarf from my Mum which is a triumph and will match the hat she did for me last year – she really is a demon with those knitting needles!

But the prize for greatest gift of the year has to go to Laurence who, bearing in mind our many, many discussions about the evils of consumerism and pointless ‘thing’ buying presented me with what he termed an ‘experience-based’ gift – a home-made food hamper, bursting at the seams with cheeses, pates, oatcakes, chocolates, wine and tangerines.  I’m almost physically chomping at the bit to get back to Edinburgh to dive into it!  He found an old wicker basket in a charity shop and dressed it up with a smattering of Christmas tree decorations – it really is an eye-pleaser!  So don’t expect a post on Wednesday/Thursday of next week avid readers, for I will be partaking in the most shameless display of gastronomic over-indulgence of my 23 years to date, from which I’m certain I will need some time to recover! :0) 

***live update: my bread is taking shape!!!***

On a more thrifty note, I saved the better bits of wrapping paper from mine (and other peoples’) presents yesterday, and I also kept as many gift bags as I thought I could get away with.  I’m going back to studentville next September, so the more savings I can make on these tiny little things the better off I will be when I go back to having very little money!  Every little does help, after all.

Extremely slim and sleek Samsung i617 Blackjack II for AT & T brings you superior multimedia options, upgrading from the previous model Blackjack. The operating system is Windows Mobile 6 with larger RAM memory, offers faster speed to do the job much faster.

In addition, the Samsung i617 BlackJack II AT & T comes with a built-in GPS with Telenav audible turn-by-turn driving directions. Other interesting features are an increase in 2.0 mega pixelCamera / camcorder, on-board XM Satellite Radio, media player and stereo Bluetooth for tons of entertainment options. 3G Broadband Cellular Data Makes e-mail and web browsing much faster!

Advanced features for the Samsung i617 BlackJack II for AT & T are:

Digital Camera – Yes, 2 megapixel (1600 x 1200 pixel resolution digital Max), 4x zoom, multi-shot, self timer
Streaming Multimedia Support – Experience Streaming Cellular Video (CV) and AT & T MusicEntertainment, XM Satellite Radio Pre-loaded
Directly to the printer for printing – Yes, supports Bluetooth profiles GDP To Support Direct-to-printer printing with compatible printers
MP3 Player – Windows Media Player 10 allows playback of MP3, WMV, playlists, album art, USB Mass Storage
Viewing attachments (Word, Excel, PowerPoint) – Yes, Pocket Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Adobe PDF Viewing Software All Built-in
Bluetooth Wireless Technology – Yes, v2.0 hands-free headset andDUN, OPP, HID Profiles Supported
Video Capture / Camcorder – Yes, the length determined only by available memory, Video Share Capable, H.263 and MPEG4 Support
QWERTY Keyboard – Yes, Backlit, Refined Ergonomics and the first generation BlackJack
Upgradeable – Yes, AT & T allows equipment manufacturers to upgrade to Windows Mobile 6.1 Standard Edition at a later date
GPS Services Support – Yes, Built-in GPS Radio and TeleNav GPS Navigator Audible Turn-by-turn Directions
Voice-driven Menus – Yes, the trainPhone to pull up more than a dozen applications with your voice
Data can / use the phone as a modem – Yes, software and the included USB cable, broadband speed (network dependent)
Bluetooth stereo headset (A2DP) – Yes, A2DP and AVRC profiles supported so you can stream music to compatible Bluetooth enabled stereo devices
PC Synchronization – Yes, software and included USB cable or over-the-air synchronization with Microsoft ActiveSync

We tried to call the function and overall quality was verywell. The messaging features of the Samsung i617 BlackJack II for AT & T has been very good. IM for AIM, Yahoo and MSN users. Schedules and productivity features were good. The Samsung i617 BlackJack II for AT & T uses Windows Mobile 6 Calendar App

Included Media Player supports files from Napster and Yahoo Music. Surfing the Internet was only mediocre, because the scroll wheel is not reliable, but the pages load faster because of the speed 3G. GPS additionalIn this new Samsung BlackJack II is a positive feature, but the slow response of the GPS sensor was disturbing.

Prices and availability of $ 0 – $ 329.99 from various retailers phone.

In conclusion, conducted i617 Samsung BlackJack II for AT & T in our tests and recommend the phone.

If you think that the customer is always right, those days are over in our brave new world!

We, the big vendors now use laws as weapons regularly, swinging it at you when you do not pay up or become unsatisfied with our products and/or services. You can never “not buy” from us because you NEED our products and/or services. We love to give you the illusion of choice but we really own everything. And we make sure each “choice”, each “mom and pop” firm has its unique imperfection. That way, you’ll keep running but will never be satisfied. Yet, you can’t live without food, Internet, transportation, energy, roads, military and courts. Haha! We own and control the very courts you peruse for justice! How screwed up is that for you? So try. Try to stop us. Hahahaha.

There’s just nothing you can do about it. Absolutely nothing. You can yell all you want about anarchy and freedom, how they’re the greatest thing since sliced bread. You can do whatever you want in your own power. And what will we do? Sit and laugh at your puny attempts to destroy our world. You can never destroy our world! Because you serve as our customer, and the customer is NEVER right. MIGHT makes right. MIGHT gets things done. Hahahahaha.

So go ahead and eat your tasty “enhanced” chicken and drink that soothing “detensionizing” red wine. I can assure you we did not put anything special in them. Would we lie? Maybe, sometimes. You never can tell. But remember, you must eat. You must DRINK! And we ultimately provide all the food and drink you can ever consume.

You MUST eat or you’ll have to live with the wolves! That’s the price of civilization. But, hey, we give you the choice.

JWT Intelligence

Understanding the Islamic consumer: The life and times of the modern Muslim, a study by JWT MENA and AMRB provides a clear and unique segmentation of Muslim consumers, identifying five segments based on current values and attitudes.

“Islamic markets are growing exponentially; the Muslim consumer is driving the change.” - Roy Haddad, Chairman of JWT MENA

The study was conducted in 10 predominantly Muslim countries: Egypt, Algeria, U.A.E., Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Turkey, Iran, Pakistan, Malaysia and Indonesia. Around 8,000 people were interviewed during the research. The segmentation is based on an analysis of a set of attitudes towards the self, men and women, friends and family, generational differences, personal choices, traditions and culture, dreams and aspirations, media and advertising, and products and services.

Five segments of Muslim consumers, based on their attitudes and values:

Religious Conservatives
As the name implies, these are people who not only follow Islam strictly, but also expect others to do the same. They are also anti-media. Egypt was identified as the country with the maximum proportion of conservatives.

New Age Muslims
This category was found to be religious, yet progressive in terms of their views. A typically pro-media group. U.A.E. has the highest proportion of people in this section.

Societal Conformists
These are people who are not particularly religious, but follow the norms because of societal pressure. The highest proportion of conformists was found in Saudi Arabia.

Pragmatic Strivers
A category of non-traditional and ambitious people, they are ready to compromise on religious values in order to get ahead in life. Indonesia has the largest population of strivers, in keeping with its weaker economic profile.

Liberals
This category is individualistic, independent and assertive. Turkey has the largest proportion of liberals.

“The research mainly aimed at measuring how religious values intervene in every stage of the decision making process.” – Gagan Bhalla, CEO of AMRB

The study also found that there are some common themes across all markets. Family is paramount for most Muslims, and they share a desire for traditions to adapt to modern times, a drive for improved personal development (mainly via education) and a strong desire for self-expression. The last discovery is evident in the increasing density of social networking sites in the region.

Besides the similarities, the study also revealed strong contrasts between the countries it covered. Some, like Indonesia, encourage greater social freedom and opportunity for women, while others are more conservative. And people in Turkey and Iran identified more strongly with a national rather than religious identity, as compared to any of the other countries.

Related downloads at Al Haqq Society blog

A. T. Kearney: Addressing the Muslim market
Gallup / Coexist Foundation: Muslim Americans: A national portrait
Dr. Monzer Kahf: The demand side or consumer behaviour – Islamic perspective
Mohammed Abdur Razzaque: Muslim consumer’s perception of gender-role portrayal in advertising (Abstract)
Loong Wong: Market cultures, the middle classes and Islam: Consuming the market? (Abstract)

Plenty of people have debunked the historically uniqueness of the whole “holy night” shit. So there’s no point in beating off a dead horse. I’d just like to extend some season’s greetings to my readers. You all know that I make a point of being aware of all social and religious groups. I hope that my holiday letters will reflect that intolerance.

To my Pagan readers celebrating Yule, Saturnalia, Korochun and various other solstice activities: Good luck finding anything you can use. The stores are stocked for Christmas, asshole. But don’t worry. You can always get some pinecones and shit, hot-glue them together and talk about how you’re so in-tune with nature. Then light some candles and break out that quartz dildo you bought on the internet. Celebrating alone is a cherished tradition that dates all the way back to the roots of Wicca… about 1950.

To my Jewish readers: Fuck you and your candles. You pick one miracle and make a big deal out of that, and ignore all the other miracles? How do you think that makes them feel? Feel free to consider your holiday inferior to Christmas. You get eight presents that resemble stocking stuffers (the appetizers of X-mas). No ham. No tree. No songs about livestock murdering old women. And again, no relevant items at the Wal-Mart, except some refrigerated Great Value hamentaschen dough.

To everyone celebrating secular X-Mas: You are a cocksucking motherfucker and you smell like a squirrel made of Swiss cheese that crawled up a dead Sasquatch’s ass and puked kiwi fruit and chili. You are the reason for the rampant consumerism that has swallowed all that was potentially useful in humanity. But if you want to buy a Zhu Zhu thingy, I have one for $70. E-mail me for details.

As for me and my house, we will celebrate religious Christmas. Because it doesn’t require effort. Because everyone else is doing it. And because I can demand jewelry and toys and still be smug about how spiritual I am. Jesus is the reason, according to my cloying sweatshirt with LED accents, but I don’t have to actually worship or anything. But this year, we’re going the extra mile and end our celebration in the same way the nativity has been immortalized: a woman looking at her cooch in awe, a guy whose wife has been fucking a ghost, and three guys leaning over a newborn with fistfulls of spices. Mmmmm….

This week’s roundup is short and sweet. It includes one tip that is ONLY good tonight and another that expires Saturday. The rest are good for any time of year. Happy holidays!

Universal Movies wants you to see their movies. Sign up here to get an invite to special screenings of their films.

If you’re one of many making losing weight your resolution for the new year, or you just like cereal, Special K will give you a free box of cereal (with the purchase of another box). Go here for the details.

Tonight at 9, you might want to gather with the family in front of the computer to watch Brian Setzer’s Christmas show live from Knoxville.

Also, if you’re staying in and looking for a holiday movie (or not), check out this listing.

Here’s an easy craft project for all your photos: make a collage! Get 33% off your project if you print it at Walgreens. Start by building it on Snapfish. Then, enter the code DEC19 at checkout (offer expires December 26th at 11:59PM).

More photo fun: Check out animoto. You can make 30 second videos with your photos and music for free. You can also join the service for $30/year (or pay $3 for one video) to make longer videos. Thanks to Bernice for the tip!

For the crafty: take those holiday cards and ripped wrapping paper and turn them into something new.

That’s it for this week. Next week, I’ll have a list of some of my favorite tips from this year (don’t worry, they’ll still be good). If you want to share a tip, send an email to nperez@ksat.com with “Friday Freebies” in the subject line.

The New York Times

U.S. Muslims disposable income estimated at USD 170 billion

For years, few advertisers in the United States have dared to reach out to Muslims.

Either they did not see much potential for sales or they feared a political backlash. And there were practical reasons: American Muslims come from so many ethnic backgrounds that their only common ground is their religion, a subject most marketers avoid.

That is beginning to change. Consumer companies and advertising executives are focusing on ways to use the cultural aspects of the Muslim religion to help sell their products.

Advertising Age

Marketers must engage the Muslim consumer

It’s a USD 170 billion market, why aren’t you targeting it?

“I’ve seen plenty of things making fun of us. … We would love to be part of a general marketing campaign if the media world would accept Muslims as a common part of the North American diaspora.” — Amethyst, creator of Ninjabi.

Euromonitor International

Spotlighting Europe’s Muslim consumers

Islam is the religion of a vast and growing number of consumers around the world. There is strong evidence to suggest that religious affiliation plays a significant role in consumer behaviour.

As sources like the Journal of Euromarketing point out, enhanced knowledge of religious differences in consumer decision-making can have a marked impact on the effectiveness of global marketing strategies.

MERRY CHRISTMAS!  Had some fun today talking about the stress of the holidays and all the bonehead things men buy because at the last minute as a gift for there wives. Little hint here do not buy boat props, guns or diesel pickups for your wife on Christmas. Listen up and enjoy the holiday. Got to go and cook Christmas dinner. Merry Christmas. Clif and Glenn

HOUR 1

Download: http://4cornerscartalk.wordpress.com/files/2009/12/4cct-dec-24-2009-hr1.mp3

hour 2

Download: http://4cornerscartalk.wordpress.com/files/2009/12/4cct-dec-24-2009-hr-2.mp3

More than one in five UK parents are borrowing from their children’s savings account, according to Engage Mutual Assurance research. Nearly half (44%) take between £200 and £500 gradually over a period averaging up to five months before Christmas.

In a recession economy, it’s surely not unreasonable that Junior pays his or her way in order to make sure mummy/daddy (delete as applicable) can afford to keep a roof over their heads, food in their mouths and the heating on. It’s a superb lesson in growing up, learning collaborative responsibility and experiencing social cohesion!

However, up to 13.3 million people plan a late hit on the shops today, according to new data from Sainsbury’s Credit Cards. One in five (again!!!) adults will spend around £1.37 billion on last-minute Christmas shopping.

Get this – the equivalent of £57 million an hour or £951,000 per minute will be spent purely on festive frippery on this one day alone!

The research says that around 18% of this last-minute spending – some £246 million – will be placed on credit cards.

Wonder where the rest is coming from …

Crain’s Detroit Business reports today that Michigan is going to get $1.8 million from the feds “to launch an initiative to map and plan broadband service.” Now, you should be wondering about the timing of this announcement: December 23, just before most reporters take a long weekend. When news like this is released on a day like today, my first thought is, “Why do they want to bury this?”

The answer is in the last sentence of the article:

“Michigan is working on the project with Washington-based Connected Nation, a national non-profit organization that does broadband mapping.”

What’s wrong with that? I refer you to this article from DSLreports: One Last Warning Before America Screws Up Broadband Mapping.

EDIT: Also see “Privatizing the Public Trust: A Critical Look At Connected Nation“, a report issued by Public Knowledge, Common Cause, The Media and Democracy Coalition, and Reclaim the Media.

EDIT: Somehow I missed today’s post on DSLreports: “Connected Nation Wins Huge Chunk Of Taxpayer Money – And will likely use that money to fight against your interests…“

Do your research on Connected Nation, folks. Google is your friend.

Is Michigan going to get screwed on broadband mapping? In my humble opinion, the odds are very high. I HOPE that the Michigan Public Service Commission is smart enough to know who they’re dealing with, but even if they know, will they have any authority to alter any results that might be misleading?

Happy holidays. By the time the “watchdog media” (more like a sleeping chihuahua) gets back from the holidays, they’ll probably consider this old news, and totally ignore it. If you don’t have broadband now in your area and you want it, maybe you should think about moving to another state!

EDIT: I posted the above at around 2:30 PM. I then had to leave for a couple of hours, and by the time I got back, I found the following in my e-mail:

[Begin quote:]

From: “Ditto, Jessica” [e-mail address redacted]
To: “michigantelephone…”
Date: Wed, 23 Dec 2009 13:10:40 -0800
Subject: Michigan Broadband Mapping Project

To Whom It May Concern:

In regards to your post about Michigan’s broadband mapping project I would caution you not to believe everything you read on the Internet. The timing of the announcement is nothing but the result of the National Telecommunications and Information Administration having just released the awards for 14 states and 1 U.S. territory late yesterday – Michigan being one of them. This is exciting news for Michigan as the state works to create jobs and opportunity in a technology-based economy. The Connect Michigan program has been developed over the past few months in close collaboration with the Michigan Public Service Commission. These funds will allow the state to collect critical broadband data needed to identify the unserved and underserved areas of the state. Connected Nation is proud to be lending our experience and expertise to that effort. What you may not realize is that Connected Nation has mapped eight states prior to this grant program. No other organization in the country has mapped broadband on such a comprehensive scale. We do this because our mission is to promote digital inclusion by addressing both the supply and demand for high-speed Internet.

Your blog can be a positive voice in this effort by spreading the word about the need for broadband in Michigan’s unreached areas. I hope that you will afford me the opportunity to let you know more about who we are so that we can work with you in a constructive way going forward.

Regards,

Jessica Ditto
Communications Director
Connected Nation
877.846.7710 – Office
[Mobile telephone number redacted]
[e-mail address redacted]
www.connectednation.org

[End quote]

My response: Ms. Ditto, I would guess that you are probably paid by your employer to attempt to counteract negative publicity that appears in blogs such as mine, and I understand you are probably just trying to earn a living. However, the problem as I understand it is twofold. First, and feel free to correct me if you think I am wrong, I have read that your organization was created by, and/or receives significant funding from AT&T. If that is true, then it gives the appearance of conflict of interest. Also, I have read editorials and articles that indicate that there is a belief that in states where your organization has previously done mapping, it has overstated the actual availability of broadband.

I freely admit that I did not do the original research on this (which is why I referred my readers to an article at DSLreports.com) but over the past year or so, I have read more than just one or two articles that question the circumstances under which your organization was started (was it a creation of AT&T, or any third-party organization hired by AT&T, or did AT&T have any hand in it?) and its source of funding (in other words, does AT&T contribute directly or indirectly to your organization’s operating expenses?).

There is a large area of Michigan that does need broadband, but let’s make sure we define broadband properly. My question to you would be, what is the minimum upload and download speeds that fit your organization’s definition of broadband? AT&T and Verizon seem to think that customers should be happy with minimal DSL speeds (particularly when they are not close to the telephone central office). For many customers that’s not true today, and in the future it won’t be true for anyone. If you are defining anything over dial-up modem speed as “broadband”, then that will not present a true picture of where broadband is available in Michigan. Today and in the future, customers will expect to be able to upload and download high-definition video without having to wait forever. Does your organization have the ability to change your definition of broadband to keep pace with the times and with customer expectations, or do you have to use a definition that has been imposed on you by someone else, and if so, who might that someone else be?

I’m sorry, but I just can’t help but think the timing of today’s announcement was a bit suspicious. Maybe there was a valid reason for it, maybe not, but I’m quite aware of the fact that companies tend to issue press releases on Friday afternoons and before holiday weekends, when the hope is that they will not get much exposure or commentary. Maybe that was not the intent here and it was just unfortunate timing, but if so, it was indeed unfortunate.

If you would care to comment on the above, I will publish your response. I want to be fair to everyone, but at the same time, I’ve had a bad experience in the past with a public relations firm hired by a major telephone company, so I’m not going to just let statements slide by without asking some questions, where I feel it is appropriate.

Thank you for your response, and happy holidays to you!

EDIT 2: I received another e-mail reply from Ms. Ditto. Basically, it seems that for some reason she wants to engage me further on this topic at some point next week, after she returns from the Christmas weekend. The meaningful part of her response was this:

“I will tell you one thing I am not with a public relations firm, nor was I hired to counteract negative publicity, although obviously my job is easier when I confront things head-on. I began working for Connected Nation because I wanted to work for a nonprofit that was doing something meaningful for others. I personally saw the impact they had in Kentucky and am excited about the work we are going to do in Michigan.”

But I didn’t say she was with a public relations firm, just that I’d had a bad experience with one. And I didn’t say that she was hired to counteract negative publicity, but I’ll bet her employer pays her while she’s attempting to do so.

I’m not even going to comment on her statement about the reason she began working for Connected Nation. I don’t want to turn this into something personal. This is not about Ms. Ditto — my whole point there was that she’s just doing her job and at this time of year, I’m not inclined to say anything negative against anyone if I can help it. But at the same time, if she’s going to try to sell me with an “Oh, shucks, we’re just a nonprofit from Kentucky” routine, there’s no way I’m buying into that. After doing just a very shallow Google search, I found the link to “Privatizing the Public Trust: A Critical Look At Connected Nation“, a report issued by Public Knowledge, Common Cause, The Media and Democracy Coalition, and Reclaim the Media. So if Ms. Ditto wants to set the record straight, it appears she has a lot more formidable opponents than I to deal with. Oh, and I found something interesting on Connected Nation’s own web site: Connected Nation Submits No Bid Response for Kentucky Broadband Mapping RFP.

Really, the only response I am interested in receiving from Connected Nation is an honest answer to the questions I asked above. To put it crudely, I want to know if, and to what extent, they’re in bed with AT&T and/or any other telephone company that has a presence in the state of Michigan. I’m certainly not going to be their sunshine pumper in the state (as if I had that kind of influence), nor do I intend at this point to carry out ongoing tirades against them (unless I’m provoked to do so). The point of this post was to alert you to this news item, and to express my personal opinion on the matter. I had frankly hoped that some other blog or news site with a lot more exposure would pick up on this, but to be honest I didn’t expect it, for the very reason I stated above — after the reporters (and the professional bloggers that blog for a living) return from the holidays, this will probably be considered old news.

And by the way, this is one of those occasions where I honestly hope I’m wrong… nothing would make me happier than to see Connected Nation produce a fair and accurate broadband map of Michigan, that accurately shows the actual upload and download speeds that people can receive at any given location in our state. One major problem with phone companies is that they advertise broadband speeds using the weasel words “up to”, so when they don’t deliver the advertised speed they can say they only promised to deliver “up to” that speed (often still charging the end user as if they were receiving the advertised speed!). A broadband map that shows only the advertised speeds available at any particular spot on the map will not only be useless, but disingenuous. Anyway, it concerns me when these other organizations — those that have actual funding, and probably a research staff — publish articles that are critical of Connected Nation. I don’t have funding and I don’t have a research staff, so I cannot fully investigate the claims made by those organizations, nor those made by Connected Nation. But I do form opinions based on what I read, and in this country I’m allowed to share my opinions with you. If my opinions are in error, well, it wouldn’t be the first time.

Please allow me to make a couple of further points: According to the original article, the federal government is spending $1.8 million dollars on this project (and that’s just in Michigan — DSLreports adds that the feds also awarded Connected Nation grants to the tune of $1.8 million for mapping and planning in Tennessee, $1.7 million in North Carolina, $1.4 million in Nevada, and $1.7 million in Minnesota) — dollars that probably came from you and I in one way or another. And what is the point? Wouldn’t it make more sense to use that money to enhance competition by actually giving zero-interest loans to small broadband providers that promise to serve an unserved or underserved area? You may say, well, we need to know where the unserved or underserved areas are located, but then I ask whether it’s really important to pinpoint those areas to the tune of $1.8 million dollars, especially considering that the existing facilities-based broadband providers ought to be able to provide maps showing where they are able to provide service. We require wireline phone companies to produce tariff maps showing exactly where their service is available — shouldn’t broadband providers be able to provide the same information, without it costing $1.8 million?

Also, there is a part of me that wonders if such a map might serve the purpose of inhibiting competition (whether as an intended or unintentional consequence). The reason is that once you know where broadband service is available, even if it’s lousy service in some areas, that information could be used to deny loans or grants to companies that want to overbuild in those areas. In other words, even if a provider’s service in unreliable, even if contacting their customer service department is like entering a level of hell, even if their own customer services representatives don’t seem to realize they have service in the area (a not uncommon problem!), or even if the provider wants to impose ridiculously small usage caps on their customers, on the map it would still show that broadband is available. Maybe customers would really like good quality broadband service with no usage caps and at a fair price, from a company that treats them as though customers really are important, but if this map says that Crappy Broadband, Inc. already offers service in your area, then perhaps nobody else is going to get a grant or loan to provide the type of service customers will want and expect in the 21st century.

My suggestion would be that if we must go through with this project, then a truly useful map would also include independently collected customer satisfaction data – how many area residents attempted to obtain service and were told they could not, and how many think the service is vastly overpriced, and how many are so frustrated with their provider’s service, or the provider’s customer service reps, to nearly want to “go postal” on that company? For that matter, will this map even take into account the prices charged? If it doesn’t then they could justifiably claim that broadband service is available, right now, to 99%+ of Michigan residents, because just about anyone can get a commercial data line from the telephone company (a DS1 or similar data circuit). You might have to sell your firstborn to get it (okay, I exaggerate slightly), but you can get it. Therefore, a map that only shows where broadband is available, without taking the issues of prices charged and customer satisfaction into account, won’t give a complete picture of broadband availability in Michigan.

Anyway, that’s all I have to say on the subject for the moment. Hope all of you will have the happiest of holidays!

Section 1801 of this bill includes some very interesting language, especially since the government is already an “equal opportunity employer” that is not allowed to discriminate on the basis of age, race, gender, national origin, religion and others. This bill, thanks to the following language creates an entire race based bureaucracy throughout the agencies of the Federal government, even though it is not needed, and will increase the cost of government during a time of great financial strain (HR4173 text source):

SEC. 1801. INCLUSION OF MINORITIES AND WOMEN; DIVERSITY IN AGENCY WORKFORCE.

1(a) Office of Minority and Women Inclusion

(1) ESTABLISHMENT- Not later than 180 days following the enactment of this title, each agency shall establish an Office of Minority and Women Inclusion (hereinafter in this section referred to as the ‘Office’) that shall advise the agency administrator of the impact of policies and regulations of the agency on minority-owned and women-owned businesses, and shall be responsible for all matters of the agency relating to diversity in management, employment, and business activities, including the coordination of technical assistance, in accordance with such standards and requirements as the Director of the Office shall establish.

I would assume that any policy that would adversely affect a minority or woman owned business would also negatively impact any other business, since it is already ILLEGAL for the government to discriminate by race and gender. Extra bureaucracy we can’t afford, and do not need.

(2) CONSOLIDATION- Each agency that has assigned these or comparable responsibilities to existing offices shall ensure that such responsibilities are consolidated within the Office.

So, if a government office already has “diversity responsibilities” being handled as part of another job they need to “consolidate” those responsibilities into a NEW position, a mini race Czar. Last time I checked, consolidation involved a reduction or streamlining process, not the creation of a new position and extended bureaucracy.

(b) Director

And here are the chief Race Czars

(1) IN GENERAL- For each Office, the President shall appoint, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, a Director of Minority and Women Inclusion (hereinafter in this section referred to as the ‘Director’), who shall also hold a title within such agency comparable to that of other senior level staff who are, as applicable, either appointed by the President, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, or act in a managerial capacity that requires reporting directly to the agency administrator.

(2) DUTIES- Each Director shall

(A) ensure equal employment opportunity and the racial, ethnic and gender diversity of the agency’s workforce and senior management;

I believe in equal opportunity. This legislation however, mandates diversity.  You cannot offer equal opportunity and demand equal outcomes. Every individual is different, and possesses their own skills and abilities. The best of the best should be offered the position, whether they be black or white or Asian or Hispanic, or any of the other diverse colors of humanity. Equal opportunity employment ensures that. However, if the thoughts expressed previously are any indicator, the current administration doesn’t concern itself with individuals, but rather collective identities.

(B) increase the (sic) partcipation of minority-owned and women-owned businesses in the programs and contracts of the agency;

C) provide guidance to the agency administrator to ensure that the policies and regulations of the agency strengthen minority-owned and women-owned businesses; and

(D) conduct an assessment, as part of the examination process for the entities regulated or monitored by the agency of the diversity and inclusion efforts by such entities.

It is not the government’s job to strengthen ANY business. It is a business’s job to strengthen itself by offering the best product or service at the best price, or to differentiate itself by offering services that are above and beyond its competitors, thereby allowing it to charge a premium for its goods or services. Government race-based initiatives subvert and undermine the free market, and treat race as if it is a handicap to overcome. This is an insult to the American people, and creates a scenario where race can readily become a deciding factor in denying the best business the task. It is absurd.

But there’s more. Going back in the bill we find this gem in section 1604 giving the government control over companies they (the President) deems in danger:

(b) Determination by the Secretary- Notwithstanding any other provision of Federal law or the law of any State, if, upon the written recommendation of the Federal Reserve Board and the board of directors or commission of the appropriate regulatory agency as provided for in subsection (a)(1), the Secretary (in consultation with the President) determines that–

(1) the financial company is in default or is in danger of default;

(2) the failure of the financial company and its resolution under otherwise applicable Federal or State law would have serious adverse effects on financial stability or economic conditions in the United States; and

(3) any action under section 1604 would avoid or mitigate such adverse effects, taking into consideration the effectiveness of the action in mitigating potential adverse effects on the financial system or economic conditions, the cost to the general fund of the Treasury, and the potential to increase moral hazard on the part of creditors, counterparties, and shareholders in the financial company,

then the Secretary must take action under section 1604(a), the Corporation must act in accordance with section 1604(b), and the Corporation may take 1 or more actions specified in section 1604(c) in accordance with the requirements of that subsection, except that, prior to the Secretary or Corporation taking any action under section 1604, the Federal Reserve Board or the appropriate Federal regulatory agency shall take action to avoid or mitigate potential adverse effects on low-income, minority, or underserved communities affected by the failure of such financial company.

Again, we have big government stepping in and preventing the free market from correcting itself. The effects of doing so are far more harmful in the long run because either: 1. A company is rewarded for bad behavior with government money, or 2. The government gains control of a company (and the government lacks both the skills needed to run a company efficiently, as well as the problem of a complete lack of the enumerated constitutional authority to do so) and more of our tax dollars are depleted. both the skills needed to run a company efficiently, as well as the problem of a complete lack of the enumerated constitutional authority to do so) and more of our tax dollars are depleted. The beautiful thing about a free market, is there are competitors that are ready and willing to take the place of fallen giants. Keeping the fallen giants on life support is a terrible waste of tax payers’ money and, again, a gross violation of the enumerated powers granted to the government by the Constitution. The federal government has no authority to either bail out or seize control of any company.

Also problematic is the fact that the secretive Federal Reserve is given a share of this unprecedented power, despite the fact that the Federal Reserve is completely unaccountable and has not even so much as been audited since its creation in 1913.

In conclusion, this bill subverts and perverts the concept of equal opportunity for all, allows the President and the Federal Reserve far greater control over the free market, and expands the size and scope of government while giving us nothing in return but Constitutional violations.

“Some animals are more equal than others.”  George Orwell, Animal Farm.

from my other site: thejeffersondemocrat.com

New figures from the National Association of Estate Agents (NAEA) have shown that even if the housing market in Britain still good to have cut the buyer a more cautious approach to investing in homes for adoption.

The association said that during the month of April, there was a stable performance in terms of number of sales, visions and the average price of purchase. According to the NAEA, the average number of projections was acquired in a house was saidStand at 14 He argues that while this is evidence of consumers to be cautious, that are investing in property, the figure is higher than that considered only two results from 2007.

For those who have found a property you want, and to find happy to get support for a deposit, a personal loan could make use in providing the necessary funding for a bid. However, Monitor, personality of the group that there is a slight decrease in the number of people seekingThe purchase of a property. Considering the average number of buyers on the books of its members, the NAEA notes that, although in March were 249 in April this number dropped to 237 attributes this decline in some difficult market conditions due to the credit crisis and a small number of mortgage approvals.

The National Association of Realtors said that while this is the confidence of consumers, probably dented, there are indications that market conditions will improve incoming months. Although some analysts are predicting a significant fall in house prices, the association says that this decrease is unlikely due to other factors such as strengthening low unemployment, high interest rates are still widespread and sustained spending, the suggesting that the group of buoy the housing market.

Chris Brown, president of the NAEA, said: "Many, especially for first time buyers, will feel the results of the credit crunch and the credit enhancement, resultingis not able to move up the ladder or the chain. Some agencies are also covered hard to stop the sale, how to "get cold feet or less, to secure the mortgage, but we must not forget that this happens in the best markets. But what the people need reminded that the market is stable and we are not seeing massive price drops. There are still strong economic factors play a role, such as high employment and low interest rates and sales are still ongoing. "

TheThe statistics also show that the turnover in the market, despite the most severe conditions remain stable, with each member of the NAEA sell an average of seven houses in the month of April. This figure has remained relatively unchanged since January this year, says the association.

For those who are interested to give the real estate market, but the difficulties have increased the experience of cash to put down an initial payment, a loan guarantee can be an effective approach to try. A guaranteed cheapLoans can also apply to all those people who recently revealed to be struggling to meet mortgage payments. Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors has proposed that it will be a growing number of people at risk of eviction in the coming months.

Crain’s Detroit Business reports today that Michigan is going to get $1.8 million from the feds “to launch an initiative to map and plan broadband service.” Now, you should be wondering about the timing of this announcement: December 23, just before most reporters take a long weekend.  When news like this is released on a day like today, my first thought is, “Why do they want to bury this?”

The answer is in the last sentence of the article:

“Michigan is working on the project with Washington-based Connected Nation, a national non-profit organization that does broadband mapping.”

What’s wrong with that? I refer you to this article from DSLreports: One Last Warning Before America Screws Up Broadband Mapping.

Do your research on Connected Nation, folks. Google is your friend.

Is Michigan going to get screwed on broadband mapping? In my humble opinion, the odds are very high. I HOPE that the Michigan Public Service Commission is smart enough to know who they’re dealing with, but even if they know, will they have any authority to alter any results that might be misleading?

Happy holidays. By the time the “watchdog media” (more like a sleeping chihuahua) gets back from the holidays, they’ll probably consider this old news, and totally ignore it. If you don’t have broadband now in your area and you want it, maybe you should think about moving to another state!

EDIT: I posted the above at around 2:30 PM.  I then had to leave for a couple of hours, and by the time I got back, I found the following in my e-mail:

[Begin quote:]

From: “Ditto, Jessica” <jditto@connectednation.org>
To: “michigantelephone@gmail.com” <michigantelephone@gmail.com>
Date: Wed, 23 Dec 2009 13:10:40 -0800
Subject: Michigan Broadband Mapping Project

To Whom It May Concern:

In regards to your post about Michigan’s broadband mapping project I would caution you not to believe everything you read on the Internet. The timing of the announcement is nothing but the result of the National Telecommunications and Information Administration having just released the awards for 14 states and 1 U.S. territory late yesterday – Michigan being one of them. This is exciting news for Michigan as the state works to create jobs and opportunity in a technology-based economy. The Connect Michigan program has been developed over the past few months in close collaboration with the Michigan Public Service Commission. These funds will allow the state to collect critical broadband data needed to identify the unserved and underserved areas of the state. Connected Nation is proud to be lending our experience and expertise to that effort. What you may not realize is that Connected Nation has mapped eight states prior to this grant program. No other organization in the country has mapped broadband on such a comprehensive scale. We do this because our mission is to promote digital inclusion by addressing both the supply and demand for high-speed Internet.

Your blog can be a positive voice in this effort by spreading the word about the need for broadband in Michigan’s unreached areas. I hope that you will afford me the opportunity to let you know more about who we are so that we can work with you in a constructive way going forward.

Regards,

Jessica Ditto
Communications Director
Connected Nation
877.846.7710 – Office
[Mobile telephone number redacted]
jditto@connectednation.org
www.connectednation.org

[End quote]

My response: Ms. Ditto, I would guess that you are probably paid by your employer to attempt to counteract negative publicity that appears in blogs such as mine, and I understand you are probably just trying to earn a living.  However, the problem as I understand it is twofold.  First, and feel free to correct me if you think I am wrong, I have read that your organization was created by, and/or receives significant funding from AT&T. If that is true, then it gives the appearance of conflict of interest. Also, I have read editorials and articles that indicate that there is a belief that in states where your organization has previously done mapping, it has overstated the actual availability of broadband.

I freely admit that I did not do the original research on this (which is why I referred my readers to an article at DSLreports.com) but over the past year or so, I have read more than just one or two articles that question the circumstances under which your organization was started (was it a creation of AT&T, or any third-party organization hired by AT&T, or did AT&T have any hand in it?) and its source of funding (in other words, does AT&T contribute directly or indirectly to your organization’s operating expenses?).

There is a large area of Michigan that does need broadband, but let’s make sure we define broadband properly.  My question to you would be, what is the minimum upload and download speeds that fit your organization’s definition of broadband?  AT&T and Verizon seem to think that customers should be happy with minimal DSL speeds (particularly when they are not close to the telephone central office).  For many customers that’s not true today, and in the future it won’t be true for anyone.  If you are defining anything over dial-up modem speed as “broadband”, then that will not present a true picture of where broadband is available in Michigan.  Today and in the future, customers will expect to be able to upload and download high-definition video without having to wait forever. Does your organization have the ability to change your definition of broadband to keep pace with the times and with customer expectations, or do you have to use a definition that has been imposed on you by someone else, and if so, who might that someone else be?

I’m sorry, but I just can’t help but think the timing of today’s announcement was a bit suspicious.  Maybe there was a valid reason for it, maybe not, but I’m quite aware of the fact that companies tend to issue press releases on Friday afternoons and before holiday weekends, when the hope is that they will not get much exposure or commentary.  Maybe that was not the intent here and it was just unfortunate timing, but if so, it was indeed unfortunate.

If you would care to comment on the above, I will publish your response.  I want to be fair to everyone, but at the same time, I’ve had a bad experience in the past with a public relations firm hired by a major telephone company, so I’m not going to just let statements slide by without asking some questions, where I feel it is appropriate.

Thank you for your response, and happy holidays to you!

Episode 175 of the daily Toronto Real Estate Musing video blog. George O’Neill vlogs from one of his investment properties in Montreal about why offer deadlines should be honored.

If you are interested in Beach or downtown Toronto real estate or wish to discuss this topic further, please email George@GeorgeONeill.ca or leave a comment below.

An interview with John Quelch, a professor at Harvard Business School. In a tough economy, companies can be successful if it develops its customers' optimize understand consumer behavior and subtle marketing strategies accordingly.

My Links : Do you like music? goal-setting-network.blogspot.com

A fun morsel to tide you over:

A consumption addicted blogger… that’s me. But I learned what to consume and not to consume in Beijing over the past year. For example, do NOT consume cheap sushi from 7-eleven. Expired fish will make you grossly sick to the stomach and ruin a few good days of your journey.

However, DO consume the great food, that’s offered everywhere here. Either big restaurants or small restaurants. No need to speak chinese, hands & feet (and pictures in the menus) will help getting the exact food you like. And you won’t regret it, after looking at the bill. Alone, somewhere at 3-5€ or a complete meal for four people… 10-12€.

Do NOT buy electronic goods like LCD Monitors/TVs or computers. They are cheaper where you come from. At least in Germany. Way cheaper. However DO consider “Photographic City”, located in West-Beijing at the forth ring. It’s little shops gathered in a big building, where you can go from store to store, only communicating with model numbers and prices. Write the price they offer you down and go to next shop to compare. They’ll see that and then happens what happened to me: alone from competition between shops, I managed to lower the price of a Canon brand product (nothing small) to 2/3 of the price.

And i bought my iPhone 3G with receipt, warranty and everything in Beijing (Bai Nao Hui – as in “buy now here”), for about 500€, which is a bargain for Germans. Do NOT buy cheap watches, Montblanc rip-offs or anything of the sort. They’re crappy and some of you might get in trouble when returning with counterfeit stuff (think about customs).

And now, when I literally walked into a dodgy tourist Area, I got offered drugs, which totally surprised me and just declined “No, thank you.” And speaking of DON’Ts… They’ll offer you massages as well… and some other services might be included… But to be on the safe side, DON’T.

If you want to take home art or souvenirs, by all means, DO, but DON’T let yourselves be fooled by “art students”, inviting you to see their art gallery and pressure you into buying some art, you really don’t want to buy. These people will wait for you at major tourist spots, like the forbidden city. DO try the sweet potatoes, especially great in winter, as they keep you warm. … and i’m getting the need for some great coffee… and why not for example the Chinese answer to Starbuck’s: SPR Coffee. #coffee… #enjoy.

Always keen on managers who talk about customer service and refer to policy and procedures. Customer service is about people and this post reflects to that fact!

Found at http://blogs.hbr.org/sviokla/2009/12/better_customer_service_throug.html

To be continued at http://blogs.hbr.org/sviokla/2009/12/better_customer_service_throug.html

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Episode 174 of the daily Toronto Real Estate Musing video blog. George O’Neill vlogs from perhaps one of the most expensive parking garages in Canada, at First Canadian Place in the heart of Canadian capitalism at the corner of Bay and King Streets in downtown Toronto.

If you are interested in Beach or downtown Toronto real estate or wish to discuss this topic further, please email George@GeorgeONeill.ca or leave a comment below.

The government has done something really great for consumers who are not able to pay off their credit cards every month–meaning most of us. Credit card companies will still have us by the short hairs, but some of the worst rules have been outlawed by Congress and the President, effective February 13, 2010. Here is a short list of changes:

>>The interest rate can no longer be raised for being a few days late. The company can still hit you with a late payment fee, but they cannot raise the interest rate. One credit card company raised the interest rate on my card from 9.99% to 23.99% for a partial payment when the company changed the minim payment. I know, I should have flyspecked the bill before I paid it, so it was my fault. However, after the new law goes into effect, the interest rate on an existing balance can only be raised if the minimum payment is not made within 60 days of the due date.

>>One of the most important reforms is the requirement that when you pay over the minimum, the excess must be applied against the balance with the highest–not lowest–interest rate. Now, if you have a promotional rate on part of your balance, you can pay off higher-rate balances first.

>>No penalties for accidentally exceeding the credit limit. Transactions that exceed the credit limit must be declined unless the consumer authorizes the transaction knowing that it puts the account over the limit.

Credit card companies can still raise the interest rate for future transactions, so making payments late or going over the credit limit may have negative consequences. It is only existing balances that are protected.

These are only a few of the more important changes. For more information, do an Internet search for the Credit Card Accountability, Responsibility and Disclosure Act of 2009.

John Payne, Attorney

Garrison LawHouse, PC

1800 Grindley Park Street, Suite 6

Dearborn, Michigan 48124

Come visit me at: http://www.law-business.com

313.563.4900/fax 866.399.7695

Pennsylvania Office:

9853 Old Perry Highway.

Wexford, PA 15090-9312

800.220.7200/fax 866.399.7695