Înainte de tragicul eveniment

via Sima sau Papasima

Ultima ora: s-a sinucis Boc! S-a spanzurat de un bonsai!

Wuddup people, this is the first of many posts and I’m startin with this great feature any studios should have (guerilla studio owners i’m lookin at u…!) Isolate your mics from any booth leaks or simply make it a dry acoustic with this reflexion filter.

http://www.seelectronics.com/rf.html

-The Waves-

(Government’s response to Hindraf’s 2007 Rally. Image source: http://www.skthew.com)

25th November 2009 marks the 2nd anniversary of the unprecedented street rally by Indians under the now “banned but not crippled” organisation called Hindraf in this country.

From Wikipedia:-

The 2007 Hindraf rally was a rally held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, on November 25, 2007.

The rally organizer, the Hindu Rights Action Force, had called the protest over alleged discriminatory policies which favour ethnic Malays. The rally was the second such street protest after the 2007 Bersih rally in Kuala Lumpur on November 10, 2007.

The rally started when a crowd estimated to be between 5,000 to 30,000 people gathered outside the Petronas Twin Towers at midnight, early Sunday morning. At least 240 people were detained, but half of them were later released.

Read Hindraf rally related posts:-

Hindraf protest – realistic way out?

Hindraf – not the end of the story

Hindraf – a year end thought

Hindraf – police and road blocks

Hindraf – a thorn that won’t go away

When Hindraf took to the streets in November 2007, certainly it was not done overnight. Hindraf existed long before that and often in thick of actions when it comes to demolishment of temples particularly in the state of Selangor.

Hindraf is a coalition of 30 Hindu non-governmental organizations committed to the preservation of Hindu community rights and heritage in a multiracial Malaysia (source)

Demolishment of temples under the old Selangor MB, Khir Toyo was one of the catalysts for the organisation to take the matter to the streets.

The case against Hindraf

Although the rally itself was tainted with accusations of being highly racist (that it only takes care of Indians and not Malaysians in general), that Hindraf is trying to seek help from a foreign sovereign instead of the Malaysian King who in fact is our real sovereign (which many called it as treason on the highest order) and some of the demands in the full list of demands was worded too extreme and unreasonable.

The police at one point even painted that there was a connection between Hindraf and the Tamil Elam Tigers who were fighting for separate state in Sri Lanka but it was a case that was never proven to this day.

Hindraf vs MIC

One of the biggest implications of the Hindraf’s rally, in my opinion, was that it created a room for many Indians to start questioning the role of MIC when it comes to the welfare of Indians in this country. Long before there was general election and long before MIC realised the lost of Indian support in the ballot box, there was already Hindraf movement all over the country participating in prayers in the many temples and getting involved when there are any issues affecting the community.

Hindraf’s role in getting involved in the community’s issues was a role that I think MIC could have played more effectively but with older issues like the Telekom shares remains unsettled, many have lost confidence in MIC’s ability to continue to champion the plight of the community. Hindraf provided the alternative avenue. What more when there was a lack of coordination and solution provided when it faced with demolishment of temples in Selangor? This is why PKR, DAP and even PAS managed to grab the big swing in Indian voters during the general election.

Makkal Sakthi

Another implication that resulted from Hindraf rally and before that with Bersih and protest against toll hike was the high handedness of the government when it comes to dealing with dissent voices of the people. Instead of friendly dialogue, forum or close knit communication, the response was often come in form of arrests, tear gas, water cannon and arrogant discard of issues. The Hindraf leaders were promptly arrested under the ISA and spent almost 2 years in custody. There was a clear lack of engagement between the government with the people and the problems facing all Malaysians.

The cry “Makkal Sakthi” (or People’s Power) became famous battle cry during the last general election and it has impact on all walk of life (not limiting to Indians under Hindraf). As V mentioned in the movie V for Vendetta –

“People should not be afraid of their governments. Governments should be afraid of their people”

Next chapter

Admittedly Hindraf is now seen has lost their core objective, mainly due to several reasons such as some of the states where they were very active such as Perak and Selangor have fallen into the opposition hands, there has been more swing towards Indian welfare and focus on the problems faced by the community by the government under Najib’s administration and more importantly, due to breakup of Hindraf itself into many small factions including one who formed their own political party.

Hindraf’s rally for right or wrong, did achieve one thing that it was meant to do – that is to create awareness, both for the government and for the Indians who been ignorant of the issues facing the community.

Thankfully things are better under the Pakatan Rakyat’s administration (except perhaps on the Kampung Buah Pala incident) and to some extent, under Najib’s administration.

It is hoped that the government irregardless it is from BN or PR, to engage the issues with more conviction and effective rather than silencing them in swift harsh actions. Otherwise, Malaysians will be far from being one as Bangsa Malaysia and street rallies like the one organised by Hindraf will be part of our daily life.

Sagopa Kajmer (1978, Samsun) DJ, prodüktör, turntablist, rap müzik sanatçısı. Asıl adı Yunus Özyavuz‘dur. Silahsız Kuvvet takma adını da kullanmıştır. (Ayrıca Dj_Mic_Check olarak da bilinmektedir.)

• 1997de üniversite okumak için İstanbul’a geldi. “İSTANBUL ÜNVERSİTESİ FARS DİLİ VE EDEBİYATI”
• 1998 de kendi müzik studyosu KUVVETMİRA’yı kurarak müzik çalışmalarına başladı.
• 1999 yılında çeşitli sanatçıların yeraldığı ilk türk rap albümü “Yeraltı Operasyonu”albümünde ilk projesi olan “SİLAHSIZ KUVVET” ismiyle yer aldı ve en fazla dikkati çeken kişi oldu.
• 2001 yılında ilk albümü SILAHSIZ KUVVET “Sözlerim Silahım” çıkardı.
• 2002 yılında ikinci albüm SILAHSIZ KUVVET “İhtiyar Heyeti”çıktı .
• 2002 “SAGOPA KAJMER”i yarattı.İsmiyle aynı adı taşıyan bir albüm çıkardı.
• 2002 yılında CEZA “Med Cezir” albümünün produktorlüğünü yaptı..Albümün tüm müziklerini kendisi yaptı.
• 2003 yılında yeni albümü “Bir Pesimistin Gözyaşları” albümünü tamamladı ve 2004 yılında double olarak 150 dakika süren bir albüm piyasaya çıkarttı.Yepyeni bir sound yaratarak büyük dikkat çekti. –
• 2004 yılında FUCHS “Huzur N Darem” albümünün produktorlüğünü yaptı.
• 2004 Cem Yılmaz’ın G.O.R.A. filminin Soundtrack müziklerini yaptı.”Al !de buradan Yak isimli parçaya video klip çekti.
• Dj MicCheck Türkiye’de “turntablizm” akımının öncüsüdür.(plaklarla scratch show)
• İstanbul’a yerleştikten sonra müzik çalışmaları ve üniversite eğitiminin yanı sıra en güçlü radyolarda müzik diraktörü ve dj olarak çalıştı.Halen Power fm’ de program yapmaktadır.
• h2000 ve j&b festivallerinde dj’lik yaptı.Yurt dışında çeşitli yerlerde Dj’lik yaptı.
• Çok önemli bir müzik birikimi ve arşivine sahip Dj MicCheck “Sagopa Kajmer” kimliğiyle “PESİMİST UNDERGROUND RAP” tarzını oluşturmuş , müzik kalitesi ,söz zenginliği ve etkileyici sesiyle kendisini birçok değişik kitleden insana kanıtlamıştır.
• Yurt dışından sanatçılarada altyapı müzikler hazırlamıştır.

So now and again I get comedians asking if they can get on my show. I usually do unless I have no control over it.

So in the email, he writes:
“…..I’ll also be appearing at the Comedy Store in L.A.”

First off, I don’t get “impressed” by credits-especially if it comes directly from an entertainer. It’s not hard to get on one of the million comedy shows that happens on a daily basis.

Second, why do people use the word “appearing?” Are you going to teleport there and surprise them?
HOST: And next we have…(POOF)…Whoa, who’s this guy that appeared out of nowhere?
COMIC: It is “I”, the one who recently appeared at the Hollywood Improv last Monday…ah ha ha ha!!!

It’s really only appropriate to tell credits when needed, this particular show happened to be an open mic. I shouldve said that I needed to view his press pack and run it by the board first before I can bring him on. Self promoting is a good thing, trying to make yourself seem “semi-famous” to another comedian to get on an open mic is awesome!!!

It made me laugh and had to share the joy. Thanks for reading!

My exposure to the world of dodgy lending and coerced loans, the kind of predator
lending justifiably vilified for its integral role in the world wide economic collapse last fall,
started with an imprudent decision to heed the beep of another phone call coming
through to my line. I click over and before I can finish saying “hello”, a loud pushy voice
quickly tells me that the call is concerning my recent Veteran’s Administration backed
home loan, and that he is indeed not a telemarketer. As I have just bought my house, I
should at least wait and hear him out so as not to hang up on someone with a legitimate
reason to call. He rapidly fires off a series of dollar amounts that I could save on my
house payment each month. They are generic amounts, an attempt to butter up the
target. “Gordon, now be honest here, could you use an extra $500 a month?”. I should
hang up at this point because I have never been involved in a conversation which started
under similar auspices that ended well. I am told that they work hand in hand with the
VA, to help Veterans get the best deal possible when it comes to their mortgages. I’m
running late somewhere, a recurring and omnipresent motif in my life, and I agree to
listen to more information at some point in the future, but he immediately replies:
“Great, we can have a field agent out to you tomorrow”. I am taken aback at the speed
with which this snake oil salesman has just cornered me into agreeing to something I
really do not want, and surprised at how quickly my decision to listen to the man and
maintain some sort of conversational decorum was used against me. I take the path of
least resistance and do not try and dissuade the “mortgage professional” from finalizing
my appointment with the field officer.
Field Loan Officer Bryan K Wood pulls into my driveway behind the wheel of a dusty
late model Cadillac Coup. Black finish, black tint, black wheels, the kind of car that
needs to be ordered straight from the factory. My daughter Camille and I are sitting on
the front porch. His cologne precedes him by 20 feet. His hair an oily, salt and pepper
masterpiece. Brillo cream shining in the sun, the hair a reflection of his (I would soon
discover) equally unctuous personality. Bryan winks and firmly shakes my hand. I’ve
found that people who wink as a part of their personally designed social persona are
generally slimy and untrustworthy. Wood looks at Camille and gives a half assed “Heya
sport” or some other banal phrase used to great a child. I feel obligated to tell him that
I have recently lost my job. Any rational person would assume that this is not the most
opportune time to make any major financial decisions. I tell Bryan K Wood this and he
flashes an artificially brightened smile, winks, and assures me that my being
unemployed posed no problem at all. We sit down at my dining room table. Camille’s
motion picture du jour is Monsters Inc, and the menu music for the DVD is some Randy
Newman Art Deco song sung by Billy Crystal. And as Camille is currently upstairs tending
to issues with one of her colicky baby dolls, the 45 second snippet of song replays itself
automatically. I really don’t like to interrupt when someone is giving a presentation, and
Bryan K Wood is now in smoothtalkingnobullshitboilerroom presentation mode, casting
his bait like a salesman from Glengary, Glen, Ross as Billy Crystal sings the words to
another contribution to the Disney catalog by Randy Newman.
Bryan gives me a glossy folder with the emblems of the five United States Armed
Services. A picture of a soaring Bald Eagle in front of a waving Stars and Stripes sits
above the insignias on the right hand side of the folder. A picture of a stunning model
home under periwinkle sky amidst lush artificial turf and plastic trees dominates 75% of
the front cover. Underneath the eagle in large print: MIC Mortgage Investors
Corporation/With Over Half a Century of Service. Inside the folder an array of high gloss
copies of Microsoft Power Point graphics; a page ( look for yourself
:https://mortgageinvestors.com/growth-charts.php .) titled only “Growth Chart” shows a
near perfect exponential growth function from 1994 to 2009, each year represented by a
blue, yellow, or green three dimensional rectangle. The “X” axis of the chart is labeled
“cumulative numbers” and the “Y” axis is the amount of dollars MIC earned in each of
the last sixteen years. The “growth chart” provides no useful information pertinent to
refinancing a mortgage, which is conveniently just what MIC happens to specialize in. At
a glance, the chart gives the impression that MIC is one of the most successful mortgage
lenders in the world. Only upon closer inspection comes the realization that the chart is
devoid of substance; only used to edify the illusion of legitimacy.
On one of the inside halves of the folder are three “photographs” labeled:
Appointment Setting Center, Processing Center and Corporate Headquarters. I discover
that they are actually artistically rendered computer graphics, made with outdated
software. To give them credit, the fake buildings would be palatial if they did-in-fact
physically exist. Plastered somewhere on every page is some reference or allusion to
the Veteran’s Administration.
Bryan K Wood wants to refinance my house with a “Streamlined 3/1 VA Hybrid
Adjustable Rate Mortgage”. Gratuitously assuring me of the organization’s membership
in the Better Business Bureau He begins heralding the laurels bestowed upon MIC from
numerous business journals and magazines. He told me that they were not a Sub-Prime
lender and in no way does MIC condone the infamous squalid lending by mortgage
companies during the last 20 years. This information was provided without any
solicitation. He asks me a couple of questions about my current rate and the purchase
price of my home. Via some mathematical sleight of hand, he tells me that he can get
me a $2290 check and also save me $39 a month on my mortgage if I refinance with an
Adjustable Rate Mortgage. After 38 months at the new rate, I will have saved $8300.
On each of these sheets that Bryan is writing on, there is a caveat: “All numbers are
approximate. Final numbers may vary”. For the first 3 years, I will lock in at a rate, and
then every year after that for the thirty year life of the mortgage my interest rate is
adjustable under the discretion of MIC. There is a cap to how much the rate can go up
or down. For example, if you start the life of the loan with a 6% APR then after the
initial three years, your interest rate can only go up or down 5 percentage points. So
11% is as high as your rate could ever get. People like nice small whole numbers, and
going from 5 to 10 is a lot prettier than speaking in dollar amounts. If my math is
correct, then after refinancing with MIC into the 3/1 Hybrid ARM would, after 3 years at
a house payment of $700 including insurance and taxes, MIC takes control of your
monthly payment for 27 years. Since they have put an upper limit on the interest rate, a
“cap” to “protect our Veterans”, I assume that they want to get your rate to its highest
value as soon as possible as it will maximize their capital. Essentially after ten years if
you do not put 80% of the money you are saving each month from refinancing onto the
principal, you will be paying between $950-$1000 per month, and each year $510 goes
to the principal and $9000 goes to MIC if you originally started with a rate of 6%. And if
you can’t make the payment, they get your house.1
A picture of a man scuba diving in a vibrant coral reef adorns the side of a page titled
“You May Want To Use Your Savings To…” in the information packet. Apparently he is
able to finally take that vacation he had always dreamed about before he refinanced with
Mortgage Investors Corporation. A new SUV, three affable high school graduates smiling
and grateful for the Children’s College Education fund started with the money saved, A
family frolicking during a magical camping trip in an autumnal forest, all the photographs
depicting the fulfillment of cliche wishes. MIC and other sleazy businesses typically
display some sort of wish granting iconography on their advertisements. Among the
information packet pages, there is often an oblique and somewhat inappropriately
emphasized statement about choice. On the aforementioned page, at the very bottom,
after a list of a dozen luxury items, in small print: “Or..you might want to pay off your
house early! The choice is yours”. Well if the owner does not try to pay off their house
with the money they are going to save, then they will be in indentured servitude to the
Mortgage Investors Corporation for 27 years. They reveal the absolute minimum
amount of information as required by law and hide it among their gaudy pictures of One-
Hundred Dollar bills, American flags, happy families, growth charts, and artistically
rendered corporate offices.
Bryan K Wood finishes his pitch and moves into the “ingratiate yourself to the
mark” phase. Wood makes some claims I immediately question, as he told me that he
had recently moved to the area from Cincinnati. In an attempt to burnish my ego, Wood
gives me the “You look like the kind of guy who knows what to do around here” line. He
tells me he had recently flown his girlfriend in and they went out “downtown” the “other
1. Maybe I’m being a bit misanthropic, but I didn’t take the time to do the calculations
for any scenario in which interest rates were to go down
night” I ask where he moved to and where he had taken his girlfriend. He plays ignorant
until coaxing me into naming off some establishments before choosing one I suggest. He
then makes a couple of Big-Ten cracks, notices I am divorced and tells a couple of stock
ex-wife jokes, looks over at Camille and then dazzles me with a saccharine anecdote
involving he and his son. While getting the application information, he makes a peculiar
call to a Mr. Bob Cloud. Which, by the way,is an obnoxiously fake name which sounds
like the pseudonym of a lobotomized Wiccan Priest. Cloud starts congratulating me on
my decision to refinance with Mortgage Investors Corporation as soon as Bryan K Wood
passes me the phone. I have not yet agreed to refinance, but while I am talking to Bob
Cloud, Bryan K Wood draws up all sorts of paperwork. Bob Cloud promises to facilitate
the $2300 refund “as soon as humanly possible my man”. Maybe it is the seduction of
quick money, the present necessity of cash, or a desire to end the increasingly
uncomfortable conversation with the two pushy “closers” from MIC, but I tell them I
would think about it and get back to them. Both Bob Cloud (still on the phone for some
indiscernible reason) and Bryan K Wood 634 Sycamore Apt 3 Cincinnati ,Ohio treat my
decision to consider their offer as if I had accepted it. Maybe its the same reason I play
scratch off and mega-millions lottery tickets, or my current attempts to win or earn
enough money for some breathing room, but I give him a deposit on my credit card. I
figure that it can’t hurt, and if I do some research and I find out that I am being cynical
and Mortgage Investors Corporation are the benevolent capitalists they are making
themselves out to be then it might save me some money. Gnawing anxiety about the
repercussions of my terrible decision nearly buckles me as I walk Bryan K Wood out my
front door. His car was blocking the driveway that I share with my neighbors and had
been for the past hour preventing them from parking their car in front of their house.
He whipped out a pair of knockoff Gucci sunglasses, waved to Camille and I as he
settled in behind the wheel of his black Cadillac.
I called my dad immediately. My father’s compulsory honesty and his inability to
sugar-coat prognostications on the potential catastrophic results caused by certain
decisions I have made in the past made him perfect for such situations, when I need to
hear it straight with no trivia I call Big G. As expected, the instant he heard that I was
offered an “Adjustable Rate Mortgage” by a door-to-door Cadillac driving field loan
officer named Bryan K Wood, he groaned with sympathy and then asked “You didn’t give
them any information did you?”. I told him that I had made a deposit on my credit card,
“Oh Gordon…,” and he began a five minute diatribe on the baleful ARMs spliced with
fatherly excoriations, essentially telling me in a kind way that I had acted like a dumb
ass. He told me to hang up and call MIC immediately to cancel the Earnest Money
Deposit on my credit card. I looked at the business card that Bryan K Wood had given
me, but it only had a number to MIC’s St. Petersburg, FL Corporate Office. I called the
number and asked about getting Bryan K Wood’s cell phone number, as he had only left
my house five minutes prior. I was transferred to the “Closing Department” and spoke
with Christian Ruiz. Mountebank Ruiz ignored my question about Bryan K Wood and
started the intro to his closing bit. “Mr Speagle, I am so pleased that you have decided
to take advantage of the wonderful opportunity…” I told him that I just wanted to stop
whatever process had been initiated by Bryan K Wood and Bob Cloud. “You sure you
want to cancel, we already have the title company scheduled for a closing for next
Tuesday at your house” This was approximately 25 minutes after Bryan K Wood scurried
away in his black Cadillac parallelogram. Christian Ruiz then gave me a pretty
aggressive guilt trip. He told me that it might cost me some money to cancel, and I lost
my temper at this point. I told Ruiz that I did not want to speak with him about anything
else I just wanted verification that the application process had been stopped. He was
indignant and offended, incredulous that anyone would turn a blind eye to the once in a
lifetime opportunity of a Streamlined VA Hybrid 3/1 ARM with “Mortgage Investors
Corps” At this point he sort of dropped the act, sensing my rising irritation. All right
then, if you can just call back tomorrow we can get you all canceled and thank you for
choosing Mortgage Investors Corporation
I was furious. I sat down and tried to take stock of what next to do as far as
prophylactic measures to minimize the very real possibility of financial ruin. I called the
credit card company, and they put a freeze on the funds. At this point, I was no longer
obsessing about the worst case scenarios that had been running through my head since
I handed Bryan K Wood My card. ( For Example, Camille and I living out of my Corolla
after a foreclosure ribbon cutting by MIC CEO William Edwards on my front porch
because a rogue field loan officer split with my account number and bought $5000 worth
of Valtrex). I was close to calm when I began to look through the paperwork that Bryan
K Wood left. Rationality had taken over again, so I wanted to see where the $2000
check came into play. Both Bryan K Wood and Bob Cloud asked a very strange question
about what I was going to do with the “refund”. I told them I would probably save it due
to my current employment status. Bob Cloud said “Allllll Right my man” as if I we were
friends. This took place during the “con”, but I had just then started to piece the whole
situation together. I looked at one of the 30 or so high gloss information pages, and
noticed that with his dry erase marker, Bryan K Wood, using his aforementioned
mathematical trickery, had procured my “refund” from my escrow account for taxes and
insurance with the current lender. My property taxes and insurance premium were the
$2000 “refund” And MIC just happens to be able to get that check to you quicker for a
small fee. If I had proceeded and cashed this check, not knowing that it is escrow funds,
it would have been spent elsewhere. I would have no money set back for my property
taxes or insurance. I also looked closer at some of the other monetary figures Bryan K
Wood produced. I looked at the total cost of the loan after all the fees and closing costs,
and I was surprised to find out that I was refinancing my house at price $5000 more
than what I had paid in April. Lets say that I borrowed $100000 to buy the house, the
price of the loan jumped by $5000 covering the closing costs that MIC tacks on the back
end your mortgage. The more I looked at the bawdy promotional pages, the more
incensed I became with the company. I decided to head to the website, and it looks like
a 10 years old Geocities page with all the class and panache of the hard-copies Bryan K
Wood gave me. There was even a sheet that Bryan wanted me to fill out giving him the
names and contact information of 5 of my Veteran friends. Naturally, a translucent
American Flag is superimposed on the referral page.\
I called the MIC Corporate office starting at 8 am the following day. After I was
transferred at least 4 times, I was finally given to their legal department, the sole
member was the jurisprudent Wes Bailey, Esquire, University of Florida Gainesville Law
School Alum. I asked Wes a couple of questions. I wanted the company’s Federal Tax id
number and to know how they were getting the names of Veterans. Wes Bailey told me
that CEO William Edwards culled all the phone numbers and names himself, which
sounds a bit menial for an executive. Wes, to stop deflecting my tough questions,
attempted to refinance my mortgage and sell me on the Streamlined VA Hybrid 3/1
ARM. I was speechless at the absurdity of their lawyer now trying to sell me an ARM,
but recovered quickly and told him to have CEO William Edwards call me. I called again
later on in the evening for really no other particular reason but to annoy them. I asked
an operator in the call center why the have a artificial 3D graphics purporting as actual
photographs of their Processing Center, Corporate Office, and Appointment Setting
Center. I found a “street view” option for the supplied address on Google. The actual
“Corporate Headquarters” is a dingy building of office suites that MIC shares with a
music production company also owned by CEO William Edwards.The operator hung up
before I got an answer.
“Streamlined” is a somewhat vague term but very important part of your ARM. Veterans
are entitled to a pretty damn good deal when buying their first home. Most Vets can
close on their house with little or no money down because the Federal Government
underwrites the mortgages. The ease of a no-money down mortgage is that for the
mortgage broker, they can facilitate a rapid processing time forcing the buyer into hasty
decisions. MIC tried to schedule my closing date a week from my home appointment,
without me even agreeing to go through with it. Streamlining allows MIC to quickly
refinance a home before the buyer realizes she is making a terrible decision.
In summation, MIC advertises an Adjustable Rate Mortgage as an avenue to quick
wealth from money saved in their initial 3 year period. They have pictures of cash, cars,
happy families, and model homes, luxury items available to you now that you are saving
all sorts of money monthly with the ARM. What they do not tell you, is that unless you
put 80% of your refinancing savings on you principal, your mortgage payment will
balloon over a period of 8 years. As noted above, the math tells the true story. People
like to use nice round whole numbers, percentage points are much more tractable than
compound interest charts. Bryan K Wood assured me that through some esoteric
method based on T-Bills and the companies own discretion, interest rates have never
been raised more than five years in a row. But they have the power to adjust your rate
every quarter, so referring to time in 5 years (20 quarters) obfuscates the fact that
claiming the interest rate has not risen more than 5 consecutive years is like consoling
an upset friend with “Well at least your not dead”.
If my disgust for the rapacious usury aggressively marketed under false premises by
Mortgage Investors Corporation is not yet apparent, then I will make it as concrete as
possible. Pernicious lending tactics are unequivocally, (especially the companies peddling
ARMs) a major contributor to the economic insanity of the last 12 months. Mortgage
Investors Corporation, with suspect and cursory adherence to “regulations” manipulate
young men and women from our Armed Services into entering into a mortgage
agreement with them. This agreement, which dances in the grey area between legality
and dereliction, has the potential to devastate and ruin the lives of the homeowner.
Some of us are naturally trusting, some naive, ignorant, stupid, immature. Bryan K
Wood pitched me a program that could have ruined me if I had believed him and
followed through with the refinancing. To be real blunt, I despise people who profit by
taking advantage of others. MIC targets those they feel are any of the above, taking
advantage of every opportunity to exploit our Veterans. Our country is teetering,
Mortgage Investors Corporation is trying to tip the scale toward ruin.

Peace! If you’re in the Indianapolis area, stop by to check out InfeRed making an appearance at this open mic night.

Should be a good time, Red never fails to put on a ill live set. If you make it out, let us know what you think on here!

Peace, and open your heart, to love.

Ma uitam cu dispret la OTV acum cateva luni din greseala sau nu, cum vrajitoarea Lenuta si restu neamului de vraci tristi isi strangeau in nas energia magica cu care aveau sa-i gasesca pe Elodia si compania. Si ma gandeam ca daca ei au asemenea puteri (care ma rog nu mergeau… m-a gandit ca bateria e moarta si de asta) eu de ce nu as avea. Si chiar in noapte aceea, am avut un vis. Unul in care un panda negru cu un gratar incins in mana ii hranea cu forta pe sclavii lui care erau biciuti pana la moarte dupa ce ii mancau delicatesele.

A-ti spune ca e o prostie si eu as spune la fel si sincer sa fiu am si ras ceva. Dar mai tarziu,adica cam acum 10 minute mi-am dat seama ca am puteri paranormale. Am aflat ca panda cel negru era defapt Vanghelie iar gratarul era chiar gratarul pe care il foloseste sa de-a mici la prostime multime.

De ce spun ca am puteri paranormale totusi? Pentru ca un om a murit inecat cu un “mic electoral”… trist nu? Batranul era din Dambovita, o cam avea el cu paharutu’ ca una mica nu strica si dupa masa electorala copioasa HOP! Micul nu s-a dus in jos, omul s-a inecat si catastrofa s-a produs… PRIMUL OM OMORAT DE CAMPANIA ELECTORALA! Am reusit si asta…

Oare acum ce urmeaza? Un om s-a sinucis cu steguletul de campanie al candidatului X. S-au pentru ca e vrajeala cu gripa, micii cuiva garanta “vor avea” AH1N1. Mai e un pic si vedem atunci icebergul de distractie ce ma v-a lovi in plin pe mine, iar pe alti ii va face sa isi piarda job-urile, banii, viata…Ca de, asa e aici la noi…

P.S: Chestia cu micu’ e cat se poate de serioasa…Dumnezeu sa-l ierte pe primul om  care a fost omorat de nemiloasa campanie!

Scriam intr-un articol recent ca atunci cand esti mic te bati cu cei mici, cand esti mare te bati cu cei mari. Dar indiferent de dimensiune vrei sa fii si mai mare. Astazi vorbim despre cei mari care sunt in top, aproape de neatins, care au o reputatie solida si piete de desfacere mature, adica venituri plafonate. Ce este de facut? Caci actionarii vor mai multi bani. Raspunsul este extindere. Iar variantele sunt doua: pe verticala sau pe orizontala.

In primul caz se cumpara ori furnizorul, ori distribuitorul. Asa incat banii care ar fi ramas partenerului din aval sau din amonte ca profit sa apara acum in conturile companiei care cumpara. Practic elimina un intermediar prin inghitirea lui.

In al doilea caz extinderea se face prin patrunderea in zone geografice noi sau in alte industrii, de regula complementare. Cruciala pentru succesul afacerii in noua zona sau industrie este reputatia firmei pentru ca odata ce cumparatorii au incredere in companie si produsele ei, dezvoltarea devine mai facila.

Un astfel de exemplu este Dell care tocmai a achizitionat Perot Systems, firma care in Romania este cunoscuta mai mult datorita car-kit-urilor sale. Perot este insa in multe tari un furnizor general acceptat in industria medicala si in zonele guvernamentale iar trecerea lui in portofoliul Dell da acestuia din urma o bula mare de oxigen in ceea ce priveste vanzarile catre sectorul public unde vanzarile de echipamente IT ale lui Dell sunt aproape blocate. La randul lor produsele Perot vor beneficia de reputatia Dell si probabil vor cunoaste o crestere a cotei de piata iar in final banii, profitul si market-share-ul raman la Dell.

La ministra de Cultura, Ángeles González-Sinde, anunció la creación de un “observatorio” o “alguna herramienta” específica que vea “cómo evoluciona” lo relacionado con los contenidos en Internet y los derechos de propiedad intelectual. La ministra hizo estas declaraciones tras su participación en el XIII Foro Hispánico-Británico, en el que coincidió con su homólogo inglés Ben Bradshaw.

Preguntada por la comisión interministerial recientemente creada para abordar esa cuestión, González-Sinde apuntó que este organismo “está en la línea solicitada por la coalición de creadores con el fin de que aquellos que ponen a disposición obras a las que no tienen derecho, dejen de hacerlo”. “Se trata de ir contra las páginas que concentran productos y los ponen a disposición”, insistió.

En este sentido, la ministra de Cultura señaló que su Departamento pretende “hacer compatibles el derecho de los ciudadanos a la cultura on line con el de quienes invierten en cultura y les corresponde una compensación”. Asimismo, señaló que dentro de poco se generalizarán los soportes para los libros digitales y recordó que las industrias culturales realizan una aportación sustancial al PIB. Por ello manifestó que es preciso ser “cuidadosos” con este tema.

Respecto a las presentación de las conclusiones de la citada comisión, en la que participan ocho ministerios, González-Sinde señaló que el plazo máximo está fijado para el 31 de diciembre aunque está previsto que lleguen al Consejo de Ministros el 12 de ese mismo mes.

Desde aquí, muestro mi total indignación sobre este tema que amplía aún más los derechos de propiedad y el CopyRight

Por estas líneas todos os habréis echado ya a temblar, y es que esto es muy muy preocupante, mis queridos geeks. No more good days.

Vía| lainformacion

Tocmai am vazut cel mai mic calculator la empty:

Cine nu si-ar dori asa ceva?Mai ales un manual in care totul este explicat cum trebuie.Asta daca si gasiti ce cautati ))

Si tot la empty puteti vedea un stalp in mijlocul drumului.

iPhone 2G, 3G and 3Gs Black Cover – 99c

In-Ear 3.5 noname earphones – 99c

softpouch for 2G, 3G and 3Gs black – 12c

4X softpouch for 2G, 3G and 3Gs silver – 60c, 10c, 92c, 60c

Clear Screen Protector for 3G and 3Gs – 1c

Hands Free headphones w/ mic for 2G, 3G and 3Gs – $2.42 (iphone fake)

3X Clear Screen Protector for 3G and 3Gs – 99c

In urma cu aproximativ juma de ora, ma suna un prieten de-al meu, daca nu pot sa ii arunc Lucru pe geam. Cum evident, am fost atat de inapta si nu am reusit sa ridic plasa de la mine de la geam, am aruncat respectivul Lucru pe geamul de la baie. Fara sa ma uit unde va cadea. Cum afara este deja intuneric, iar in fata blocului meu este o gradina plina de tot felul de vegetatie luxurianta, iar pamantul este acoperit cu o plapuma de frunze cazute, Lucrul nu a putut fi gasit. Am mai aruncat un Alt Lucru pe acelasi geam, acest din urma Alt Lucru fiind gasit intr-in final, dar Lucrul nu. Evident, cel care era si inca este vital.

In gradina am o floare,

Dar cam mare de la prea mult soare,

Si cam verde ar zice unii

Dar e prietenul furtunii.

Iar de nu ti-e frica

Dai si cauta degraba

Un pachet negru si mic

Pentru prietenu’ cel sic.

Asteptand dimineata, stam si cugetam la locul in care ar fi putut ajunge Lucrul. Idei?

Video from OwnTheMix.com:

Most people will tell you that they really “LOVE” comedy. But, what they usually mean is they “LOVE” laughing, which is different than loving comedy.

What about open mic comedy? Still falls under the category of “comedy” but most people have never seen it. Or, if they have, they usually have opinions about whether it was good or not. This is understandable because most of the time it isn’t set up like a typical comedy show, which includes: comedy club setting, professional equipment and professional act.

But, if you ask a real comedy lover – they will tell you that open mic comedy is terrific. This is because material is born and raised here. Not many jokes make it to the main stage unless it passes the open mic test more than once. The real beauty of comedy is not just the final product but the process it takes to build it – including the very beginning.

Personally, I love to watch open mic night to see the development of a new joke or new comedian. There’s a lot of priceless moments you get only at an open mic. For example, the first draft of a joke before it is “good” and the jokes that don’t make the cut at all. When you look at a comedian such as Brian Regan or Bill Cosby, wouldn’t you have loved to have seen what jokes didn’t make it to the big stage? We see the polished set when it’s finished but what were the jokes that didn’t make it? Somewhere out there, some people know what those were because they were comedy lovers.

So, to truly love comedy – we need to acknowledge and appreciate the work that it took to make it funny.

If you really love comedy, visit a local show. Not only will you support a young comic but you’ll learn more about what comedy really is.

Well, folks, it’s almost time for the God MC to hit us with the latest edition to a rich body of work. The Seventh Seal,  after several delays, will be released on November 17 – fingers crossed.  I’m sure dthe drama behind the Aftermath stint and starting a new label combined to aid the lyrical pioneer with crafting witty lines that would baffle Simon Cowell.  Look out, new school.

Cand esti mic te bati cu cei mici. Cand esti mare te bati cu cei mari. E una din regulile nescrise ale business-ului. Dar fie ca esti mic sau mare vrei sa devii si mai mare. Cresterea organica, pas cu pas, nu mai e suficienta. Si atunci faci achizitii. Pentru a-ti largi aria de distributie, pentru a-ti creste competentele, pentru a-ti mari portofoliul de produse sau in cazul gigantilor, solutiile.

Este cazul HP care a facut un anunt de preluare a altei companii americane, 3Com. Conducerile celor doua firme au batut deja palma, mai ramane ca tranzactia sa fie aprobata de actionari, lucru care se va intampla fara indoiala. Miscarea HP este normala si va permite nu doar largirea portofoliului HP de la calculatoare, servere, imprimante si servicii IT catre echipamente de retea – routere si switch-uri, dar ii va permite si atacarea cu sanse mai mari de succes a imensei piete chineze.

Largirea portofoliului HP va ascuti lupta acestuia cu Cisco, alt gigant venit din retelistica si care anul acesta a intrat in segmentul serverelor, dominat in mod traditional de HP. Intrarea fiecareia din cele doua companii pe teritoriul celeilalte arata necesitatea diversificarii surselor de venit dar mai ales confirma convergenta solutiilor si tendinta de a oferi pachetul complet de produse hardware si servicii.

Pe de alta parte China nu a fost niciodata un punct forte in business-ul HP in timp ce pentru 3Com mai mult de jumatate din venituri vin de pe piata chineza in plina dezvoltare iar canalele de distributie sunt foarte dezvoltate. Achizitia va reprezenta deci o noua fundatie pentru extinderea operatiunilor HP in China.

Interconectarea echipamentelor devine noul camp de lupta in comunicatii si IT, HP nefiind singura care cumpara. La randul ei Cisco a preluat anul acesta o firma producatoare de echipamente pentru videoconferinte iar Motorola cauta inca un cumparator pentru divizia sa de echipamente de retea pentru operatorii de telecomunicatii.