Wednesday, October 19, 2011

Buy American and Save Bucks

Found this writing on the Net. Re-post here.

Buy American and Save Bucks

This probably sounds crazy, but just yesterday I was in Wal-Mart looking for a wastebasket. I found some made in China for $6.99. I didn't want to pay that much so I asked the lady if they had any others. She took me to another department and they had some at 2.50 made in USA. They are just as good.

Same as a kitchen rug I needed. I had to look, but I found some made in the USA and they were 3.00 cheaper. We are being brain washed that everything that comes from China and Mexico is cheaper. Not so. That is also why I don't buy cards at Hallmark anymore. They are made in China and are expensive. I buy them at Dollar Tree.... 50 cents each and made in USA.

One Light Bulb at a Time

A physics teacher in high school, once told the students that while one grasshopper on the railroad tracks wouldn't slow a train very much, a billion of them would. With that thought in mind, read the following, obviously written by a good American ...

Good idea. One light bulb at a time...

Check this out. I can verify this because I was in Lowe's the other day for some reason and just for the heck of it I was looking at the hose attachments. They were all made in China .

The next day I was in Ace Hardware and just for the heck of it I checked the hose attachments there. They were made in USA. Start looking...

In our current economic situation, every little thing we buy or do affects someone else - even their job. So, after reading this email, I think this lady is on the right track. Let's get behind her!

My grandson likes Hershey's candy. I noticed, though, that it is marked made in Mexico now. I do not buy it any more.

My favorite toothpaste Colgate is made in Mexico... now I have switched to Crest. You have to read the labels on everything.

This past weekend I was at Kroger. I needed 60W light bulbs and Bounce dryer sheets.

I was in the light bulb aisle, and right next to the GE brand I normally buy was an off-brand labeled, " Everyday Value ." I picked up both types of bulbs and compared the stats they were the same except for the price . . .

The GE bulbs were more money than the Everyday Value brand but the thing that surprised me the most was the fact that GE was made in MEXICO and the Everyday Value brand was made in - get ready for this - the USA in a company in Cleveland , Ohio.

So throw out the myth that you cannot find products you use every day that are made right here.

So on to another aisle - Bounce Dryer Sheets... yep, you guessed it, Bounce cost more money and is made in Canada... The Everyday Value brand was less money and MADE IN THE USA! I did laundry yesterday and the dryer sheets performed just like the Bounce Free I have been using for years and at almost half the price!

My challenge to you is to start reading the labels when you shop for everyday things and see what you can find that is made in the USA - the job you save may be your own or your neighbors!

If you accept the challenge, pass this on to others in your address book so we can all start buying American , one light bulb at a time! Stop buying from overseas companies!
(We should have awakened a decade ago...)

Let's get with the program and help our fellow Americans keep their jobs and create more jobs here in the USA.

Monday, September 26, 2011

Spam Text Message from 92466502

Few minutes ago, someone from 92466502 send me a text message. As usual, I ignored the strange message and blocked it using the tool from wireless company. Google 92466502, I found a lot complaints against this short code.

Thursday, September 15, 2011

Netflix

When they raised the price, they lost customers. Lost customers means its stock goes South.

What's a mistake! How do they fix?


Wednesday, September 14, 2011

Which side of the fence?

Found this from internet. It make me laugh. So, repost here to share.

If you ever wondered which side of the fence you sit on, this is a great test!

If a Republican doesn't like guns, he doesn't buy one.
If a Democrat doesn't like guns, he wants all guns outlawed. 
If a Republican is a vegetarian, he doesn't eat meat.
If a Democrat is a vegetarian, he wants all meat products banned for everyone.


If a Republican is homosexual, he quietly leads his life. 
If a Democrat is homosexual, he demands legislated respect. 

If a Republican is down-and-out, he thinks about how to better his situation. 
A Democrat wonders who is going to take care of him. 

If a Republican doesn't like a talk show host, he switches channels. 
Democrats demand that those they don't like be shut down. 

If a Republican is a non-believer, he doesn't go to church. 
A Democrat non-believer wants any mention of God and religion silenced. 

If a Republican decides he needs health care, he goes about shopping for it, or may choose a job that provides it. 
A Democrat demands that the rest of us pay for his. 

If a Republican reads this, he'll forward it so his friends can have a good laugh. A Democrat will delete it because he's "offended".

Sunday, August 28, 2011

Jobs is a Key to Economic Recovery

Jobs is a key to economic recovery. Without jobs, people cannot spending. When people don't have money to spend, how can business can sell the house, the car, the TV, the smart phone, etc? When people have income, they can pay the tax, contribute to the church or other charity organization.

So, we need to create more jobs. The first step to create more jobs is stop sending jobs to oversea. Government need to reduce number of H1B visa. Stop offshore outsourcing.

There is no short of talents in technology as long as you are willing to hire and to train American citizens or residents.

Friday, August 19, 2011

HP

HP was one of my favorite company when I was in college thirty years ago. Now, this finest company was ruined by incompetent executive. I did not buy HP stock since Carly Fiorina left. I'm total agree with Jeff Reeves on his article posted on Marketwatch:
"Hewlett-Packard is everything that’s wrong with corporate America right now — stupidity, a lack of innovation, bloated operations and no leadership."
The original founders, board of directors and stockholders need to kick these incompetent executives out of the Hewlett-Packard. Yesterday, HP stocked down more than 6%. Today, downed more than 20%.

Just waiting for HP down to single digit, below $10.

H-P Shares Dive to 6-Year Low - WSJ.com

Sunday, August 14, 2011

Protect your privacy data when looking for job

When I'm looking for job, I make up another new email for job searching. Why?
  • Should my current employer know I'm looking for job? Note: Don't use your work email!
  • To deter spam. My brand new email for job search start getting spam as soon as I signed up at a big, well known job listing web site. Sorry, I cannot disclose the name of this big and well know job listing web site.
Should I use my cell phone? No. I don't want the recruiters disturb me. I use my Google Voice. I love this free tool from Google.

Should I disclose my address? No. I don't want people using Google Maps or similar tools on the web to view my home. I let you know my city in general. That's enough.

Should I disclose my current salary? No. I don't want disqualify myself for a chance to talk to hiring manager.

Should I disclose my social security? No. Sent me the offer and I will release my social security if you need to do background check.

Should I disclose my driver license or identification number? Nope. Same reason as above.

As you know, 99% your job application will not read by hiring manager but data mining for marketing companies are reading. There, you get bulk of spam and naked on the web.

Friday, August 12, 2011

Chinese Households Save More than American Households

According to Researchers at the University of Missouri: "Urban Chinese households, on average, save much more than American households."

So, wake up America!

Wednesday, July 20, 2011

Sell Apple?

It was a question I asked myself after Apple Quarter 3-2011 Earning Report. I think Apple will have a good earning in next few year? Should I sell on the news, take profit, and buy back later as I did last time?

What if I cannot buy it back? Apple continue move up or never come back to the price I sell. I made a mistake with Costco, Target and many good stock.

So, back to the basic. Why I bought Apple? Was it a trade or an investment?

Monday, July 18, 2011

Google Plus

Finally, I joined Google+. The invitation came from +Boris Veldhuijzen van Zanten at socialstatistics.com after I requested one day. I could not wait for the Google+ invitation from Google.

Google+ is awesome. I like it more than Facebook. If you need a Google+ invitation, I can send one or visit http://socialstatistics.com/ to ask.

Wednesday, June 15, 2011

iPhone or iPod Touch

Finally, customer can buy an unlocked iPhone in U.S. A 16GB unlocked (GSM) iPhone 4 sell for $649 at Apple web site.

But, you can buy a 32GB iPod Touch for $299 at the same store (Apple online)?

If you can make a phone call using Skype, Google Voice, or by other app with iPod Touch, which one should you buy?

Sunday, June 12, 2011

Android or iPhone App?

The question is not which one is better. But, it's a privacy issue. For the same application, if it have two versions: one for Android platform and one for iPhone or iPod Touch, I will check to see which permission should I grant for an Android app. iPhone, iPod Touch, and iPad does not give me that choice. Since I have no way to know what privilege an iOS application exercise on my mobile device, I will not using the iPhone. My iPod Touch and iPad does not contain any sensitive information like my contact, my phone number, so it's Ok.

For Android app, if it ask for
READ PHONE STATE AND IDENTITY
Allows the application to access the phone features of the device. An application with this permission can determine the phone number and serial number of this phone, whether a call is active, the number that call is connected to and the like.
or
READ CONTACT DATA
Allows an application to read all of the contact (address) data stored on your device. Malicious applications can use this to send your data to other people
I will not download to my Android phone. I may download to my iPod Touch or iPad if I need. Thus, if someone say there are more iPhone app download than Android app, is wrong.

I play the game, why you need to read phone state and identity or contact data? The game and many application just need this permission:

FULL INTERNET ACCESS
Allows an application to create network sockets.

I have chess.com game and Huffington Post on both Android and iOS devices because they don't ask for the right to read my phone state or my contact data.

Friday, June 10, 2011

What should you do when you receive the spam text?

Although I have unlimited text message plan, I don't like spam. It's really disturb my life.

Here my actions regarding to spam text message:
1. Go to my wireless company web site to block the phone. I hope my wireless company give me more numbers to block and no expiration date.
2. File complaint at https://complaints.donotcall.gov/complaint/complaintcheck.aspx
3. File complaint at FCC Consumer Complaints (http://esupport.fcc.gov/complaints.htm)
4. Post comment at these sites:
  • http://www.numberinvestigator.com/
  • http://mrnumber.com/
  • http://whocalled.us/
  • http://whocallsme.com/
  • http://phonenotes.org/
  • http://800notes.com/
Why we must pay to receive the spam text? When our congress take action regarding to this kind of spam?

Saturday, May 14, 2011

Buy Back Apple

Last Friday,when market down, I had a chance to buy back Apple. I sold it couple weeks ago to take profit. Since Apple is a good company, I followed it to see a change to buy back again. Yeah! This time, I bought it less than the last time I purchase it. I was so happy. Should I keep it for long term?

Monday, May 9, 2011

YouTube Movies vs. Netflix

Google has new update on YouTube Movies. They just add thousands films from major Hollywood studios to YouTube. Wow! It's good. There is a movie I cannot watch instantly on Netflix but I cannot watch on YouTube for $2.99/day or $3.99 for a new movie like "The King's Speech". However, it's still expensive in compare with Netflix. With $9.99 plan, I can watch unlimited movies, TV episodes, DVD by mail. I can pause the movie for more than 24 hour.

Sunday, May 8, 2011

Beware of Text Messages (SMS)

First, it would cost you 20¢ per text to receive. If the marketing companies send you a text message to advertise or promotion their product, why you must pay to receive unwanted text message? Why the wireless service providers did not do similar as with the traditional mail: Charge the sender? If you cannot charge, then don't send it to your customer. When the congress take care this issue?

Second, there is another kind of text message called premium text message. This kind of premium cost you more in addition to standard rate. You may pay from $1.99 to $9.99. The charge maybe one time or recurring.

If you search for keyword "premium text message", there are a lot of entries regarding to fraud, scam, abuse, complaint.

Bottom line, do not reply to unsolicited commercial text message. If they send again, reply with "STOP". Again, why we must spend another 20 cents to tell the spammer stop?

Related articles:
Premium TXT Message Scam - Verizon Wireless Community
Red Tape - Price for 'premium' text messages? $10,000

Monday, April 25, 2011

Do you password protect your wireless?

If not, read this AP's article: NY case underscores Wi-Fi privacy dangers
BUFFALO, N.Y. – Lying on his family room floor with assault weapons trained on him, shouts of "pedophile!" and "pornographer!" stinging like his fresh cuts and bruises, the Buffalo homeowner didn't need long to figure out the reason for the early morning wake-up call from a swarm of federal agents.
That new wireless router. He'd gotten fed up trying to set a password. Someone must have used his Internet connection, he thought.
"We know who you are! You downloaded thousands of images at 11:30 last night," the man's lawyer, Barry Covert, recounted the agents saying. They referred to a screen name, "Doldrum."
"No, I didn't," he insisted. "Somebody else could have but I didn't do anything like that."
"You're a creep ... just admit it," they said.
Law enforcement officials say the case is a cautionary tale. Their advice: Password-protect your wireless router.
Read more at http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20110425/ap_on_re_us/us_wi_fi_warning

According to a blog written by Dancho Danchev posted at ZDNet year ago: Wardriving police: password protect your wireless, or face a fine
Internet users in Germany, whose wireless networks are left password unprotected, can be fined up to 100 euros, according to a recent ruling by Germany’s top criminal court.

Wednesday, April 6, 2011

Why Xoom cannot killl iPad?

Obviously, the price. With $499, you can have a cool tablet, an iPad 2 16GB with Wi-Fi, to use. Why I need to spend another $100 for 32GB Motorola Xoom Wi-Fi? Can Motorola produce a 16GB with cheaper price than iPad 2?

Monday, April 4, 2011

Trying Ubuntu 11.04 Natty Narwhal

Few days ago, I downloaded a beta version of Ubuntu 11.04 Natty Narwhal to try. A new GUI called Unity look nice, give more room to view but it hard to use. To switch from one application to another application, I much click more. Folks at UbuntuForums.org showed me how to back to the Classic GUI.

If a geek is getting difficult in playing Unity in Ubuntu 11.04, how come an ordinary user can use. It look like Canonical turn away a lot of users beginning with this version. The key point of a sucess operating system is a usability. It must be easy to use.

Sunday, March 20, 2011

AT&T buys T-Mobile USA

It's make sense when AT&T buys T-Mobile USA. Both using GSM technology. Verizon will not sit out. To maintain their position as number 1 wireless company in USA, I guess Verizon will acquire Sprint. Verizon and Sprint using CDMA technology. But how much? what the deal? Sprint has one problem. Its debt.

Saturday, March 19, 2011

Open Source Personal Financial Accounting Software

For years I used Intuit Quicken to keep track my checking, stock trading,... in Microsoft Windows PC. Now, I used Ubuntu Linux most of the time. Thus I'm going to find an Open Source software similar as Intuit Quicken in Microsoft Windows. GnuCash, Grisbi or Homebank, which one is good? Which one can import my stuff from Quicken and export tax in TXF format? Let Google to find out other's comments and download to experience by myself

Wednesday, March 9, 2011

Time for Free Text Message

Few days ago, I received couple spam text messages (SMS). I logged into my wireless account to place a block. Next, I filed a complaint at DoNotCall.gov. Why I must paid for unwanted text messages from others? Why the wireless companies like Verizon, AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile,... charge the sender for the fee like the post office charge them for mailing or phone company bill them for cold calling?

With the free text message offered by Google Voice, TextPlus, TextNow and TextFree, why we need to pay to receive a text message?

It's time for wireless phone companies stop billing customers for receiving text messages (SMS) or no charge for both send and receive text messages.

Thursday, January 27, 2011

Tuesday, January 11, 2011

Is Pinger Textfree Good?

I don't think so. Few months ago, I installed Pinger Textfree app on my iPod Touch. I tested it by text to my own cell phone number. Few days later, I got a spam SMS sent to my cell. I owned this cell number for a long time and never got any strange text. I tested Pinger Textfree again. This time I text to my private Google Voice number. This number I had it for about a year and never use. Few days later, I got spam on my Google Voice number. Since Pinger Textfree allow user send to email, I created a new Yahoo email just to test Pinger Textfree. Yes, this brand new Yahoo e-mail got spam.

Since that time, I never use Pinger Textfree to send text or email to my friends. I don't want them got spam. On my iPod Touch, I will use Google Voice to text but not Pinger Textfree.