Logical Republican » The Economy

Ike’s Place Great Sandwiches Terrorizing The Neighborhood

Rich — Fri, 14 May 2010 00:08:31 +0000

Only in San Francisco a company can become successful and then get sued by its neighbors for being too successful and get evicted by their landlord.

Ike’s Place, a deli which is located in the heavily gay Castro District is a Yelp.com darling. They have out-of-this-world ratings and comments, and allegedly put together some of the greatest sandwiches this side of the memory of Little Woman on 29th and Clement.

After the general public started raving about Ike’s on Yelp, the lines started and people who wouldn’t normally venture to that part of town were taking up parking spots and, heaven forbid, spending money. The tenants in the upstairs units complained about the increased traffic, and the local business decided to call their lawyers and sue Ike.

Ike’s lease is supposed to run until 2018, but the landlord wants him out on his ear so he can find a less successful tenant. His neighboring business want him out so they have less foot traffic of people they could potentially monetize. Ike’s neighbors accuse of him of “terrorizing the neighborhood.”

The good part is that it’s nearly impossible to evict anyone in San Francisco, the really stupid part is that his neighbors, instead of opening a lemonade stand and profiting from the traffic, they decide to litigate. I say we begin a boycott on his neighbors; your thoughts?!

Ike's Place Deli in San Francisco Castro District is being evicted

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Republican Radio Shows Have Highest Ratings

Rich — Wed, 12 May 2010 23:48:18 +0000

I am sure the Democrats will have a testy or humorous comeback to this, but I just read an article in a recent edition of Forbes Magazine that the three highest rated radio talk-shows in America are Rush Limbaugh 15.3 million weekly listeners, Sean Hannity with 14.3 million and Glenn Beck, with 9 million.

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Meg Whitman Fights Claims of Racism and Job Outsourcing

Rich — Mon, 10 May 2010 20:55:12 +0000

Meg Whitman, the former CEO of eBay is running for governor of California, we all know this. We also know that eBay grew leaps and bounds under her watch, and made her and many eBay employees and investors phenomenally wealthy.

The fact that people from around the world, from all walks of life and all political slants utilize the eBay platform to earn a living, seems be lost on Democrats who would elect a French poodle over any Republican, regardless of their pedigree.

When opponents cannot come up with any real beef against a candidate they grasp for straws, so let’s toss the racism card at Meg, since after all, she wants to control illegal immigration from Mexico. A perennial candidate for office, Stewart Alexander, makes these “Meg Whitman is a racist” claims for no other reason than because he can. He claims, and I quote, “Whitman’s position is racist and discriminates against Mexican-Americans.”

Immigration Control Benefits Mexican-Americans

Huh? If anything, it helps Mexican-Americans in the view of non Mexican-Americans in that there won’t be a question if they are here “legally” or if they are undocumented.

There is a huge difference between immigrating legally and going through the proper procedures versus hopping a fence and avoiding border patrols.

This leads me to a man named Osama Bedier. Osama, who?! Osama Bedier is the Vice President of New Ventures at the eBay subsidiary, PayPal.com.

Osama-Bedier-VP of PayPal-eBay

Would a woman hire a man named Osama if she were a xenophobe? Or did she hire Mr. Bedier because he was the best candidate? That is something few democrats grasp, Silicon Valley and start-up companies work on merit – if you are great, you are greatly rewarded. If you are mediocre or lazy, you’re gone. There are no unions here.

Another jab at Whitman has been that since she is pro-business, she will outsource all jobs to a far-away land, like India, and all the “real” jobs will vanish. Something to chomp on here – ex-eBay and PayPal employees have spawned companies such as YouTube.com. LinkedIn.com, Yelp.com, and Slide.com to name just a portion of the long list. In other words, she hired really smart people who left to start new companies that also hire really smart people and create more jobs.

Meg Whitman will likely become California’s next governor, despite taunts and jabs from democrats that have no muscle behind them.

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Omni Berkshire Hotel in New York, Unions and the Mafia

Rich — Fri, 16 Apr 2010 17:40:18 +0000

Is organized crime involved with union affairs in New York City? Is the mob involved with their daily operations, work stoppages and protests?

I was in Manhattan last week, and while on my way to a meeting there was a big commotion with banging drums and a group chanting, “union…union…” across the street from the Omni Berkshire Hotel on 52nd and Madison. There was a 10-foot tall inflatable rat placed in the street directly in front of the hotel’s main entrance to imply the hotel’s management is rodent-like in their dealings with their particular union.

Omni Berkshire Hotel New York Union Protests and The Mafia

It was a small gathering, maybe 20 guys who looked like rugged dudes from Hollywood Central Casting, if there indeed was a call for longshoreman and construction workers. The guys were mostly standing around looking like rugged union members tend to look, while a couple of loud-mouths did the screaming into a distorted bullhorn.

And then I saw him, in the sea of ruggedness, there he was. We made eye contact, and I made him. He wasn’t rugged, and he wasn’t a loudmouth. He was standing behind the barricade next to the HVAC guys, looking like a leftover from a Soprano’s episode. He didn’t wear a well-worn paint-stained t-shirt like the rest of the guys, calloused hands or a weathered leathery skin from decades of working in the elements. No, he had perfectly combed, slicked-back hair, a designer sweater and gold chain around his neck. It wasn’t a Sir Mix-A-Lot rope chain, but it wasn’t purchased at Zale’s for $99.00 either.

He looked how “muscle” is supposed to look, or at least how it’s portrayed in the movies.

Could he have been there to protect the “interests” of someone or some group, or protect the union workers from being harassed by hotel security or a local beat cop? Maybe.

Could he have simply been the well-dressed son of one of the protesters hanging out in the middle of the afternoon showing solidarity and support for his dad’s union? Maybe.

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Avis Rent-A-Car Scam Rip-Off at LAX

Rich — Sun, 21 Feb 2010 01:28:10 +0000

Avis Rent A Car is running a scam, a rip-off, actually, charging $13.99 for Fuel Service, refunding the fee only if you complain.

I was in Los Angeles for business yesterday and needed a car for the day, and I reserved a car online for about $50.00, including taxes and fees.

After dropping off the car, I took the shuttle back to LAX (Los Angeles International Airport), and looked at my receipt. Much to my surprise, there was a $13.99 charge for Fuel Service.

I was asked when at the counter if I wanted the “Fuel Option” where they charge you a full tank’s price regardless of how many miles you drove prior to taking possession of the car, but I declined, and said I would fill the tank, which I did at the gas station down the block from the return lot.

I called the 1-800 number on the back of the receipt and asked why I was charged $13.99. The semi-cordial customer service representative told me it was “a standard charge.” I asked why is it standard when I declined the fuel option and filled up the tank on own. She said it “just was,” without elaborating further. She then told me she would remove the $13.99 from my credit card bill “because I was unhappy with the charge.”

Please re-read the reason, “Because I was unhappy with the charge!” It was not because of an error, but because I complained. I am wondering just how many people actually check and complain and how many $13.99’s they have banked.

I am smelling a class-action lawsuit against Avis, unless I really missed something here.

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Google look alike site Goojjle launches in China

Rich — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 19:45:47 +0000

China once is again showing why patents and copyrights are meaningless, and why companies who hold such intellectual property cannot trust the Chinese government. A Google look-alike site called Goojjle has launched in China, yes, China allows a fake Google.

Goojjle a Chinese Google Look Alike

Google has had a well-publicized spat with the Chinese government regarding its alleged hacking of gmail accounts, and threatened to leave the country. This bodes well for Baidu, the Chinese-run search engine, and the rip-off artists who take others’ ideas and copy them for their own profit, without risk of backlash from the lawless Chinese government.

A similar site in a country with enforceable laws would have been taken down almost immediately, with cease and desist letters sent within minutes of Google’s legal department becoming aware of the site.

It is pretty clear that China’s government is no friend of the United States legal system, and has no interest in enforcing laws within its borders so long as it can benefit monetarily. Our government seems to turn the blind eye when it comes to foreign relations with China, not wanting to upset them for fear of something, of which I am not certain.

While I am a huge proponent of using their limitless labor pool which helps us monetize the Chinese market from sales of McDonalds, Coke and eBay, any company that decides to use this labor to build a patented product should do so at their own risk.

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Welcome to The People’s Republic of Berkeley

Rich — Fri, 22 Jan 2010 23:53:12 +0000

Why are some really smart and intelligent people Democrats? It’s a really good question to ponder, and most of these Democrats cannot really tell you why, other than “because.”

I had lunch with a friend recently who is a registered Democrat, and a graduate of U.C. Berkeley, arguably the finest public university in the United States. This person graduated with a degree in Economics, and a grade point average north of 3.5. If we add up the thousands of hours of studying in high school to keep an A-average that is required to gain admittance to Berkeley, unless you are a star athlete or an “under-represented” minority, and the additional thousands of hours to achieve the high class-standing, it is staggering. The level of sheer commitment and dedication is not only admirable it is commendable.

In review: UC Berkeley graduate who studied for thousands of hours over an eight-year period to find a great job, earn a healthy salary, drive a nice car and live in a clean, safe neighborhood is a Democrat. Q: Why? A: Because.

When asked if he felt that it would be correct to have some of his wealth re-distributed to level the playing field of life, there was a prolonged silence.

He asked for clarification, so I said, “I’m sure you know some people from high school that decided to hang out instead of study like you did, who made some dumb life choices and are now janitors, un(der)-employed or out on parole, right?”

He said, “Yeah, so, we all do…what’s the point?”

“Well, they made a choice to hang out on the corner, not study or skip going to class, while you were busting your ass to get in to Berkeley, right”

He said, “Yeah, so…the point?”

“Well, your president, the guy you voted for would like you to help them out, and not just with a hand, but a hand out…and not just once or twice, but basically forever,” I said.

“Essentially, what I am asking is this: Do you believe you should be rewarded for all your hard work, or should you be penalized for succeeding?”

“Rewarded, of course,” he said. “Why the hell should I be penalized for doing the right thing?” he asked.

My point exactly!

Why can’t more democrats and self-professed Obama lovers read between the lines and see reality? Tax investments, money that was already taxed the first time? Over tax and target the very people who start the companies that hire our citizens? This defies all logic!

Should I, he, you, or anyone who does the right thing have to support others until the day they die simply because they are too lazy to look for a job or study for a class? I am not speaking of down-on-their-luck, disabled, handicapped, mentally or physically challenged folks here, but rather those who made bad choices and make no effort to remedy the situation. Government assistance, unemployment benefits and food stamps all have a place in our society to help people and families get back on their feet, not to become a way of life.

In San Francisco, for example, the Community College, City College of San Francisco has campuses all over town which are accessible by bus. They hold day classes, night classes, weekend classes…classes during the summer, spring and fall, and even winter session. If you cannot afford the tuition there are waivers and grants; if you need child care that is also offered at no cost. Pretty sweet deal.

The People’s Republic of Berkeley

Berkeley is a unique place, where freedom of speech means that your speech better be in alignment with their opinions, or you will be shot down (figuratively), assaulted (physically) and censored. I can understand how peer pressure can turn influential 17 year-old freshmen into Kool-Aid drinking liberals, the same way a particular dictator spread goose-stepping throughout a region.

Yes, Berkeley is a place where wearing a “Proud to be a Republican” t-shirt may lead to a physical assault by those who believe in freedom of speech…Welcome to The People’s Republic of Berkeley.

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Spam Costs Us Billions Each Year

Rich — Tue, 12 Jan 2010 01:43:03 +0000

This is not a political issue though it could (should) be, as it wastes a monumental amount of our time, and costs us money, lots of money. I am not speaking of government pensions, lazy DMV workers or pothole crews that stand around drinking coffee instead of filling potholes. No, I am talking about SPAM. Spam cost Americans roughly $42 Billion in 2009 in lost productivity.

It’s not the pork shoulder and ham concoction that comes is in a blue can from Hormel, is a favorite in the Hawaiian Islands and contains more salt than a lake in Utah. No, it’s the irritating emails we all get each and every day trying to sell us something, try something at no cost, or help us get rich, really quick.

A can of Hormel Spam

Spammers are not content trying to get me to buy surplus land in Arkansas or get a free sample of paper towels. Nope, now since I am officially a blogger, they now spam my Comments section each and every day trying valiantly to get a cherished link from The Logical Republican!

Today I log in to check my emails (fortunately all comments must be approved before they appear), and what do I see: 19 Comments Awaiting Approval. Nine of them are in Russian characters, which I cannot read, so they get deleted right away. Another five are listing where you can get Viagra and Cialis online without a prescription. Then here are the funny ones – they write a semi-appropriate comment that somewhat addresses the blog topic, but, when I look closely, they have embedded a link to some company’s website trying to get a stealth link. Tricky, those Spammers.

Comments are a very valuable part of any blog, as it gives the readers a voice in what I write, and allows me to see things from another angle. The Spam is irritating, and other than filters that often do not work, there isn’t much we or I can do about this other than grin and have another slice. I like my Spam with steamed rice, a sunny-side-up egg and a dash of soy sauce!

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Ford Selling Volvo to Chinese Company Geely

Rich — Thu, 24 Dec 2009 01:23:25 +0000

Volvo was the car that was safe, boring and something that your friend’s parents drove. That was when safe meant dull, boring and I hope nobody sees me in this car.

Then they started to get a bit sporty when they paid top-dollar to have their new Volvo C70 coupe featured in the Val Kilmer movie, The Saint. Sales weren’t great, as they were competing against the Nissan Z, the Toyota Supra and Mazda RX, but they did have the cool-factor.

Volvo C70 in The Saint with Val Kilmer

The SUV craze hit and Volvo was there once again – not as a market leader but a company with a presence and a company that still pushed their safety records. Volvo was moderately cool, less dull and just as safe as our parents’ Volvo.

Owned by Ford, Volvo has been a money-loser and Ford has been seeking a buyer, and since neither General Motors or Chrysler are in the market for another under-performing car line, it was clear that either an overseas buyer would have to step up, or the brand would cease to exist similar to Saturn’s demise earlier this year. Volvo’s price tag is in the $2 billion range.

Volvo Will Now Be A Chinese Company

It was announced today that the apparent new owner of the Volvo brand name will be a Chinese company named Geely Group. Swedish car made in China. Something is really wrong with this picture.

I have no issue with Chinese-made goods, in fact I am sure I am wearing something made in China at this very moment, I have a computer monitor made in China, and use cookware made in China on most nights. I don’t place my family in any of these Chinese-made items and travel at 65 mph down the highway, that’s the difference.

Let’s be real here, China has no semblance of laws when it comes to copyright laws – they are the global leaders in counterfeit goods, they have little or no litigation, and they have very little quality control. I am not China-bashing here, just pointing out reality: Chinese goods are generally cheaper than other goods for a reason – cheap unchecked labor and no laws governing consumer protection.

I would buy a Korean-made car before I buy a Chinese-made car, and I won’t buy a Korean car. Socks, televisions, staplers, telephones, basic electronics, fine. A Volvo from China? Sorry, Charlie.

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Tipping – When Should We Tip And Whom Should We Tip

Rich — Mon, 21 Dec 2009 03:40:22 +0000

‘Tis the season to be jolly, the song goes, so we often reach a bit deeper into our pockets and drop some coins or bills into the Salvation Army red bucket outside the post office, or other worthy causes this time of year. Some of us also may slip an extra buck or two to the waiter or waitress for great service or going out of their way for us. It’s the Christmas Spirit.

This brings up the question of when to tip, how much should we tip, and who deserves a tip. I was in New York City this past week on business, and while not as bad as Chicago service workers for always having their hand out, service people in Manhattan seem to expect something for doing very little.

Cab drivers help you calculate the tip when the ride is over with a screen that shows how much 15%, 20% and 25% would amount to, on top of the fare. Dinner for four at the Roxy Deli on Broadway and 47th totaled $95.00, and the restaurant was considerate enough to add 18% on the bill as a tip regardless of how shoddy the service was. I had no choice in the matter.

The Roxy Delicatessen on Broadway in New York

Saturday morning when I was checking out of my hotel, a nice boutique hotel right off 49th and Broadway in the Theater District called The Time, the doorman who I had seen for the last few days opened the door for me and asked if I needed a cab. This doorman, other than greeting me when I walked in and out, really didn’t serve a purpose other than offering a presence at the front door, but I knew he expected a tip and I ran out of small bills. I immediately apologized, telling him, “hey, I’m really sorry…I ran out of cash…” He smiled and said it wasn’t a problem.

The Time Hotel Doorman Shakes Down The New York Taxi Driver

As we walked out into the morning cold I looked down the block at a line of taxis that were waiting for people like me who were headed to the airport, as he tried to sell me on the Lincoln Towne Car for $65.00. I told him that due to a previous experience, I prefer a yellow cab – a real taxi, and he proceeded to flag down one for me.

As the car pulled up and I put my bags into the trunk and settled into the back seat, the previously friendly doorman began shaking down the cab driver. It went something like this:

Doorman: Hey, you gonna take care of me?

Cabby: Huh, what do you mean?

Doorman: You know what I mean, you gotta take care of me if you sit in front of my hotel. That’s how it works.

Cabby: That’s not right…

Doorman: C’mon…(as he rubs his fingers together)

Cabby: (handing over a couple of dollars and quickly pulling away) That’s wrong…

I wound up covering the few dollars the doorman extorted from the cab driver, and I am not sure if he did this to cover for the $2 he didn’t get from me, or if he does this to every taxi driver, but it doesn’t leave a very good taste in the mouth of the hotel guest as he or she heads back home. I would stay at the hotel again, I just won’t trust the hotel’s staff.

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