Víctor Lei
Friday, February 11, 2011
Your Fate Of Life
Human's life just like a speciality dish with five different tastes, salty, sour, bitter, spicy and sweet. That's the fate of life, and you have to taste them all. Unfortunately, I never taste sweet. Many people look down on me, my relatives, my colleagues, they all think I'm useless. Every time when I heard that, it just tastes like something bitter and sour…
Thursday, February 10, 2011
FW: Re: Amazon customer inquiry: Received Damaged, Defective, or Wrong item norman blumberg
what a poor guy... You are such a poor guy...
----Forwarded Message----
From: lei_victor@sbcglobal.net
To: wnwhhz51c08rt8c@marketplace.amazon.com
Sent: Wed Dec 1st, 2010 4:52 PM PST
Subject: Re: Amazon customer inquiry: Received Damaged, Defective, or Wrong item norman blumberg
Hi, thanks for your email.
First I would like to apologize anything that causes inconvenience and
misunderstandings. But if you take a look on the packaging slip that enclosed
in the shipment, at the "comments" line, I put on this statement in all capital
letters: "IMPORTANT: SCREEN PROTECTOR IS NOT INCLUDED" I'm selling the case
only, not with the screen protector.
I'm so sorry that something makes you misunderstand, I did not intend to cheat
or to do something like that, but it has been the problem of Amazon.com for
years, especially for those individual sellers. What I mean is that Amazon.com
doesn't allow non-professional individual sellers to create their own product
page or listings, while eBay allows sellers to do so. In many cases, sellers can
only list an item under the Amazon.com's pre-created listings. That's what it
happened. I could only list the item under the product with the closest
description. What I could do was to put a statement on the "comments" line and
tell the buyers what would be missing with the product, I also tried to keep the
price as low as possible to deduct the price of things that missed. I know that
it often causes problems of misunderstanding, I asked the people at Amazon.com
if there was a solution, they said I could create my own product page on their
website only if I sign up as a "Pro Seller", which cost me $40 a month. $40 a
month, that is a huge expense for me, I only sell two or three items a month on
average, With $40 a month, I have to sell about 45 - 50 of those protective
cases you bought each month to fully cover the monthly cost and other fees and
expenses.
Again, I'm sorry about that inconvenience. If you would like a refund, simply
return it to me before Wednesday 12/8, and I'll be happy to initiate a refund.
Thank you very much for understanding and wish you have a great day.
________________________________
From: norman blumberg - Amazon Marketplace
<wnwhhz51c08rt8c@marketplace.amazon.com>
To: marshallpgov <lei_victor@sbcglobal.net>
Sent: Wed, December 1, 2010 3:56:20 PM
Subject: Amazon customer inquiry: Received Damaged, Defective, or Wrong item
norman blumberg
Order ID 002-9841801-4771428:
1 of 4G Touch Twin Pack Black & Clear Silicone Protective Armour Case Cover +
Screen Protector Kit for New Apple iPod Touch 4th Generation - 8GB 32GB 64GB
[ASIN: B0041NO012]
------------- Begin message -------------
I got 2 pieces of gel that fit on the back of the ipod.I got nothing to protect
the screen--gel or screen protector. I ordered a screen protector and it was not
included and it says that on the invoice. What's the deal? I order something and
I don't get the full product. I want to return this but I'm not paying the
postage because it is not worth it. What I can do is give you negative feedback
about this product and the seller. I'm not that kind of person but I don't like
ordering something and not getting what I ordered.
If you send me a screen protector I will be satisfied. Otherwise, negative
feedback and a call to Amazon will be necessary.
------------- End message -------------
For Your Information: To help arbitrate disputes and preserve trust and safety,
we retain all messages buyers and sellers send through Amazon.com for two
years. This includes your response to the message above. Amazon.com uses
filtering technology to protect buyers and sellers from possible fraud.
Messages that fail this filtering will not be transmitted.
We want you to buy with confidence anytime you purchase products on Amazon.com.
Learn more about Safe Online Shopping
(http://www.amazon.com/gp/help/customer/display.html?ie=UTF8&nodeId=10412241)
and our safe buying guarantee
(http://www.amazon.com/gp/help/customer/display.html?ie=UTF8&nodeId=537868).
[commMgrTok:AW6EB4J6I09GH]
Scavengers cash in on illegal recycling around SF
Scavengers cash in on illegal recycling around SF
- view video -
Many cashing in on recycling rip-offs around SF
Video updated on: 2011.02.09 at 07:01 PM PST
San Francisco lawmakers opened the debate on Wednesday over who should get the city's lucrative recycling contract. Trash is big business, but it's also a source of income for some and it's not always legal.
It's the night before trash pickup in SoMa and the recycling bins are being raided. Rikki Ercoli sent us uReport video he filmed earlier this month, and it infuriates him to see people taking recyclables from his bin.
"Here in San Francisco, we love recycling. I know I do, but 100 percent of my efforts are going directly into the hands of people I'm not doing the work for. If it was going to the city, great, but it's not," he said.
In fact, fewer bottles and cans for the Recology Company to pickup and sell is said to ultimately cost consumers about $5 million a year. Much of that theft comes from organized rings, and Ercoli said trucks pick up the ripped off recyclables on his block.
"So it affects increases in your garbage bill in future years. If that material is stolen, the money is stolen with it," Robert Reed from Recology said.
Stealing recyclables is illegal and state and local penalties are as much as $2,000. The District Attorney's Office recently put out a newsletter calling it, "The issue of the month." For many neighborhoods, it's a quality of life issue with noise and litter. One strategy being discussed is reducing the cash incentive and Supervisor Scott Wiener is considering pushing for a change in state law to require recycling centers to offer vouchers for food and other products instead of money.
"We've seen in the areas around some recycling centers some issues around alcohol abuse and drug dealing," he said.
Ed Dunn runs a recycling center and is critical of the proposal to swap cash for food.
"The vast majority are very middle class people who might want to use the money for rent or to fill up their tank again," he said.
The voucher program would be a change in state law, so Wiener wants to make sure he has enough support before he moves forward with that.
uReport:
Take part in the news. Upload videos and photos to uReport.abc7news.com , or e-mail them to uReport@kgo-tv.com .
Story posted 2011.02.09 at 07:05 PM PST
All material © 2011 ABC Inc., KGO-TV Inc. & 2004-2011 LSN, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
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Víctor Lei
Long lines expected for new Verizon iPhone
Long lines expected for new Verizon iPhone
- view video -
Long lines expected for new Verizon iPhone
Video updated on: 2011.02.10 at 12:03 AM PST
Verizon will start selling the new iPhone on Thursday. Up until now, AT&T had an exclusive hold on the ubiquitous Apple device. So now many are wondering how this will affect the iPhone's performance on either network.
San Francisco users are hoping this new phone improves iPhone service if it means that fewer people will be clogging up AT&T's network. The consensus from many local iPhone users is that they love the iPhone, but hate the service.
The doors open early at 7 a.m., but workers at the Verizon store on Market Street are bracing for lines before the sun even comes up.
"We are expecting people to line up at wee hours of the morning and we are expecting it to be nuts," said Krysten Gregg, the Verizon store manager.
It could be as nuts as the worst kept secret in the tech world -- Verizon's iPhone launch. The phone goes on sale this week and many smart phone users have one word to say..."finally!"
"I came in to move from AT&T to Verizon," said James Roten, a San Francisco iPhone customer.
AT&T has been the exclusive carrier of the Apple iPhone and in San Francisco AT&T has become synonymous with dropped calls and complaints about service. Roten can't wait to make the switch.
"Their service is horrible, it's absolutely horrible. I can't tell you how many times a day my calls get dropped," said Roten.
"People have really looked to Verizon's as sort of the answer to their prayers," said Kent German, a CNET senior editor.
This cell phone columnist is testing the phone for a review and his take so far is that it is better.
"In our testing at CNET we found that the Verizon phone for right now does make better calls, connects faster, it can connect to more calls," said German.
But as to whether a Verizon iPhone will mean less demand on AT&T's network and therefore fewer dropped calls, German said it's too early to tell. It may also be too early to tell whether there will even be enough Verizon iPhones to go around on Thursday morning.
"People want to know will we have them in stock and will they be able to rely on our network? The answer is they will be able to rely on our network, absolutely," said Gregg. When asked if they will have them in stock, she said, "I'm not sure. We're excited to sell them like hotcakes."
So what might happen to Verizon's service if people line up to buy the new iPhone? Will all the new users flood the system as many say it has with AT&T? German said Verizon has likely learned from AT&T's mistakes and won't let that happen.
However, even if you wait in line, you may not be able to walk away with the phone. There's another catch -- iPhone users under contract with AT&T will have to pay to switch to Verizon service, and it may cost up to $325.
Story posted 2011.02.09 at 11:56 PM PST
All material © 2011 ABC Inc., KGO-TV Inc. & 2004-2011 LSN, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
....
Víctor Lei
Wednesday, February 9, 2011
Job seekers hit pavement again at Concord job fair
Job seekers hit pavement again at Concord job fair
- view video -
ABC7 is co-sponsoring a free job fair in Concord
Updated on: 2011-02-08 15:25:34
- view video -
Job seekers hit pavement again at Concord job fair
Updated on: 2011-02-08 23:06:11
There is some discouraging news, if you're hunting for a job. Employers advertised 3.1 million job openings in December -- that's a drop of 140,000 from the month before. Temp jobs, construction, manufacturing, education, even medical jobs all dropped off. Still, there were dozens of jobs available in Concord at an ABC7/Job Journal HIREvent.
Job hunters attended a job fair to meet with recruiters. Talking to a recruiter is a great first step; next is going to the company online.
"We are looking for individuals who love to wake up in the morning and come to work and make another person's day," says Ayana Stevenson from Umpqua Bank.
The lines are still long, but the opportunities are few. Unemployment in Contra Costa County is nearly 11 percent. Companies are offering jobs, but not as many as they once did.
"It's brutal because all the different companies are looking… they know they have the upper hand, so to speak," says Catrin Tiscareno, a job seeker.
Tiscareno has been out of a job for four months. The man standing in line in front of her has been looking for six months for a banking job, which has made his personal finances challenging.
At the job fair networking is important. Patience and a great resume are required.
"We try to determine why it may not be working for them. Then we try to give them pointers on how to strengthen the resume," says Linda Hamilton from Hamilton Resume Services.
State figures show there have been seasonal job gains, but it's still a tough market.
"The employers are coming out of a brutal recession. So they're slowly starting to hire more, but once again we would like to see more jobs out there," says Kathy Caricato from the Jobs Journal.
Next Job Fair
Tuesday, March 8, 2011
12 p.m. - 4 p.m.
Hotel Whitcomb
1231 Market Street
San Francisco, CA 94103
1-888-THE-JOBS
Story posted 2011.02.08 at 08:08 PM PST
All material © 2011 ABC Inc., KGO-TV Inc. & 2004-2011 LSN, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
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Víctor Lei
Woman billed $8,000 for cigarette back taxes
Woman billed $8,000 for cigarette back taxes
- view video -
Woman billed $8,000 for cigarette back taxes
Updated on: 2011-02-07 22:08:10
The state is intensifying pressure on consumers to pay taxes on purchases made online. Shoppers who buy items from out of state retailers online don't get charged a sale tax, but are expected to pay them later. Many don't and now the state is stepping up efforts to go after those it finds out about.
"I'm pretty upset. I don't think it's fair. I mean, why should I be held responsible? They should already be charging the tax," Anita Dealmeida said.
She recently received final notice for the collection of about $8,000 in back taxes, including $2,000 in interest and penalties. The taxes were for cigarette purchases she made online for clients at Tia Maria's Family Home, an assisted living center she runs for the developmentally disabled.
"We have clients that smoke and we're on a limited income, so when we can find the cheapest, that's the route we go," Dealmeida said.
The Hayward resident purchased the cigarettes between 2005 and 2007 and she says the cigarettes were bought so long ago, she doesn't even remember where she bought them and wonders why the retailer didn't collect the tax back then.
Betty Yee, chairwoman of the State Board of Equalization, explains the law doesn't require out of state retailers to collect taxes, but those that sell cigarettes are required to report its sales to the state under the federal Jenkins Act passed in 1949.
"Often times, we have a lag of when the out of state retailer provides the information to us about the purchaser in California. We will work with any purchaser to reconcile what really took place," Yee said.
The Jenkins Act applies only to cigarette sales. Consumers are required to pay tax on other out-of-state Internet purchases including computers and electronics, but compliance is pretty much voluntary. In December, the Board of Equalization approved a new fine on all delinquent taxpayers.
"Those who still owe excise taxes and sale taxes on Internet purchases of cigarettes and have not paid their liability are subject to a new cost recovery collection, cost recovery fee," Yee said.
The fee ranges from $195 to $925 and the stakes are high. California estimates its owed $50 million in back taxes for cigarette purchases alone and $1.3 billion in back taxes for all out of state sales.
"I can understand if I owe the tax, I'll pay the tax. It's the interest and penalties I'm not OK with when I wasn't notified," Dealmeida said.
She says the final notice she received in late December was actually the first time she had been notified she owed the tax and just a few days ago, her bank informed her that the state had removed from her account nearly $8,000 in back taxes, interest and penalty.
"So I will definitely personally help her and if the invoices need to get resolved, I will certainly give her assistance to help her do that," Yee said.
Yee says out of state purchases can be reported on your state income tax form or via a use tax return. Since 2006, the state has collected about $6 million in delinquent cigarette sales taxes.
Story posted 2011.02.08 at 01:34 PM PST
All material © 2011 ABC Inc., KGO-TV Inc. & 2004-2011 LSN, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
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Víctor Lei
Lee, supes hope to keep Twitter headquarters in SF
Lee, supes hope to keep Twitter headquarters in SF
- view video -
Lee, supes hope to keep Twitter headquarters in SF
Updated on: 2011-02-08 21:34:25
San Francisco's mayor and two supervisors emerged from behind closed doors on Tuesday and announced what they hope will be a deal to keep Twitter from leaving the city and entice new businesses to move in.
The social media company has outgrown its current location on Folsom Street. Twitter had 22 employees in January 2009 and has 350 today. The company has talked about leaving San Francisco for larger and possibly cheaper space.
San Francisco officials are now hoping to offer tax breaks to Twitter and any other company that relocates to the seedy side of Market Street. The area between 5th and 10th streets is in desperate need of revitalization and legislation proposed by Mayor Ed Lee, and Supervisors David Chiu and Jane Kim would exempt the companies who locate in that area from paying the payroll tax on any new employees hired for six years.
"I would be very disappointed if I didn't have the facts in front of me, but I'm fully confident," Lee said.
"What we're doing is saying there's going to be an opportunity if they grow jobs that don't exist, for those new jobs not to lead to a payroll tax," Chui said.
Gabriel Metcalfe is the director of SPUR, a public policy think tank that focuses on urban issues. He says as long as the deal isn't just for Twitter, he thinks it's a great idea.
"If it's the whole area, if it's geographically targeted for a place that needs the help, if it's for new jobs, it's a great idea," he said.
Supervisor John Avalos isn't so sure and worried the proposed tax break will set a bad precedent with other corporations threatening to leave town unless they get exemptions.
"We have an economic downturn. Do we have to give away all the stores so that we attract corporations to be here," he said.
Twitter had no comments other than an official saying, "We prefer conversations behind closed door and not in public."
Story posted 2011.02.08 at 07:15 PM PST
All material © 2011 ABC Inc., KGO-TV Inc. & 2004-2011 LSN, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
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Víctor Lei
Facebook moving to Menlo Park from Palo Alto
Facebook moving to Menlo Park from Palo Alto
- view video -
Facebook moving to Menlo Park from Palo Alto
Updated on: 2011-02-08 21:30:25
Social media is on the move -- not just virtually, but literally here in the Bay Area. Facebook has outgrown its headquarters in Palo Alto and is moving to Menlo Park. Nine existing buildings on roughly one million square feet of space will make up Facebook's new campus in Menlo Park.
"Facebook has been looking for a place, a setting where we could plant some roots, pull together all our Bay Area employees in an area where they can work together collaboratively, feed off each other's energy and ideas and build the future of the company," Facebook CFO David Ebersam said.
Facebook struck a deal with Oracle to lease the complex for 15 years with an option to buy in five. The amount was not disclosed. Oracle purchased former tenants Sun Microsystems in 2009 and then laid off thousands of Sun employees. Facebook has started remodeling the first of the nine buildings.
"That building will hold about 500 folks and it will be ready in the June/mid-June time frame," Facebook Director of Real Estate John Tenanes said.
The goal is for Facebook to have most of its 1,400 Bay Area employees on campus within 12 months. The company will keep its Palo Alto facilities until the leases expire in 2013.
Facebook told reporters the company did not receive any tax breaks from the city. Menlo Park's mayor said with Facebook, the future looks good for the city.
"And we are going to be able to do some things that this city hasn't been able to do in years and that is bring more revenue and planning and ideas into that community," Mayor Richard Cline said.
Facebook also purchased a second 22-acre property across from the new campus. Both are connected by a pedestrian tunnel. That too will eventually be developed.
"We are in it for the long term and have every hope and expectation that the area around it can be a place that grows and offers and interesting amenities and service that our employees enjoy," Ebersam said.
Bez Zahedi owns a restaurant in downtown Menlo Park. He is worried any expansion in that area will affect small businesses, especially restaurant owners.
"I was excited to have them hopefully bring some business to small businesses in downtown Menlo Park and other areas, but hearing that they plan to have their own malls and facilities over there is a little concerning," Zahedi said.
On March 5, Facebook and city officials will hold a public planning session to get feedback on how Facebook will best fit into the community.
Story posted 2011.02.08 at 06:33 PM PST
All material © 2011 ABC Inc., KGO-TV Inc. & 2004-2011 LSN, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
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Víctor Lei
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