Apple Stores in China – Not!

I gotta say reading about the multiple  fake Apple stores in China was absolutely a riot! Even the employees didn’t know they didn’t know they were working for Apple. A few have closed but I’m sure there are a few that are still in business!

I truly wonder what will Steve Jobs do about these stores. I’m sure one will close and another will open..With the enormous popularity of the Apple line in China, it’s a catch-22 for Apple.. counterfeit stores versus immense revenue

What’s your take on this?

I saw this in Yahoo News and I’ve excerpted this exchange between an customer and a rep at one of the phony stores:

“Do you have a web camera for my Macbook?,” asked one customer.

“No, but our other store in Lujiazui should have it,” said the sales representative, referring to Apple’s genuine retail store in the heart of Shanghai’s financial district.

When approached, none of the staff claimed to work for Apple or that the store was an actual Apple Store. Customers appeared unfazed.

“I prefer to get my Apple products fixed here. It’s very troublesome going to the real Apple store in Lujiazui because not only do you have to pay to get repairs, but you have to make an appointment to see the sales specialist,” said Xavier, a 30-something expatriate who declined to give his last name.

“The prices are the same as the real store but the service is better here,” he added, before whipping out his two iPads to tinker with.

Related articles

• Fake Apple Store in China even fools staff (business.financialpost.com)
• Fake Apple Store in China even fools staff (cnews.canoe.ca)
• The Apple Store Is Just Too Damn Nice (johnchow.com)
• Fake Apple Stores in China Cause Customer Confusion (cosbysweaters.com)

Lying characteristics

I was reading my daily dose of “the Bottom line” email I get and came across something that made me think.. “Do I do this when I lie?”.. .Of course I’m not going to admit that I lie. I just tend to stretch the “truth to my convenience” as I call it.

Of course my wife and kids will disagree…

What about you? How can you tell when someone is lying?

Alan R. Hirsch, MD

• Signs someone is lying…
•  he/she leans forward and changes posture or position often.
• He licks his lips, folds or crosses his arms and blinks less often than usual.
• He may fidget…
• Take frequent sips of water…
• Sile more than usual…
• Laugh at inappropriate times during a conversation.
• He is likely to close his hands into fists or interlock his fingers…
• Frequently touch his face…
• scratch or rub his nose…
• look away… and/or sigh deeply.

Related articles

• How to Recognize Liar Around You (socyberty.com)
• How to tell if someone is lying (cnn.com)

Terrorism in India – The common man

This past Wednesday, as I was a conference call with my off-shore team in Mumbai, one of them told me that there were additonal attacks in Mumbai, India. At first I was shocked, then I was deeply saddened.

This past week Mumbai experienced another cowardly attack by terrorists. This attack hit home for me even more as one of the sites was where I roam when I’m visiting and it’s only a mile or so from where I live when I’m in Mumbai!

My best friend AK from Bharatbeat wrote and  an absolutely wonderful article about this attack  on our blog. The post describes how the common man’s interests are NOT the priority of the Indian government, and how the government does not seem to protect the the population. Each terrorist attack is a photo opportunity and an opportunity for the corrupt politicians in India to get face time in front of the cameras.

I could go on and on, but I won’t, as none of my rants will change anything in India. Sad but true..

Do you think that anything will change after the latest attacks? You can provide your opions at the BharatBeat FaceBook page or here..

Below are some articles related to the attack from a few days ago.

Related articles

• 21 Killed in Mumbai Blasts (newser.com)
• India says terror attack kills 10, injures 54 (sfgate.com)
• How many times the same headline needs to be repeated? (thenewdimension.wordpress.com)
• Mumbai blasts raise terrorism concerns, but not calls for political change – Christian Science Monitor (news.google.com)
• Mumbai’s High Terror Risk (thedailybeast.com)
• Mumbai attacks spark outrage in city fed up with terrorism – Christian Science Monitor (news.google.com)
• 3 Mumbai bombings kill 21 in country’s worst terror attack since 2008 (nj.com)
• Editorial: More Horrors in Mumbai (nytimes.com)

Tragedy in Brooklyn – 9 year old Boy Homicide Victim

This screengrab from MyFoxNY.com shows 9-year-old Leibby Kletzky, who was found dead in Brooklyn.

I was listening to the news this morning to a follow up to a story that has captured the headlines of the NY/NJ area. I was truly heartbroken when I heard of the outcome!

On Monday of this week, A Hasidic 9 year old boy was returning home from camp and he disappeared. This morning, the authorities  found the body parts of this child. What kind of animal would do this to an innocent 9 year old child.

This child was just walking 3 blocks to meet his mother. This is a true case for capital punishment. There were many videos of the boy walking but he just vanished after he was seen talking to a person in a sedan.

I’m sure many still have Casey Anthony’s trial fresh in their minds. I wonder what will happen to the animals that did this to child… From what I read, the 3 suspects that have been arrested are from the Hasidic Community. Of course this is just preliminary details, but horrific none the less.

My deepest condolences and prayers  go out to the family of this little boy.

What should be done to the “animals” that did this and I will continue to use this word because that is exactly what these individuals are that harm any child.

Dad..

Google Plus – Invites available via BharatBeat!

As many of Dad’s readers know, Dad’s Taxi and BharatBeat.com continue to be partners and we are working to establish a global community for our friends.

Today, we are introducing for a limited time FREE INVITES to Google Plus.

• We are not selling anything nor is there any obligation for you purchase anything. We are just trying to give back to our community!

• You don’t have to buy anything, and your information will always be kept private.

• Follow the directions below or go to the facebook page for and  BharatBeat as we introduce to our friends the new world of Google Plus!

After a very long time, Google has created a big buzz by releasing its own version of Social media called Google Plus or Google+. As of now it is in test phase and access is limited only to invites by members (like they did when Gmail came in).

After Facebook shot down Google’s Orkut, Google has come out with a bang with Google+. It has some really neat features. We will be soon creating a new section for Google Plus discussions.To get an invite for join Google Plus – here are the easy steps you should follow:

• Go to our Bharatbeat page and ‘Like” our page – Bharatbeat.com Facebook page

• If you don’t use Facebook, Register on our BharatBeat Forums site  directly (its FREE) and then send an email to contactus@bharatbeat.com with your email id (it has to be a Gmail id, otherwise you will not get invited)

• Once you complete the steps above, the BharatBeat Team will send you the invite to Google Plus ASAP.

• In the email that you send us, make sure that you include the screen name which you used to post a message in this thread. If we cant match or find the screen name to the registered email, then we wont be able to send an invite.

• Post a small reply to this thread (even a thanks would be fine).

• If you are not a registered member of BharatBeat forums  click on Register button on the top of the forums page.

For example – if you sign in to this forum using a name called “email” then include that name in the email so that we can verify that you posted a message.It might take couple of days to get the invite because we have to send bulk invites. So please be patient.

Thank you and we hope you enjoy Google Plus

Jeter and 3000 – Congrats

As everyone knows I’m not a Yankee Fan, but an accomplishment like 3000 hits from a classy guy like Derek Jeter is worth writing about. Now I really don’t care about all the fanfare that surrounded this accomplishment that was in the media for weeks before the actual event which occured today.

Not only did Jeter get his 3000th hit today. he did it in style… He went  5  for 5!

In this day of when you have athletes that ruin their reputations with Steroids, drugs and other questionable behavior, the continued class that Jeter shows as a Yankee is truly admirable.  A few days ago, I was listening to the “talking heads” on sports radio and they were discussing whether Jeter deserves to be in the Hall of Fame with his stats.. What a stupid conversation that was. Anyone who play Jeter, is a captain, a role model, and performs day in and day out in my mind, is a shoo in for the Hall of Fame!

Congratulations Derek, you are one of 28 players that are now in the 3000 hit club. For a Met fan to say this, it’s truly a tribute to your efforts as the Yankee captain. I may not watch many games (only when I go their with my resident Yankee fan in my house!), but hearing of your accomplishment was wonderful to hear!

Not only does Jeter have have 3000 hits, he have 5 World Series Rings! That’s more than I can say for anyone on the Mets today or tomorrow! I wonder how many of the other elite member of the 3000 hit club have this? Now he can start on his next goal of 3500 or even 4000 as he still has about 2 1/2 years left on his contract.

As I sit here and watch my Metsies, I think is Reyes ever going to match this goal?  Probably not, with his inclination to have leg problems. Also, he will probably get this goal but not as a Met!

You know what I just realized? I’m becoming more of a “closet” Yankee follower at the same time continuing to be a long suffering Mets Fan…

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Dad’s Taxi

No Justice for Caylee Anthony – Justice is Blind

As a parent and as an American, I was appalled yesterday at the justice that wasn’t dished out in the Casey Anthony trial. To see a mother walk away free after killing her 2 year old daughter is without doubt (and as the jurors had “reasonable doubt“) is truly an amazing act of cowardice that can be acted on by any jury in any state, but of course this travesty of justice occurred in Florida.

I guess when they say that “justice is blind”, in this case, justice was deaf too to the inconsistencies of the story that was presented by the defense and which the prosecutors could not refute “beyond a reasonable doubt”.

Yes, the “burden of proof” lies with the prosecutors, but come on people, would you see this same verdict if the mother was a minority and could not hire a good lawyer that could convolute the trial with lies and just imaginary avenues of logic (see  Yahoo News).

So Casey Anthony, lied, lied and lied, but for that her time in court,  she will get time served (for her 3 years of incarceration) and walk out of prison within a day or two.  Tell me how many many similar cases of extreme child abuse occur in NYC to the poor and the minority children by their caregivers and parents and  and how caregivers will have the opportunity to have their trial televised literally every day,  to garner the “show” that this trial turned out to be. Personally, I was not riveted to the screen nor the papers when it came to this trial. I just casually observed the progression of this trial as an parent of two girls who was just appalled at the direction that these proceedings went and the end result.

The lack-of-evidence syndrome that is easily played out in today’s courts for the defendants that can show that they have the know how and the resources to play the card of “reasonable doubt” just gets under my skin.

Let’s take this scenario: You have a poor, destitute “person of color” mother who kills her 2 year old, hides her in her car, lies about how her child died, lies about where she worked, and on an on..do yo uthink this woman will get away with Murder??

Extracted from Yahoo News!

She lied about being employed at Universal Studios. She lied about leaving Caylee with a baby-sitter, then again when she recounted to investigators that she had told two imaginary people that Caylee was missing. She also lied about receiving a phone call from Caylee the day before she was reported missing.

I almost forget… With this fame, Casey once freed will make the talk show circuit and gain more fame and wealth with her silly “smirk”. Casey will of course proclaim her  innocence and tell the world how she was molested as a child, and how this caused irreparable damage on her poor fragile psyche.. oh please!

I can hardly wait for the book and the movie to come out! Oh wait.. I think that’s been done already!