Oprah Winfrey Duped, Again: Holocaust ‘greatest’ love story is Fake

Does Oprah Winfrey need discontinue the Oprah’s Book Club or has to start vetting all the authors of the books she features in the Oprah’s Book Club?

As it turned out, the ‘greatest’ holocaust love story as has been told by Herman and Roma Rosenblat isn’t true. Herman now says that he made it all up. CNN.com reports that; “when the couple appeared on The Oprah Winfrey Show more than a decade ago, the famed host called it the single greatest love story in 22 years of doing this show.” Read more at CNN.com.

James Frey the author of “A Million Little Pieces” also duped Oprah, with his faked memoir which became an instant best-selling non-fiction book, after Oprah selected it as one of her top books for her Book Club. Read more at The Smoking Gun.

It will serve best for Oprah to start vetting all the authors of all the books she may consider selecting for her Book Club in order to help eliminate any further embarrassment. This might be a lengthy and costly process, but this is the only best way to not fall under the same spell of con-artists trying to profit from her global branding power.

Another solution is to completely discontinue and close down the entire Oprah’s Book Club.

Filed under: Obama, TV, Tv show, entertainment, events, sex, women , Book Club, Fake Story, greatest love story, Oprah Winfrey

The Biggest Events of 2008 the World Community Has Ignored

1. The Darfur Crisis – thousands of civilians, women and children, are suffering and most are dying each day, from violence, diseases, and hunger, but no one wants to do anything. The UN seems to have stalled, powerless, or simply doesn’t care anymore, or never cared in the first place. Does China still threaten to veto any UN resolution which could help end the Darfur crisis?

2. The Zimbabwe Crisis – the world community has been barking but not biting at the Zimbabwean government to end the crisis. They want African governments to force Mugabe out of the office, but the fact is this; since Zimbabwe gained independence in 1980 from Britain, Mugabe and his government acted as the guardian and pillar of other African neighboring countries, such as South Africa and Namibia, which helped them gain their independence from the South African Minority Apartheid Regime, thus most African leaders, with the exception to Botswana and Kenya’s opposition Prime Minister, are reluctant to pressure Mugabe to leave the office, because they feel like they still owe Mugabe. In the mean time, the majority of Zimbabweans are suffering. The recent report by BBC News states that about 1,564 people have died in Zimbabwe from Cholera. The country’s inflation is over 231,000,000%, healthcare facilities are non-functional, water in cities doesn’t run any more. Thus the majority of Zimbabweans are fleeing to neighboring South Africa. And what is Mugabe doing? He’s laughing at the West, calling them stupid, probably because they have become idle spectators. Read more at CNN.com.

3. The Somalia Pirates Crisis – welcome to the 8th century Mercantilism, when the Romans and the Greeks used to fight against the pirates, in almost the exact same area off of the coast of Somalia. Did you know that the insurance was invented by a band of British gentlemen in England as a result of ocean storms and pirates against their merchants’ ships to and from the New World? On the coast of present day Somalia, a band of pirates have been capitalizing on seizing foreign ships and cargos in return for hefty ransoms. It was reported that in 2008 alone, they profited over $100 million in ransom payment. What are the world powers; China, US, UK, Germany, etc, doing to end this crazy thing, pretty much nothing. They seem incapacitated by the Somali pirates.

4. Haiti – this is a country in the Western Hemisphere, but it is one of the poorest countries in the world. In November, a school in Haiti collapsed which caused at least 88 school kids to die, with another 150 injured. Not only that the school has caused devastation to Haiti, but many Haitians still live in poverty, and ravaged by all kinds of diseases.

5. The Israel-Palestine Crisis – about 320 Palestinians have died in just less than 3 days as a result of Israel’s all out war against Hamas. Since the recent signing of the Peace deal between Israel and Hamas government, Hamas has been firing rockets inside Israel, killing about 8 Israelis. In response, Israel has waged war against Palestine. Bush has become silent, while PE Obama has been a spectator. Read more at CNN.com.

In all, innocent civilians around the world are dying, children and women are hurting and endlessly suffering. The crisis in the Niger Delta, the Guinea’s recent military coup, coupled by the recent bombing of India’s hotels. Overall, President-elect Obama has a full plate waiting for him starting January 20th.

Filed under: AIDS, HIV, article, blog this, economy, politics, war, women , 2008 biggest events, 2008 crisis, crisis, Darfur, Darfur crisis, Haiti, India bombing, Israel, Palestine, Somalia pirates, UN, war, Zimbabwe Cholera, Zimbabwe inflation

GoDaddy.com’s Shady and Unethical Domain Names’ Renewal Process

If you own a domain that you’ve registered through GoDaddy.com, then you’ve probably been invoiced at least 60 days prior to the actual expiration due date of your domain name. They usually send you two or three more invoice reminders thereafter, inviting you to renew your domain.

However, if you fail to renew your domain per invoice at about 40 days prior to the actual due date of the expiration, then GoDaddy simply cancels your domain, and you can no longer renew it, and then GoDaddy immediately forwards it to GoDaddy’s own parking page with paid advertisement.

That’s nearly 40 days prior to the actual due date of the expiration of your domain name. In doing this, GoDaddy does two things; they redirect your site traffic to their own parking page, and then capitalize from your traffic from the paid ads on their parking page.

Is this really an ethical business practice? Even if their Universal Terms of Service dictates so, does that really emphasize good business ethic? How about ICANN’s gTLDs terms of service for registrars’ business practice? Terms are just written terms, which can be changed and revised at any time to suit the targeted consumers. So, GoDaddy can definitely revise their universal terms of service, if they want to, except that they have purposely set their domain names’ renewal process in order to cheat and steal from us, the consumers.

Yahoo Domains serves me the best. They invoice me several days prior to the due date of my domains’ expiration, and then they follow up with a few reminders, at least two or three more, so as GoDaddy.com, but Yahoo does not deactivate the expired domain names for another week, and then they give me another chance to renew my deactivated domain, before they completely cancel it. And when they simply cancel the domain, they don’t forward or redirect it to their parking page with paid ads, unlike GoDaddy.com.

Last week, TechCrunch published an article on how GoDaddy warehouses expired domain names, read the article here, but a few days later, after the community negatively reacted to their shady tactics, GoDaddy immediately closed down their business division which was tasked to hide their unethical domain name warehousing.

For years, I have been registering and managing my domains through Network Solutions, but after it was sold to VeriSign, I started not liking their service, so I moved my domains to Yahoo! Domains, but there are certain tools in Yahoo! Domains’ Control Panel that I didn’t like, such as using dedicated server hosting through another hosting company, other than Yahoo!, so I moved some of them to GoDaddy.com. I have also tried Netfirms and Register.com, but I didn’t like their control panel. I however still like GoDaddy’s CP, but I severly detest their renewal process. There just don’t seem to be another better registrar out there right now, other than GoDaddy.com.

In the process, I have lost many domains through GoDaddy because of this shady invoicing practice, and I have three more domains expiring today and in January 2009, and I am not going to renew them, just because.

What I want to do is to hear from anyone who has experienced and doesn’t like the way GoDaddy does business in terms of invoicing, deactivating domain names prior to expiration dates, and then redirecting them to their parking page with paid ads.

I am talking to a lawyer about this, and I want to have a few more people, anyone, who may have experienced this shameful, unethical, and shady business by GoDaddy. So, if you have experienced the same problem with GoDaddy.com, please email me the soonest at simon@rentersq.com. I am going to try to do something about this, but I need to compile a large file.

Filed under: GoDaddy, Internet, adsense, advertising, blog this, branding, domains, technology , BBB, cheat, domain names, domain registration, domains, ethics, fraud, GoDaddy, GoDaddy renewal, gTLDs, ICANN, invoicing, renewal, Techcrunch, unethical

CNN.com Tech Increased My Traffic to Over 410% in 3 Hours

This afternoon, the traffic to my blog, http://simonkapenda.org, sky-rocketed to over 410% in less than 3 hours after my blog appeared on “CNN.com Tech Linking Blogs section”, in regard to my response posting to “Microsoft‘s Outlines Vision of Pay-as-You-Go Computing”, an idea which I find to be ridiculously amusing, dumb, and ill-conceived.

My blog has never had so much traffic in a single day, let alone in a single month. So, this is soooo cool and awesome…!

Read more about my response to Microsoft’s dumb idea on Pay-As-You-Go Computing.

Filed under: technology , CNET.com, CNN.com, computing, Google, Microsoft, Techcrunch, technology, Yahoo

Big Dumb Idea: Microsoft outlines vision of pay-as-you-go computing

CNN.com and CNET.com are jointly reporting that Microsoft has applied for a patent on metered, pay-as-you-go computing.

I understand that Microsoft (MSFT), after failing to conquer the Internet and to acquire Yahoo (YHOO), that it is now trying to discover new ways, even the most ridiculous ones that are surely doomed to fail, again, in order to maximize their online revenue. And this one in particular, for consumers to pay per each computer use, is the worst and probably the dumbest, because users will be subjected to paying more unnecessary fees and the majority won’t buy into the plan.

There’s already that 24-hour running, the most annoying TV ad from “Blue Hippo – get a brand new laptop or desktop”. And I am not sure how successful that one has been either.

Update: So, with this new, ill-conceived idea, you as a user, would pick up a computer from wherever, bring it to your home or work and only pay each time you use it. Then will Microsoft become like FedEx Kinko’s, where some users used to go and rent computers billed per each minute of use? This is real dumb! Microsoft just needs to quit trying to exploit revenue online and focus on what they do best or worse, innovative software, and some unique computing peripherals.

CNN.com states that; “Under a Microsoft proposal, consumers would receive heavily discounted PCs, then pay fees for usage. U.S. patent application number 20080319910, published on Christmas Day, details Microsoft’s vision of a situation where a ’standard model’ of PC is given away or heavily subsidized by someone in the supply chain. The end user then pays to use the computer, with charges based on both the length of usage time and the performance levels utilized, along with a “one-time charge.”

Read more about this at CNN.com.

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Filed under: advertising, article, blog this, branding, business, technology , CNET, CNN, computing, Google, Microsoft, networking, Patent, PC, social, Techcrunch, Webware, Yahoo

Ramamia – the Simplest New Way to Privately Share Photos, Web sites, and Events with Families

In my LinkedIn network of connections, there’s a 16-year old Mark Bao, an incredible talented serial entrepreneur but still a high school junior student, whom I met about two years ago on YoungEntrepreneur.com, and ever since, I have come to admire him for his ingenuity and ambition.

He’s the real definition of entrepreneur. He has started several Internet and web application companies and now serves as President and CEO of Avecora.

Recently, Mark and his two partners launched a new site, Ramamia, which makes it seamlessly simple for anyone to privately share photos, events, messages, and videos with every family member and friends. I tried it out today, and I found the site to be one of the most eye-appeasing, user-friendly, the site color is great, the user-interface and navigational tools are well positioned; so easy even your grandma can use the site and find her way around.

A gazillion number of new sites is launched every day, most of them are useless and doomed to fail on their first launch, including some of mine, but Ramamia is a unique site that offers a cool breath of fresh air for online social networking, geared for families and friends.

But, don’t just take my word for it, go and try it out for yourself. The site’s sign up process is very simple; all you need to sign up as a new member is to simply enter your last name. No long process of entering tons of mumbo jumbo personal details to register and start using the site. Also, adding your family members to your Ramamia Family Profile is as simple as ABC, and uploading your photos and videos, or creating your events and sharing them among your family and friends are tirelessly simple.

It was recently reported around the web that most social networking sites including Facebook are trying to simplify their signup process for new members. Even last week, Facebook attempted to quietly launch their new sign-up form, which they temporarily flashed on their homepage, with a new user is only required to enter his or her full name to sign up. Ramamia has beaten Facebook to the punch in implementing their easy sign-up process, and this is the same method I am going to implement on my new site, Welated, due to launch by March 2009.

Ramamia is currently angel-funded, but I am not sure yet what is their primary revenue model, perhaps is solely based on paid ads, but the site states that they will soon launch their premium version. The entire Ramamia site is unique, great, I like the site color, and its user-interface is phenomenal.

The only fault I found with the site, is that they don’t use Usernames and Passwords for registered users to login, but at the time of registering with the site, it sends you a nasty long and tedious link to your email, which you have to remember or bookmark in order to login. However, if they can fix their login process, Ramamia is definitely deemed to exponentially grow, as families around the world try to find the easiest and simplest way to share events, photos, and videos online. Ramamia is the new Facebook of families.

Notice: I have no affiliation with Ramamia nor do I have investment interest in Ramamia.

Filed under: Facebook, Internet, Tools, Web 2.0, advertising, article, blog this, branding, business, entrepreneur, events, life, networking, news, promotion, social, startup, technology, women , events, Facebook, family, photos, Ramamia, sharing, social networking, videos

Webware Finally Credits TechCrunch

I recently wrote on here about Webware kind of living in the shadow of TechCrunch on nearly every story they report. But, the good news thereafter is that Webware seems to have heeded my writing, that today in their Daily Tidbits, they finally credited TechCrunch on their report that, “Charles River Ventures, a venture capital fund that focuses on Web start-ups, and is trying to find a hot company through Facebook”.

It’s good to see Webware finally crediting TechCrunch on their tech news reporting, because for a while now, all they have been doing is report on whatever TechCrunch reports without at times crediting TechCrunch, and that was kind of boring and annoying, not to say, lack of news reporting and creativity.

Speaking of Facebook hot Apps, I am working to launch, Wrisen, which is poised to be one of today and tomorrow’s hot and fast growing social apps on Facebook, MySpace, Bebo, Hi5 and other social networking properties.

Due to launch in January 2009, Wrisen is poised to be the emotional comforting social application for everyone including pets anywhere, but with an actual revenue business model, and is not mostly depended on sometimes under-performing social revenue ads.

Filed under: AOL, Facebook, Internet, Web 2.0, adsense, advertising, adword, animals, article, blog this, branding, business, culture, design, entrepreneur, happy, launch, networking, social, startup, technology , animals, Bebo, cats, dogs, Facebook, facebook application, Hi5, MySpace, pets, startup, Techcrunch, venture capital, Webware, Wrisen

Shirtless Photo of President-elect Obama on Vacation in Hawaii

I am posting this photo (below) of our President-elect, Barack Obama, on vacation in Hawaii, a picture which is seen on CNN.com and most other news media outs, and has caused quiet a stir and high debate about Obama’s security.

 That’s, if a civilian photographer with a long lense camera can get that close and snap a picture of President-elect on vacation, then what would prevent anyone else with bad intend to reach him? Where was the Secret Service? Or did this photographer has security clearance? If so, then what does that say about the privacy of our President, who’s not only taking his much needed vacation, but also is mourning his grandmother?

For me, this photo is now a reminder for me to go to the gym and work out and shave off at least 40 lbs. I just now realize how overweight and unhealthy I have become, yes, I have to cut down from going to the Cheesecake Factory and on all those midnight snacks and juicy steaks.

Shirtless President-elect Obama on Vacation in Hawaii

Filed under: Barack, Fed, Obama, TV, Tv show, economy, election, finance, financial, life, living, politics, president , Barack Obama, Hawaii, President-elect, shirtless Obama, vacation

Is Webware Walking in the Shadow of TechCrunch?

Every hour of each day, other than CNN.com, BBC News, Yahoo News, and the New York Times, I have to peek at TechCrunch and then Webware to get my hourly up-to-the-minute news on any new and upcoming technology and web companies.

However, for the longest now, TechCrunch and Webware have been more like, following each other on what each one reports, with TechCrunch always leading the way, while Webware seems to only peek at what TechCrunch has to report and then they come up with the same news reporting on the same subject.

I am not saying that Webware plagiarizes TechCrunch, but it gets really boring to have the two tech news venues that I have come to like and admire always reporting on the same subject, different written style but on the same topic. TechCrunch will have a story on a certain subject and then an hour or a day later, Webware will have a story on the same subject that TechCrunch has just previously reported.

Have the tech news stories suddenly become so rare that Webware always seems to be walking under the shadow of TechCrunch?

Filed under: Internet, Tools, Web 2.0, advertising, article, blog this, branding, business, entrepreneur, events, networking, news, startup, technology , companies, Internet, news, online tech news, social networking, startup, Techcrunch, technology, web, Web 2.0, Webware

Domain Names: Business.com and America.com

America.com – a great domain name currently under-utilized. So much potential for this domain, but so little creative talent shown by the current owners. They are using it for the bulletin boards (forums)?

Last time I checked a few years ago, this domain was listed for sale at GreatDomains.com for $30 million, but I am not sure if it ever had a buyer.

Same goes with the domain, Business.com. Why aren’t the owners of these domains using them to their fullest potential, hmm, lack of inventive minds may be?

Business.com was bought for about $360 million, but what a waste so far!

Filed under: Blogroll, Internet, adsense, advertising, adword, blog this, branding, business, economy, entertainment, entrepreneur, networking, social, startup, technology , America.com, business.com, domain names, domains, invention, marketplace