Posts Tagged ‘microsoft’
Thursday, April 11th, 2013
I don’t know, you can look right here for one version of the story about why Yammer Microsoft is doing so, so, soooooo many great things for San Francisco.
Or you can ask Microsoft Yammer why it doesn’t want to pay its fair share of taxes.
Leave us begin.
In 2004, the Mayor of San Francisco signed a law that closed a tax loophole.
Later on, that very same Mayor took a lot of money from the owner owner of a building with which you Microsoft Yammerers should be familiar, the Twitter Building:
“Prospective Twitter Landlord Gave Newsom Rent Deal“
That kicked off the whole tax boondoggle that Microsoft Yammer is taking advantage of now.
Oh, here it is:
“THIS COMMUNITY BENEFIT AGREEMENT 2013 MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING is made as of January 1, 2013 in the City and County of San Francisco, State of California, by and between YAMMER, A SUBSIDIARY OF MICROSOFT(“Microsoft”) and the CITY AND COUNTY OF SAN FRANCISCO, a municipal corporation (“City”) acting by and through the City Administrator”
And it goes on and on talking about all the things that Microsoft is obligated to do for non-profit organizations that just happened to have endorsed Appointed Mayor Ed Lee.
So, well meaning white people who appear to be so, so, soooooo very proud of giving monitors worth (let’s hope) at least the contractually obligated $10,000 agreed to by MS….
….my question to you is this:
WHY DON’T YOU SIMPLY PAY YOUR FUCKING TAXES INSTEAD OF DOING ALL THIS POLITICALLY-CONNECTED, PAT-YOURSELF-ON-THE-BACK RIGMAROLE?
I’ll do all the legwork if you’ll give me some basic tax and income information. So maybe some years that could end up being a lot of money. I’d say, ooh, IPO! That’s going to cost Microsoft SF a few million bucks. And then you’d cut a check for the general fund.
There’d be no Ron Conway-type exception for you.
What’s that? You can’t afford to pay the oppressive taxes and loophole closures signed into law by the San Francisco Mayors of Yesteryear?
You know, I don’t believe that, Yammer Micro$oft.
What’s that, you’d rather move to Brisbane or someplace in San Mateo County?
Well, then be my guest. (You know, most people pricing apartment rentals in town lately would welcome your departure. You think I’m joking? No, I’m srlsy.)
What’s that, you like “giving back” to the corrupt Twitterloin, ’cause you think it’s a kewl thing to do and whatnot?
Fine, do that AND pay your fair share of taxes to the General Fund, why not?
That would be groovy.
But what you’re doing now is getting involved with SFGov corruption in the most corrupt big American city west of Chicago.
Just saying.
Oh, here’s some reading material to explain what you’re involved with, Microsoft. It’s from a time long before Yammer.
Enjoy your private-public neo-corporatism.
All the deets, in searchable form, after the jump.
(more…)
Tags: 2013, administrator, agreement, bay area, Benefit, california, central, Central Market Street, citisf, community, Community Benefit Agreement, corruptiion, ed lee, endorsed, expense, gavin newsom, jason rodriguez, liason, market, microsoft, MOU, OEWD, Office of Economic and Workforce Development, ordinance, payroll, Payroll Expense Tax Ordinance, randy shaw, Ron Conway, San Francisco, san francisco bicycle coalition, sfciti, street, SUBSIDIARY OF MICROSOFT, tax, TechSF, tenderloin, Tenderloin Area Payroll Expense Tax Exclusion, twitter, yammer, yammerersyammer
Posted in bidness | No Comments »
Tuesday, April 9th, 2013
Remember back five years ago, when the SFPD pined for Chrysler products?
As seen in 2008:
Click to expand
Well, it’s happening, man. It’s finally happening.
Sighted yesterday in Randy Shaw’s corrupt Twitterloin / corrupt Microsoft Yammerloin, here’s my white whale, a Dodge Charger in SFPD livery
Is this a one-off, merely a test? Or is it the start of a flood of SFPD radio cars what aren’t Ford Crown Victorias?
I know not.
Anyway, this is a shock after seeing decades of Crown Vics prowling the 415.
Does anybody know?
Tags: 2013, bay area, car, charger, chrysler, corrupt, crown vic, crown victoria, Daimler, department, dodge, ford, hemi, microsoft, MY NEXT POLICE CAR IS GOing to HAVE A HEMI, MY NEXT POLICE CAR IS GONNA BE A HEMI, MY NEXT POLICE CAR IS GONNA TO HAVE A HEMI, police, rt, San Francisco, SFPD, that thing got a hemi, TTGAH, twitterloin, v6, v8, yammer, Yammerloin
Posted in cars | 4 Comments »
Wednesday, June 27th, 2012
Dude, I remember Windows 3.0. And, after that one, I remember Windows 95, 98, 98SE, Me, XP, Vista, and, of course, Seven.
And I’ll tell you, I wasn’t reverse to using any of them.
I even got a Vista box from Dell, even though many people were (and still are) sticking with XP. I didn’t care.
But Windows 8* is a big no-go.
So, say it now, aloud: “I Will Not Buy Windows 8.”
Again: “No Voy a Comprar Windows Ocho.”
Buying Windows 8 is muy prohibidado. (I wrote that it in Spanish because that’s how exotic and not allowed it is.)
Now here’s everything you need to know about W8:
Fear and Loathing and Windows 8 (Or: Why Windows 8 Scares Me — and Should Scare You Too)
Well, maybe that’s a bit too much, but how about these primary conclusions:
1. Windows 8 is not Windows, it’s a new operating system with Windows 7 compatibility tacked onto it.
2. Although Windows 8 looks pretty and is great for tablet-style content consumption, I question its benefits for traditional PC productivity tasks.
3. Big OS transitions like this one traditionally cause users to reconsider their OS decision and potentially switch to something else.
4. Microsoft has worsened the risk that people will migrate away from Windows 8, by disabling some key features of Windows 7, and mishandling the consumer “preview” program.
OK then.
Oh, remember that Farhad Manjoo, that writer who hated the Sunset District so much he just had to move away?
Well, he hates Windows 8 even more than he hates the foggy, foggy Sunset.
OK then.
So here’s what you do, you get a 16 GB, 2TB ZT Systems from the Costco.com (or from Walmart online or something) for like $600. That’ll come with Windows 7 and that’ll last you a good long time. And then you’ll be ready for Windows 8 Plus or Windows 9 or whatever shakes out.
OK then.
*Now maybe they’ll offer W8 (rhymes with wait – get it?) on a phone or a tablet or something what uses a touchscreen and maybe that’ll be OK (depending on the price, of course). But if you want to get something done with a PC, then why not just stick with W7?
Tags: "I Will Not Buy Windows 8, 2012, 95, 98, 98SE, bay area, bear, california, costco, dell, district, Farhad Manjoo, fog, foggy, how about no, me, microsoft, No Voy a Comprar Windows Ocho, San Francisco, seven, sunset, Sunset District, touch, touchscreen, vista, walmart, windows, Windows 7, windows 8, windows eight, Writer, XP, zt, zt systems
Posted in technology | 2 Comments »
Tuesday, June 7th, 2011
Michael J de la Merced has all the deets about how everybody”s telling the FCC how great AT&T-Mobile would be.
How could this marriage go wrong with so many supporters (like AVAYA, Brocade, Facebook, Microsoft, Oracle, Qualcomm, RIM, Yahoo)?
Will Sprint and Verizon be the only ones to object? Will Steve Jobs and Apple weigh in at some point?
Anyway, read below for what popped up my inbox this AM.
1) AVAYA, Brocade, Facebook, Microsoft, Oracle, Qualcomm, RIM, Yahoo!: “The challenge of keeping pace with consumer demand and continuing to lead globally in wireless broadband services and products requires that we tackle the issue on multiple fronts. Many policy related efforts will not be able to quickly address near term capacity needs. The FCC must seriously weigh the benefits of this merger and approve it. Such action will help to meet the near term wireless broadband needs of consumers and ensure that we are globally competitive as the world increasingly embraces wireless broadband connectivity.”
http://fjallfoss.fcc.gov/ecfs/document/view?id=7021686027
2) Sequoia Capital: “From the microchip to the mainframe to the PC to the Internet to mobile computing, venture capital have been an integral part of an economic model that has stimulated growth time-and-time again. The technology start-ups we work with will be a key beneficiary of this more efficient and robust national wireless network. We are in favor of the Commission approving this transaction.”
http://fjallfoss.fcc.gov/ecfs/document/view?id=7021686028
3) Joint Venture Capitalist Letter (Charles River Ventures, Technology Crossover Ventures, Matrix Partners, Norwest Venture Partners, Radar Partners, Lightspeed Ventures): “Many of the fast-growing companies we invest in are technology firms that would benefit greatly from the combination of AT&T and T-Mobile, a merger that will drive job growth, innovation and economic opportunity through a more efficient and robust national wireless network…By combining the physical infrastructure and spectrum positions of the two companies, the merged entity will be able to accomplish what neither firm can do on its own: namely, deploying a 4G LTE broadband infrastructure to more than 97% of the United States population…This merger represents a critical part of the solution to our spectrum crisis in the United States.”
http://fjallfoss.fcc.gov/ecfs/document/view?id=7021686024
4) Kleiner Perkins Caulfield & Byers: “This commitment would help millions of Americans throughout the United States gain access to a network that can support innovative technologies, applications and devices….We are in favor of the Commission approving this transaction”
http://fjallfoss.fcc.gov/ecfs/document/view?id=7021686025
5) Information Technology Industry Council (ITI): “Unfortunately, even if Congress were to act today, consumers would not experience the benefits of making new spectrum available for at least five years. Which is why a combined AT&T/T-Mobile has some real appeal for many. The new entity would likely result in meaningful near and long-term improvements to the nation’s networks…The Internet, and Americans’ ability to access it from almost anywhere, has been one of the greatest drivers of our economy. Supporting initiatives that will increase infrastructure investment and enable even greater access to the Internet whether it’s over a wired or wireless connection is smart public policy, smart economic policy, and smart consumer policy. Our nation needs more spectrum, more investment, and broader adoption and accessibility.”
http://fjallfoss.fcc.gov/ecfs/document/view?id=7021685985
Tags: 2011, apple, at&t, AVAYA, bay area, Brocade, california, cell, Charles River Ventures, facebook, fcc, federal communications commission, letters, Lightspeed Ventures, Matrix Partners, merger, microsoft, Norwest Venture Partners, oracle, phone, Qualcomm, Radar Partners, rim, San Francisco, Sequoia Capital:, sprint, steve jobs, support, T-mobile, takeover, Technology Crossover Ventures, telephone, verizon, yahoo
Posted in bay area, technology | No Comments »
Monday, May 23rd, 2011
Well, the Bay Area’s Better Billionaire, Marc Benioff of SalesForce.com (No Hardware, No Software No Headaches) has just inked a deal in Japan with Toyota and Microsoft to build a social networking service called “Toyota Friend.”
Live from Japan this AM, it’s Marc and Akio, the Toyota Friends!
Via Marc’s ‘Berry, apparently
Check it:
“In a demonstration at a Tokyo showroom, an owner of a plug-in Prius hybrid found out through a cell phone message from his Prius called “Pre-boy” that he should remember to recharge his car overnight. When the owner plugged in his car to recharge it, the car replied, “The charge will be completed by 2:15 a.m. Is that OK? See you tomorrow.“ The exchanges can be kept private, or be shared with other “Toyota Friend” users, as well as made public on Facebook, Twitter and other services, the company said.”
Can you imagine what my ride, Mom’s Taxi (straight outta Toyota City), would say, assuming it could talk? (How about, “Michael, I’m ten years old* – replace me.”)
[Isn't it nice to have SalesForce.com staying in town building a campus down in Mission Bay due to that biotechnology tax exemption championed by non-dull witted political scions like pretty-boy Gavin Newsom and pretty-girl Michela Alioto-Pier? Oh, wait a second, biotech companies like to take all the corporate welfare they can get, you know, so they won't leave town and lay off employees, and then leave town and lay off employees anyway. And SalesForce isn't a biotech company neither. Mmmmm... Let's see here, maybe our local pols, especially the ones who think they know everything because they've gossiped with some Euros in Gstaad once, can't See The Future all that well after all?]
Anyway, this Toyota Friend stuff is new on me.
Bon Courage, SalesForce.
*Maybe someday it will start burning oil and I’ll get the chance to actually add some between changes, but we’re not at that point yet…
Tags: 2011, akio toyoda, bay area, best billionaire, better billionaire, biotech, california, car, friend, gavin newsom, japan, Japanese, Marc Benioff, Michela Alioto Pier, microsoft, mission bay, salesforce, salesforce.com, San Francisco, service, sns, social networking, tax, tokyo, toyota, toyota friend, twitter
Posted in cars | 1 Comment »
Tuesday, November 9th, 2010
Now, the way that the Mission Local was talking, I was thinking that Microsoft was heading for a six-figure headache over the whole Windows Phone / Maroon 5* / AT&T semi-permanent-chalk sidewalk ad illegality imbroglio.
But then when you look at these glowing green ad things on Valencia and when you grab a random abandoned bottle of liquid something (turned out to be soap, the nozzle’s mostly busted) sitting on top of a trash can nearby and then you start scrubbing to see how hard it is and then two minutes later, the ad is gone, más o menos, bingo bango.
Click to expand
Not so tough now, are you, Windows 7 Phone ad?
(To do the job properly, what you’d need is a floor brush from Chizhou City Changsheng Wooden Handicraft Factory or someplace.)
So, problem solved. Now, I know only one thing:
I gots to get paid.
I knows I gots to get paid. ’Cause I just saved your bacon, Microsoft / Waggener Edstrom Worldwide.
Now, as previously noted, I desire a 64GB Zune with AV Dock but not so much that I’d actually go out and pay for one.
Have your people get in touch with my people.
And, of course, mum’s the word and Bob’s your uncle…
*BTW, the concert’s already over with – I would have told you about it but I find the Maroon 5 oppressively girly and then you probably would have had to do a lot of hurry-up-and-wait to actually garner admission.
Tags: 7, ad, advertising, at&t, attorney's office, cell, cellular, chalk, city attorney, clean, concert, district, dpw, fillmore, fine, free, iphone, maroon 5, microsoft, mission, Mission Local, ms, os, paint, penalty, permanent, phone, pr, scrub, semi-, SFSU, soap, spray, store, valencia, Waggener Edstrom, Waggener Edstrom Worldwide, wash, windows, Worldwide, zune
Posted in advertising, crime, music | No Comments »
Thursday, September 17th, 2009
Here it is, the Apple Borg Store at Market and Stockton in Union Square. It’s packed these days with people checking out the new iPod Touch.
See? The greeters at the door sometimes say, “We are Borg. You will be assimilated.” They know they’re not supposed to say that, but sometimes they’ll forget and say it anyway.
But what’s this? Straight out of Seattle (by way of China) comes the new Zune HD!
Its message? “Hello from Seattle.” That’s what it says right on the left edge of this tiny little thing. See?
First read up on “From OLED to Tegra: Five Myths of the Zune HD“ from the Apple fan-boys (you know, to get up to speed ‘n stuff) and then tune in to this blog later on to get the first impressions (like digital radio – how does that work in hilly San Francisco) of the new mp3 player from the kids at Microsoft.
It’ll be fun.
Tags: apple, appleinsider, borg, digital, hd, hello, hello from seattle, insider, iPod, ipod touch, microsoft, myths, oled, radio, San Francisco, seattle, steve jobs, store, zune, zune hd
Posted in music | 1 Comment »
Tuesday, June 2nd, 2009
I can tell you right now that Bing, the new search engine from Microsoft, is “something of a hit” because it’s been bringing a few folks to this website the past few days. Especially folks from San Francisco City Hall – you can tell when they drop by, as they leave the following footprint:
“www.SFGov.org CCSF San Francisco Department of Telecommunications and Information Services”
And what are they Binging today? Here’s something they’re interested in (it’s Jimbo Lazarus, for some odd reason) below.
Hey, why don’t you go Bing Yourself right now, just type your name and city in to see what the Internet thinks about you? (Actually, your results from Bing will probably look a lot like your results from Google, so why would people want to switch to Bing? Not exactly sure.)
Bing! Fighting Google, One Day At A Time.
Oh, what a second, here’s a good reason to use Bing – you can watch porn without leaving the search engine. You see, Bing “puts porn in motion.” How about that? So, just turn “safe search” off and then use the search term “porn” in the video section. You’ll get these thumbnails that start right up as soon as your mouse hovers over them. Thusly:
Well, I searched for adorable puppies instead, but you get the idea. (NB: Don’t use Bing to look at porn at work.)
As they say:
“But It’s Not Google.”
I’ll stick with the Googleplex mothership for now, but you, you go right ahead and Bing away.
Why not?
Tags: aol, bing, binged, binging, engine, google, hits, microsoft, msn, porn, pornography, safe search, search, yahoo, yourself
Posted in internet | 1 Comment »
