Have Laptop Will Travel

Don’t Let Congress Ruin the Internet

Originally posted on March 10, 2007 @ 9:50 am

Right now Congress is being pushed to abandon the First Amendment of the Internet – a principle called “network neutrality” that preserves the free and open Internet.

Congress needs to hear from you today or they will hand over control of what you do online to companies like AT&T, Verizon and Comcast.

Together we won the first round in the battle for Net freedom. But the phone and cable giants are launching a counterattack.

We need to raise the alarm and send a clear message to our new Congress: Make Net Neutrality the Law in 2007!

Politicians are trading favors for campaign donations from these companies.

They’re being wooed by people like AT&T’s CEO, who says “the Internet can’t be free.”

Sign this petition to tell your elected representatives to protect Internet freedom now.

Check out Save the Internet for more information and to sign the petition.

Test Drive IBM Lotus Notes 8 For Free

Originally posted on March 16, 2007 @ 10:42 am

IBM has extended an open invitation to computer users to poke a stick at its forthcoming Lotus Notes and Domino e-mail and collaboration products.

Under a program announced this week, users can sign up for a free open beta program for Lotus and Domino 8, the completed versions of which are expected to be launched in mid-summer, according to IBM.

IBM said 12,000 beta testers already are putting the software through its paces, kicking the tires on new features like a redesigned interface that facilitates quick views of important e-mails by grouping them into threads and enhanced search capabilities that extend beyond the in-box.

Users can sign up for the beta program at www.IBM.com/lotus/getnd8now

Google Searches For Government Work

Originally posted on February 28, 2007 @ 8:30 am

According to the Washington Post, Google this week held a two-day sales meeting with nearly 200 federal contractors, engineers, agency employees and uniformed military members eager to learn more about Google’s products.

Google has beefed up its sales operations in the Washington, DC, area in the last year in hopes of capturing more business from military, intelligence and civil agencies.

Several government agencies already use an enhanced version of Google Earth. That’s right: Google is going deep into the verticals.

While official numbers aren’t available, the Post reports that Google nearly tripled its business with government agencies from $73,000 USD in 2005 to $312,000 USD in 2006.

So what’s next for Google?

First, you can look for Google to target its products at verticals other than government in the next few months. Many people claim that Google is ready to tackle the health care market. I would agree 100%.

It also looks like Microsoft is ready to battle Google for this space.

Second, you can bet that the online fight for vertical markets between Google and its rivals including Microsoft, Yahoo and lots of smaller vertical publishers and content providers across a number of industries is going to get a lot more intense very soon.

Let’s get ready to RUMBLE! *

* Trademarked catchphrase by Michael Buffer.

H-1B Visa Cap Reached

Originally posted on April 3, 2007 @ 1:48 pm

If you haven’t yet filed your petitions to hire foreign tech workers next year, you may as well forget about it.

By the end of today, if you haven’t filed your H-1B petitions to hire foreign tech workers starting in October, forget about it. U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services will stop accepting the applications on Wednesday.

On Monday, USCIS received 150,000 petitions for the 65,000 H-1B visas that will be issued for fiscal year 2008, starting October 1.

USCIS began accepting the petitions April 2 and although the 150,000 petitions received Monday (not to mention the tens-of-thousands still being counted today) are more than enough to fill the annual allotment, USCIS is mandated to accept the petitions for two days, says a USCIS spokeswoman.

USCIS will begin rejecting petitions for H-1B Wednesday.

Mazda offers to fix door lock

Originally posted on March 2, 2007 @ 8:48 am

Back on Janury 25, 2007 I posted about a Mazda 3 vehicle lock assembly issue and over a month later I’m still getting comments, feedback and emails on the subject.

Apparently this is a huge issue in Canada and to my amazement, over 140,000 Mazda 3’s have been sold in Canada since the car went into production.

Because of the major interest in this story, I’ve been digging deeper into it, trying to find out anything to help people who own Mazda 3’s or plan on purchasing one.

After speaking with Mazda Canada public affairs director Gregory Young, I found out that this issue originated at Mazda’s factory in Japan.

If you’re in Canada, you should contact the Insurance Corporation of British Columbia.

Angelo Carusi is the research and training coordinator for ICBC and can confirm this issue and that there are measures being taken to help other Canada Mazda 3 owners.

You might also want to check with Doug Henderson who is the media relations spokesman for ICBC if you have other questions.

For Mazda owners in the USA, contact the Corporate offices for Mazda.

If you’re a Mazda 3 owner somewhere else besides the USA or Canada and this has happened to you, I want to hear about it.

I’d like to thank my readers for helping get the word out about this issue.

For all the Mazda 3 owners out in the world or for people considering purchasing one, this issue has been corrected in the 2007 models, so it only effects 2006 and earlier.

As a disclaimer, I am not affiliated with Mazda in any way shape or form and I don’t personally own a Mazda 3, so your mileage may vary in getting help from them but I will do what I can to help spread the word.