Sibling Rivalry Examined

Adidas / Adolf & Rudolf Dassler
Background: The Adidas Company started producing house slippers and then branched out into track shoes and soccer boots. It is named after its founder Adolf (Adi) DASsler who with his brother started the company in Herzogenaurach near Nuremberg in Bavaria.
Rivalry: After a violent falling out, Rudolf left the company and started the "Ruda" shoe company which he later renamed PUMA. When Adolf died in 1978, the two brothers had not spoken to each other in 29 years.

Gallo Wine / Ernerst, Julio & Joseph Gallo
Background: The three brothers inherited the family vineyard in 1933 when their father killed their mother and the committed suicide. 24-year-old Ernest and 23-year-old Julio used their inheritance to start the Gallo Winery. Their teenage brother Joseph worked for them and later bought a ranch and grew grapes and cattle. The grapes he sold to the Gallo Winery.
Rivalry: In 1983 when Joseph expanded his dairy operation to include cheese his brothers sued him in 1986 for infringing on their trademark. Joseph counter sued claiming that his 1/3 share of his father's inheritance entitled him to 1/3 of the winery. The trial got so nasty that Joseph was accused of running a rat-infested cheese plant and the other two brothers were accused of making cheap wine for drunks. Ernest and Julio won both suits.

Revlon / Charles, Joseph & Martin Revson
Background: Charles Revson and his brother Joseph, along with a chemist, Charles Lachman, who contributed the "L" in the REVLON name, founded Revlon in the midst of the Great Depression. Martin joined the company later.
Rivalry: Joseph quit the company in 1955 be cause he did not agree with his brother that the company should go public. He sold all of his shares for $2.5 million. If he had waited four years he could have sold the same stock for $35 million. Martin left and sued to company charging that his brother mistreated executives and abused them personally. The bothers did not speak for 13 years.

Kellogg's / John & William Kellogg
Background: Kellogg's was founded in 1906 by Will Keith Kellogg and his brother John Harvey Kellogg started Battle Creek Toasted Corn Flake Company in 1906. The company produced and marketed the hugely successful Kellogg's Toasted Corn Flakes and was renamed the Kellogg Company in 1922.
Rivalry: John was a world-famous doctor and insisted that Kellogg's cereals be "health foods." He did not want to use any white sugar but his bother just wanted something that would sell. So Will waiting until John was out of the country and added sugar into the flakes. The partnership fell apart and both brothers spent the next decade suing each other. Which in the end stated that Will's company was the only one allowed to use the name Kellogg's. When John died in 1942 the two had not spoken in 33 years.


Extra Reading

How to bypass Internet filtering at work

Internet censoring is now everywhere. I am sure there are things that are blocked at work. Obviously Wikipedia is not blocked. **ahem** Well I am sure that there are other places that block websites. When I used to work at CompUSA I would always get this question, "What is the best Internet filtering program." My response would be, "Good parenting." You would not believe how many parents got angry at that comment. Well this post is not for them. This is for the kids who had deal with those people and had Internet access blocked.

Here are some of the best ways on how to bypass Internet Filtering...

1. Use IP address
- An IP address (Internet Protocol address) is a unique address that devices use in order to identify and communicate with each other on a computer network utilizing the Internet Protocol standard (IP)—in simpler terms, a computer address. Any participating network device such as a router, computer, and printer. All website address can be converted into a serious of 4 numbers. The numbers range from 0 though 255. So for example google.com is 72.14.207.99 or myspace.com is 216.178.32.52. To find the IP address use one of the free host-to-IP online conversion tools.
HCI Data LTD

2. Use Google cache
- If you are not bothered whether the content is latest on a site, Google cache is best. Do a Google search for the site and then click on the cached link below the search results.
Google Guide

3. Use an Anonymizer
- With this you are actually going to another website and having them browse to the blocked site. This way the frittering protocols will not be activated. Some sites provide URL encryption. There are a couple of problems. First is that some of these sites are not free for long. Second is that there is a slow down on the speed because the information that you are trying to get is being re-routed. The last thing that you need to keep in mind is the anonymizer website might keep track of where ever your go so I would not suggest that you do any internet banking or anything that deals with your private information.
Proxify
AnonyMouse

4. Use Online Translation Tools
- In this method, we can use the translation service as a web proxy. Here you are using Google as a proxy server just like the anonymizer tip above. You are telling it to translate the site that you want to go to but since it is already in English it does nothing.
Altavista Babel fish
Google Translate

5. Use Google Mobile search
- Google has created a mobile version of their site and it allows you to search for other sites that are also mobile ready. The great thing is that some Internet blocking techniques do not take his into account. Just remember that most sites are stripped down versions of their full-length counterparts.
Google Mobile


Extra Reading

George Carlin's "The Planet Is Fine"

We're so self-important. So self-important. Everybody's going to save something now. "Save the trees, save the bees, save the whales, save those snails." And the greatest arrogance of all: save the planet. What? Are these fucking people kidding me? Save the planet, we don't even know how to take care of ourselves yet. We haven't learned how to care for one another, we're gonna save the fucking planet?

I'm getting tired of that shit. Tired of that shit. I'm tired of fucking Earth Day, I'm tired of these self-righteous environmentalists, these white, bourgeois liberals who think the only thing wrong with this country is there aren't enough bicycle paths. People trying to make the world save for their Volvos. Besides, environmentalists don't give a shit about the planet. They don't care about the planet. Not in the abstract they don't. Not in the abstract they don't. You know what they're interested in? A clean place to live. Their own habitat. They're worried that some day in the future, they might be personally inconvenienced. Narrow, unenlightened self-interest doesn't impress me.

Besides, there is nothing wrong with the planet. Nothing wrong with the planet. The planet is fine. The PEOPLE are fucked. Difference. Difference. The planet is fine. Compared to the people, the planet is doing great. Been here four and a half billion years. Did you ever think about the arithmetic? The planet has been here four and a half billion years. We've been here, what, a hundred thousand? Maybe two hundred thousand? And we've only been engaged in heavy industry for a little over two hundred years. Two hundred years versus four and a half billion. And we have the CONCEIT to think that somehow we're a threat? That somehow we're gonna put in jeopardy this beautiful little blue-green ball that's just a-floatin' around the sun?

The planet has been through a lot worse than us. Been through all kinds of things worse than us. Been through earthquakes, volcanoes, plate tectonics, continental drift, solar flares, sun spots, magnetic storms, the magnetic reversal of the poles...hundreds of thousands of years of bombardment by comets and asteroids and meteors, worlwide floods, tidal waves, worldwide fires, erosion, cosmic rays, recurring ice ages...And we think some plastic bags, and some aluminum cans are going to make a difference? The planet...the planet...the planet isn't going anywhere. WE ARE!

We're going away. Pack your shit, folks. We're going away. And we won't leave much of a trace, either. Thank God for that. Maybe a little styrofoam. Maybe. A little styrofoam. The planet'll be here and we'll be long gone. Just another failed mutation. Just another closed-end biological mistake. An evolutionary cul-de-sac. The planet'll shake us off like a bad case of fleas. A surface nuisance.

You wanna know how the planet's doing? Ask those people at Pompeii, who are frozen into position from volcanic ash, how the planet's doing. You wanna know if the planet's all right, ask those people in Mexico City or Armenia or a hundred other places buried under thousands of tons of earthquake rubble, if they feel like a threat to the planet this week. Or how about those people in Kilowaia, Hawaii, who built their homes right next to an active volcano, and then wonder why they have lava in the living room.

The planet will be here for a long, long, LONG time after we're gone, and it will heal itself, it will cleanse itself, 'cause that's what it does. It's a self-correcting system. The air and the water will recover, the earth will be renewed, and if it's true that plastic is not degradable, well, the planet will simply incorporate plastic into a new pardigm: the earth plus plastic. The earth doesn't share our prejudice towards plastic. Plastic came out of the earth. The earth probably sees plastic as just another one of its children. Could be the only reason the earth allowed us to be spawned from it in the first place. It wanted plastic for itself. Didn't know how to make it. Needed us. Could be the answer to our age-old egocentric philosophical question, "Why are we here?" Plastic...asshole.

So, the plastic is here, our job is done, we can be phased out now. And I think that's begun. Don't you think that's already started? I think, to be fair, the planet sees us as a mild threat. Something to be dealt with. And the planet can defend itself in an organized, collective way, the way a beehive or an ant colony can. A collective defense mechanism. The planet will think of something. What would you do if you were the planet? How would you defend yourself against this troublesome, pesky species? Let's see... Viruses. Viruses might be good. They seem vulnerable to viruses. And, uh...viruses are tricky, always mutating and forming new strains whenever a vaccine is developed. Perhaps, this first virus could be one that compromises the immune system of these creatures. Perhaps a human immunodeficiency virus, making them vulnerable to all sorts of other diseases and infections that might come along. And maybe it could be spread sexually, making them a little reluctant to engage in the act of reproduction.

Well, that's a poetic note. And it's a start. And I can dream, can't I? See I don't worry about the little things: bees, trees, whales, snails. I think we're part of a greater wisdom than we will ever understand. A higher order. Call it what you want. Know what I call it? The Big Electron. The Big Electron...whoooa. Whoooa. Whoooa. It doesn't punish, it doesn't reward, it doesn't judge at all. It just is. And so are we. For a little while.


Extra Reading

A Nice Place to Visit... But you already live there...

The Republic of Molossia (moe-LAAHSS-eeyah) is a sovereign, independent nation, located in and completely surrounded by territory of the United States. With an area of 2.5 hectares (6.3 acres), Molossia is one of the smallest nations on earth, but what it lacks in size it makes up for in spirit. A sense of humor characterizes most Molossian people, which coupled with the casual and comfortable western lifestyle, makes Molossia an enjoyable place to visit.

Molossia is located in the western United States, a tiny enclave in the State of Nevada and a second enclave in Southern California. The climate is dry and mild, with temperatures rarely exceeding 32 degrees Celsius (95 degrees Fahrenheit), or dropping below 0 degrees Celsius (36 degrees Fahrenheit). The terrain is arid and sparsely vegetated, home to sagebrush and piñon pine trees, as well as coyotes, wild horses and jackrabbits. Situated in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada Mountains, the Molossian Home Territory is just 45 kilometers from beautiful Lake Tahoe, and minutes away from Virginia City, a famous Nevada mining town and tourist attraction. The nearest major airport and bus services are also 45 kilometers away in Reno, Nevada. Visitors to this area enjoy skiing and snowboarding in the winter months, while hiking, camping and exploring ghost towns enliven the summers.

The Molossian nation was established in 1977 I; it was a kingdom for over twenty years, followed by a People's Democratic Republic, which then became today's Republic in 1999 XXII. His Excellency, President Kevin Baugh is the current leader of our nation.


Extra Reading

four, quatre, patru, chety're

Four movies you could watch over and over
1: Fight Club
2: Lord of the Rings
3: Star Trek (2, 4, 8)
4: The Big Kahuna

Four places you've lived
1: Lima, Peru
2: New York City
3: Haverstraw, New York
4: New Brunswick, New Jersey

Four places you'd rather be right now
1: Bed
2: Movies
3: he Mall (It should be empty now)
4: The beach

Four songs you could listen to forever
1: Any Leonard Cohen
2: Any Pink Floyd
3: The Countries of the World from Animaniacs
4: Manifold de Amor

Four Things That Turn You On
1: Girls
2: Girls jumping on trampolines
3: Girls covered in chocolate
4: Actually girls in general

Four artists you'd recommend to anyone
1: Pink Floyd
2: Leonard Cohen
3: Paul Simon
4: B.B. King

Four scents you love
1: Girls... duh...
2: Fresh cut grass
3: V.S. perfume
4: Pizza

Four places you've been on vacation
1: Los Angeles
2: New York
3: France
4: Germany

Four TV shows you love to watch
1: Anything that begins with "Star"
2: 24
3: Monk
4: What ever just came out on DVD

Four websites you visit every day
1: MySpace.
2: Fark.com
3: Digg.com
4: Slashdot.org

Four of your favorite foods
1: Pizza
2: Sushi
3: KFC
4: Eggnog

Four schools you've been to
1: What like actually attended?

Four things you have with you at all times
1: Wallet
2: Orbit Gum
3: Lighter
4: Cunning sarcasm

Four of your favorite drinks
1: Pepsi
2: Eggnog
3: Water
4: Cream Soda

Four things you wish you could do or do better
1: Spell
2: Life
3: Pay attention
4: Be a good person

Four WEIRD talents of yours
1: Memorize TV shows
2: Talk to someone and piss him or her off at the same time
3: Who knows...
4:

Four Names You Go By:
1: Hubert
2: Hubes
3:
4:

Four Things You Are Wearing Right Now:
1: Jeans
2: Hat
3: T-shirt
4: uh...

Four Things You Want Very Badly At The Moment:
1: Sleep
2: More Pay
3: No taxation with out representation
4: $8,453,583,989 dollar gift card to Best Buy

Four pets you had/have:
1: Orion (Beta Fish)
2: Newer (Beta Fish)
3: Tri Again (Beta Fish)
4: Joiner (Beta Fish)

Four things you did last night:
1: Played on computer
2: Stayed up until 4:30
3: Had restless sleep
4: Prayed for sleep

Four things you ate today:
1: Seafood
2: Steak
3: Fruit salad
4: KFC at like 2 in the morning

Four Things You're doing tomorrow:
1: Working
2: Getting hell
3: Being under paid
4: Hanging out

Four longest car rides:
1: Indiana
2: Virginia
3: Albany
4: North Connecticut

Four Favorite Holidays:
1: Halloween
2: Boxing Day
3: 4th of July (While I am in London)
4: Peruvian Independence Day

Things You Are Looking Forward To
1: Moving out
2: Moving on
3: Moving forward
4: Moving along

Four Of Your Favorite Possessions
1: Computer
2: DVD's
3: Books
4: Bed

Four Jobs You've had in your life
1: McDonalds
2: Bank Teller
3: Sales Associate
4: Framer

Four things you can't stand
1: Parking in the Handicapped lane
2: Stupid people
3: Up-Sale stores
4: Our foreign policy

Four things you're feeling now that this is done
1: Shit man, this took a while
2: I am still tired
3: I should get something to eat
4: My back hurts


Extra Reading

Epitaph

This is an actual head stone in Mount Royal Cemetery located in the center of Montreal. The Epitaph has a little secret.

John,
...Free your body and soul
...Unfold your powerful wings
...Climb up the highest mountains
...Kick your feet up in the air
...You may now live forever
...Or return to this earth
...Unless you feel good where you are

Still cant see the secret mesage... Read the first letters of each line...


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My Vacation is over...

Well since I have to go back to the grindstone tomorrow I figured some people might enjoy some Office Space clips from YouTube... This is in order of coolness. Enjoy...






Extra Reading