Geek Help?

[NeoNecroNomiCron]

If any of you have been to the sony building(I am sure lots of you have) there are new huge televisions. Yes that pretty obvious. The last time I was there, they had this remote control. Its not really a remote control as it has a small maybe 9" lsc screen. You can look through TV channels etc. then when you find the one you want just press teh screen and it appears on the huge screen.

Anyway, intel and othere companies have said that this technology is the way its headed. Does anybody know the ecaxt name of thoes things. I may of seen it on slashdot. But there are a lot of prototypes in japan just not. Its liek a small tv thing that controls everything in you house etc.

[GuyJean]

Its liek a small tv thing that controls everything in you house etc.

The Airboard?

http://www.gaijinpot.com/real/sony_airboard.rm

It was out awhile ago, but I think it had problems.

GJ

[NeoNecroNomiCron]

Its liek a small tv thing that controls everything in you house etc.

The Airboard?

http://www.gaijinpot.com/real/sony_airboard.rm

It was out awhile ago, but I think it had problems.

GJ

I am looking for teh generic name for thoes sort of things. I could of read about it from a link from taro or something.

[Taro Toporific]

Its liek a small tv thing that controls everything in you house etc.

The Airboard?http://www.gaijinpot.com/real/sony_airboard.rm

I am looking for teh generic name for thoes sort of things. I could of read about it from a link from taro or something.

Damn if I know. The Doraemon Pocket?

[bejiita]

Webpad.

[EXGEEK]

888 Geek Help is a FRAUD
I was working for a company called 888 Geek Help. I no longer work for them since they do not pay their employees

They are not a legal company. There is no such company listed in the State of California nor have they EVER filed taxes with the IRS..

To make a long story short. I had been working for 888 Geek Help as a telephone tech support rep for them for about 9 months in 2003. I am owed over $3000 that has not been paid since May 2003. Basically they get rid of the independent contactors and hire new ones. (Without paying the old ones..) About 15 of the tech support reps have not been paid since May 2003 and the owner of the business just ignores us. He pretends to not know who any of us are saying that we have never worked for them. We never received any 1099 forms from them for 2003. 888 Geek Help has once again done this to their new employees. They have done this to about 30 of the new employees. This seems to be 888 Geek Helps pattern.

For More info on this fradulant company see the following web sites:

http://www.888geekhelp.netfirms.com

http://geekhelp.zee-way.com/

http://www.goldengatebbb.org/common.html?location=/home/common/www/bindr/report.php&bureau=oak&compid=52896

[Caustic Saint]

888 Geek Help is a FRAUD
....

Wow. That sure was random. Looks like somebody was Googling around and didn't even bother to read the post they replied to - even though they had to register to make their reply.

That's one hell of a grudge.

[Taro Toporific]

888 Geek Help is a FRAUD
....

Wow. That sure was random.
That's one hell of a grudge.

888 Geek Help sounds like they are following a typical pattern of a company over the edge. The ALL of start-ups (6) I worked at have failed to pay taxes on on time and most didn't make payroll towards their end. It sounds like Geek Help figured out that non-payment of payroll is a valid stragegy, which is correct from the employer's point of view and VERY hard to prove criminal intent. The only recourse is long-drawn out civil suit which of course is to advantage of 888 Geek Help for staying in business.

Lucky in Japan this never happens to Japanese since employee protections are strict.... only gaijin freelanceers get stiffed on wages and payroll taxes.

[Ol Dirty Gaijin]

only gaijin freelanceers get stiffed on wages and payroll taxes.

and pension payments

[Taro Toporific]

only gaijin freelanceers get stiffed on wages and payroll taxes.

and pension payments

It pains me to have to say something good about Japan....oh I bite my buddha.... but refer the the latest update at the thread, 30% of wages eyed for pensions.

Social welfare agreement signed
http://www.terrie.com

After years of discussion, the Japan and USA have signed
an agreement that allows nationals of one country working
in the other to gain credits for their social welfare
contributions.

the American Embassy Tokyo in the American Community Update - March 2004. Some forms but it's still all very vague.

Q: Since the U.S. and Japan signed a Social Security Totalization Agreement, would I have to give up all of my Japanese social security benefits in order to qualify for U.S. Medicare benefits? I think I only need a few more years of work in the U.S. to qualify for Medicare there, can I use part of my Japanese years to make up the total?

Answer: You do not have to give up your benefits in Japan. However, you cannot use your benefits in Japan to qualify for Medicare in the U.S., as there are no Medicare benefits covered under any proposed Totalization Agreement. Please refer to SSA regulation GN 01701.130A.

Q: If there is no way I can qualify for Medicare in the U.S.....

Even if Japanese Social Security now works in the US for Americans but Medicare will not, arrrrg. Read my shortened notes here

Yeh, yeh, freelancers still get raped on pension too, but hey, it's a tradition.

[EXGEEK]

888 Geek Help is a FRAUD
....

Wow. That sure was random.
That's one hell of a grudge.

888 Geek Help sounds like they are following a typical pattern of a company over the edge. The ALL of start-ups (6) I worked at have failed to pay taxes on on time and most didn't make payroll towards their end. It sounds like Geek Help figured out that non-payment of payroll is a valid stragegy, which is correct from the employer's point of view and VERY hard to prove criminal intent. The only recourse is long-drawn out civil suit which of course is to advantage of 888 Geek Help for staying in business.

Lucky in Japan this never happens to Japanese since employee protections are strict.... only gaijin freelanceers get stiffed on wages and payroll taxes.

I can understand that some startup companies can do the. But the problem that all of us ex employees have is they keep doing it. They are not a legal company. No business license. No tax id. They are running an illegal business. They have been in business about 3 years. All the money made is pretty much going to the owner, who is not paying a dime in taxes (personal or business) plus not paying the employees. In the US if you have employees you have to have an EIN tax id number (Employer ID Number) and you have to file taxes quarterly for payroll (which they don;t have to do if they hire independant contractors.) All of us where Independent contractors. None of us got 1099 forms for the year 2003 for the money that we were paid. So it screws up our taxes. (I actually claim my work unlike 888 Geek Help). They did this to about 15 of us in May of 2003 and now they are doing it again to a whole new group of about 20 to 25 tech support reps. I doubt I will ever see the money that they owe me.. But its just the principle now. I have to pay taxes so they should have to also. Not fair. I guess they figured that each one of us would not do anything. Not worth the hassle or effort to go after them. What they did not count on was all of the present and past employees talking and finding out this is not the first time it has happened. So they own about 45 plus employees tons of money.

Sorry I posted in the wrong place. I just saw Geek Help and posted. Been on my soap box lately. Its about the only thing I can do. Not going to bother to go after them legally since it would cost me a fortune for an attorney (888 Geek Help is counting on that..) but I have made complaints to the State Attorney General's Office in California, the FBI and numberous other goverment agencies including the IRS. So 888 Geek Help will have a lot of headaches in the near future.. Hopefully the owners will go to prison for tax evasion.

Once again I am sorry for posting in the wrong place. Thank you for not jumping all over the post like they do in usenet.

Thanks..
Ex-Geek

[Taro Toporific]

They are not a legal company. No business license. No tax id. They are running an illegal business. .....
..... I have made complaints to the State Attorney General's Office in California, the FBI and numberous other goverment agencies including the IRS. So 888 Geek Help will have a lot of headaches in the near future.. Hopefully the owners will go to prison for tax evasion.

Two quick points.

1.) The " running an illegal business" angle is a lost cause. No govn't authority cares or goes after " illegal businesses".

2.) The State Attorney General's Office will care about your case and is your best hope. The FBI won't give a shit and the IRS is sloooooooooooooooow. Nothing happens in the IRS for at least 2 years AFTER they discover a problem. "Geek Help" has been in the biz for 3 years so they might get around to your complaint in 2006.

[bejiita]

Actually, a better solution is to sic the Business Software Alliance on them. Almost every company has some kind of software license violation.

Since you worked for them, you're more likely to know if any violations actually exist.

[Caustic Saint]

I can understand that some startup companies can do the. But the problem that...

I can understand that you're holding one hell of a grudge, but the problem is that you haven't got a clue.

Sorry I posted in the wrong place. I just saw Geek Help and posted. Been on my soap box lately. Its about the only thing I can do.

I'd say the only thing you should do is take 5 seconds to find out if you're ranting in the right place. Do your knees hurt from jerking so hard at the sight of the words "geek help?"

I mean, you have to register to post here. Somwhere during that process you may have wanted to read the post you're replying to!

Thank you for not jumping all over the post like they do in usenet.

Guess you spoke too soon, eh?

[NeoNecroNomiCron]

Actually, a better solution is to sic the Business Software Alliance on them. Almost every company has some kind of software license violation.

Since you worked for them, you're more likely to know if any violations actually exist.

On the fill in form where it says :

Where did you hear about http://WWW.BSA.ORG?

Do I put it as Online News Site