Bull In A China Store

A new shopping center is preparing for its grand opening in Nanjing, China.
So what, you ask?

H iPhone now available

Apparently Chinese fraud-repreneurs were tired of reproducing item look-a-likes. Each of the stores in this mall is a knock-off of a popular national franchise - "a McDonalds look-a-like burger bar called McDnoald’s, a Starbucks-style coffee shop called Bucksstar Coffee, and a wannabe Pizza Hut called Pizza Huh."   (Read more...)

Fact checker on staff here admits the story in The Mirror could be framed around photo-shop contest entries.
But if the mall does exist, then look for Burger King (under the Burger King banner) in the food court ... they've been selling edible material they call "food" for over 50 years.

Tags:[Shopping in Nanjing]   [Counterfeit products]

[McDonald's in China]   [Starbucks in China]

Read News about Fake Products

Punctuation * In the Hall of Fame ?

George Mitchell released his report today on the use of steroids and human growth hormones in Major League Baseball. To nobody's surprise, Mitchell condemned MLB for ignoring the problem: 'The use of steroids in Major League Baseball was widespread. There was a collective failure to recognize the problem as it emerged and to deal with it early on.'

Among the baseball stars implicated in Mitchell's report are Barry Bonds and Jason Giambi. Both have previously been accused of steroid use in The BALCO Affair.

Mitchell's report points to steroid use by future hall-of-famer Roger Clemens. Clemens denied using steroids when his name surfaced in other investigations, but Mitchell dedicates 8 pages to Clemens.

Clemens always struck me as a guy with integrity. A 7-time Cy Young winner, he's been called 'the world's best living pitcher' and named to the All-Century Team. He was a shoo-in to baseball's Hall of Fame on the first try. His Foundation supports athletics for youth in Houston.

According to Mitchell's report, every MLB team has had at least one player involved with performance enhancing drugs during the decades he investigated. The list of players includes as many superstars as average players.
Forget about marking Bonds' home run record with an asterisk...hall of fame nominations of any player who was active from, say 1987-2004, might have to be marked with a question mark.

Except Cal Ripken Jr.

Tags: [Mitchell Report]  [Baseball's Steroid Era]  [BALCO]
[George Mitchell]  [Bud Selig]
[Roger Clemens]  [Barry Bonds]  [Cal Ripken Jr.]  [Jose Canseco]

Interesting: Jose Canseco was denied entrance to the press conference where Mitchell's report was unveiled. In his autobiography, Juiced, Canseco admits using steroids. He has reportedly inked a deal for a follow-up book, Vindicated.

Keeping Kids Safe

Three weeks ago, I introduced readers to the Bulletproof Backpack. This is a real product, designed by Mike Pelonzi and Joe Curran of Boston. You can view the Product Page at MJ Safety Solutions.

I made the joke about Kevlar for Kindergartners. Just a few days later, I read about U.K.-based BladeRunner that has responded to parent requests for improved safety in school uniforms with its unique Kevlar Blazers. Send BladeRunner your child's outfit and they will add a Kevlar lining to it. Real product.

Then Trutex, another uniform supplier in the United Kingdom, showed off its product development team who are working on a way to incorporate GPS in its school uniforms. A safety net for parents, the microchip in the waistband or collar will allow them to monitor their child via a secure website. Schools are in the pro-camp for these devices - the chip's being touted as a tool to reduce truancy. In fact, according to surveys conducted by Trutex, only "children aged over 13 were less enthusiastic, fearing it would mean that their parents could spy on them." The teens can relax for this school year. The product team still has to find a tamper-proof circuit that doesn't break down in the wash. Still real, just not on the market yet. (Insert your own "No Child Left Behind" jokes)

Today, all the talk seems to be about Toddler Taser brought to you by Bulletproof Baby. Metro (U.K) covered the product testing of a stroller yesterday.

Bulletproof Baby is a viral marketing site linked to Shoot 'Em Up, not an actual supplier of protective gear and equipment. Was Metro really fooled? Some of its readers were. From a post at Jack-be-Nimble: "At first I wasn't sure if it was a parody or not and then I realized that it was not."
Really? You weren't tipped off to any satire even though the order desk is located in Iowa?!


Tags: [Bulletproof Clothing] [MJ Safety Solutions]
[BladeRunner] [Trutex Uniforms]

[Toddler Taser] [Bulletproof Baby] [P.T. Barnum]

[Shoot 'Em Up] [Clive Owen] [Paul Giamatti] [Monica Bellucci]
[New Line Cinema]

Bank on It

"Hello, is this Christine?" the caller asked at about 4:30 p.m. on Saturday.
"Yes," I replied. "Who am I speaking with?"

"This is Anna. I'm calling from BMO Bank of Montreal. I'm calling to notify you that BMO has suspended your debit card privileges. Our Security Division made the decision to freeze your debit card at 12:06 p.m. today."
"What are you talking about?" I pay for 99% of all my purchases using the debit card. I hadn't been out since 11:00 a.m.

"Sometime during the past 4-6 weeks you made a purchase at a business that is part of a criminal investigation," she explained. "That business is alleged to have recorded information from some consumers' debit cards. I am not authorized to disclose any information about the identity of the operation or persons involved.
"There does not appear to be any suspicious activity in your account since the transaction at that location. I can't be certain that your debit card information was obtained by the alleged criminals when you completed your purchase.
"Your card and account information has been compromised. As a precaution we have restricted your debit card."

I'll straighten it out at the Branch.

Three years ago, BMO's transaction security shut down John's card after they suspected the card data had been ripped. Three "unusual" transactions were completed at an "unusual" location which triggered a red-flag at the bank.

Two years ago, my credit card was cloned. The bank called us after their warning system detected activity that was "out of the ordinary". Within hours of the first fraudulent transaction, it was completely resolved.

We continue to receive outstanding service from BMO and its banking professionals.

Some may say that they're protecting their money, but I prefer to regard it as BMO taking care of their clients. Thanks, BMO.

Tags: [Bank of Montreal] [BMO]
[Debit Card Fraud] [Credit Card Fraud]