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  Internet Lawyer 0 Permalink | Reply
  Tags: desktop, Hall of Shame, hewlett packard, hewlett packard customer service, hewlett packard customer support, hewlett packard support, hp, laptop, notebook

  Here’s a quick update to Hewlett Packard: Don’t Buy HP Computers. Received from HP two boxes (remain unopened). By size and shape, they should be the video docking station and the carrying case for the Hewlett Packard laptop that I ordered and then promptly canceled the order upon learning the computer wouldn’t be shipped for two weeks and then would be returned to HP because they wouldn’t make alternative arrangements for me being out of state on business.

  HP was supposed to e-mail me return mailing labels to return the two boxes. Still not received. Hewlett Packard still has not confirmed they have cancelled the order and will refund the money spent. Although it takes them two weeks to build and ship it, apparently it is too difficult for the retards who construct the computers to slow down even more and stop building a computer. In reality, you and I both know they haven’t started building the computer. They’re just looking to boost their 4Q earnings through deceptive trade practices (like not refunding canceled orders).

  To repeat. Don’t buy HP computers. Having had two HP desktops crash and dealing with this nightmare ‘customer service,’ don’t trust Hewlett Packard customer support to do the right thing by you as a customer either as to quality or service.

   

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  Internet Lawyer 0 Permalink | Reply
  Tags: allied defense systems, american police force (2), becky shay, edward angelino, maziar mafi

  If you’ve been following the American Police Force saga, including its misleading website content, you’ll be pleased to know that the lid has really blown off this scandal and the odds are slim that APF will be running the jail or operating a police force in Hardin, Montana.

  “I think a low-level card shark is not going to rise to the level to get some kind of government defense contract.“ – Montana Gov. Brian Schweitzer

  MercuryNews.com has three particular items of interest in its story Montana Jail Project Begins to Unravel.

  1. Maziar Mafi has quit as APF’s attorney.

  2. The CEO of Allied Defense Systems, Edward Angelino, admits meeting with APF’s Michael Hilton but claims Allied is not doing business with APF.

  3. The only APF Mercedes SUV in Montana now is driven by the company’s spokesperson Becky Shay rather than patrolling the streets with a “Hardin City Police” decal for a nonexistent police department.

  Before this is over, don’t be surprised if at least one person lands in jail and the lawsuits start flying.

   
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  Internet Lawyer 0 Permalink | Reply
  Tags: american police force (2), internet scam, scam

  The original post American Police Force: Internet Scam? has drawn a huge response. USA Today is now reporting that the Montana attorney general probes secretive American Police Force.

  “Bullock is demanding that the company provide proof for some of the claims on its website, such as having contracts with the U.S. government and operations in all 50 states.”

  The story includes interesting details, including that APF’s founder supposedly has an extensive criminal history with time spent in prison. This is looking more and more like an Internet scam. Stay tuned.

   
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  Internet Lawyer 2 Permalink | Reply
  Tags: brands in public, intellectual property (3), Internet Law (9), opt-in, permission-based marketing, seth godin, squidoo

  When I wrote Seth Godin Jumps the Shark, apparently I wasn’t the only one who had a problem with the opt-out model Seth had adopted for Squidoo’s  Brands in Public. When you read the comments, note that Seth took the time to explain his view of what happened. Although I disagreed with this view in light of his prior support for permission-based marketing, I respect the fact that he took the time explain his side.

  Seth has now modified Brands in Public by taking down the pages he created for companies without their permission. If they want a page, he will build it for them. Congratulations to Seth for transitioning to an opt-in system where companies can decide whether they want to participate in Brands in Public. I’d bet that the Internet and intellectual property attorneys representing these companies are standing down.

  If you haven’t read Seth Godin’s Books, I highly recommend them.

   
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    Karin Hiebert 9:17 am on October 1, 2009 Permalink
    

    It was admirable that Seth Godin did take the time to reply and explain his view…
    and that he made adjustments.

    I really like the guy, and love his books as well…highly recommend reading his books and blog as well!

    I love when people actually listen and consider what their audience has to say!

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    Internet Lawyer 7:28 pm on October 1, 2009 Permalink
    

    Karin,

    I agree with you. Like his prior work, Seth Godin impressed me with how he handled this situation in response to the feedback received.

    Best wishes,

    -Mike

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  Internet Lawyer 0 Permalink | Reply
  Tags: privacy policies (5), privacy policy (4)

  There’s legislation going to be introduced in Congress that will change the way you do business online if it becomes law. This will affect your rights as a website visitor, a website owner, and as an online advertiser. To learn more about what’s coming, you’ll want to read Privacy Policy: Congress May Radically Change Internet Advertising.

   
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  Internet Lawyer 2 Permalink | Reply
  Tags: federal trade commission (13), ftc (13), infomercials, kevin trudeau, weight loss

  Two years ago tomorrow, I wrote FTC Attacks Kevin Trudeau for Alleged Misrepresentations. As now reported by Greg Burns in the Chicago Tribune, Kevin Trudeau, Federal Trade Commission prepare for showdown in court over business activities. Trudeau has been ordered by the court to pay $37.6 million because of misrepresentations made in a book about weight loss.

  The court enters judgment in favor of the FTC and against defendant Kevin Trudeau in
  the amount of $37,616,161, representing a reasonable approximation of the loss
  consumers suffered as a result of defendant’s deceptive informercials. (PDF copy of Court Order)

  

  Trudeau claims he’s broke. The FTC disagrees. Note that legal powerhouse Winston & Strawn is representing Trudeau. I’d guess that isn’t being done for free.

   
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    SaltyDroid 2:21 pm on September 15, 2009 Permalink
    

    I know times are tough in Big Law right now … but representing individual scammers against the interests of the public in civil matters is disgusting.

    Shame on you Winston. Sell your soul for Big Tobacco … fine. At least I can understand that … billions of dollars over several generations of lawyers.

    But sell your soul for Kevin Trudeau and his infinitely finite pockets … That’s just pathetic.

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    j davis 6:39 pm on October 7, 2009 Permalink
    

    Shame on these ‘lawyers’ for representing scum like Trudeau. Trudeau is clearly a dangerous sociopath who has shown no remorse for his crimes. Lock him up for life and confiscate all his assets!

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  Internet Lawyer 1 Permalink | Reply
  Tags: christianity, death threats, facebook (3), islam, rifqa bary

  This is not about a particular religion. It is about applying political correctness when enforcing the law. When a teenage girl has death threats posted about her on Facebook, you would think that law enforcement would actually do something about it. Think again. Rifqa Bary’s “sin” is that she converted from one religion to another (Islam to Christianity).

  Some lunatics think that justifies killing her.

  This isn’t a gray area. If the death threats were made on the Internet for any other reason, or on behalf of the warped view of any other religion, law enforcement would be taking it seriously, arresting, and prosecuting those who made the threats. The soft bigotry of low expectations should not be applied to any religion. “They don’t know any better” isn’t an excuse.

  Yet the PC police continue to look the other way.

  Protect Rifqa Bary. It’s the right thing to do whether or not you agree with her decision to exercise her constitutional right to religious freedom.

   
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    Jacque La Mantia 10:34 am on September 8, 2009 Permalink
    

    This truly is appalling. Are you certain it’s not about a particular religion? This just points out once again that too many feel it is ok to mock, ridicule, threaten and ignore Christians. I pray for this girl’s safety.

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  Internet Lawyer 0 Permalink
  Tags: criminal records, guilty plea, internet marketing (6), perry belcher, probation

  Appreciate all the support e-mails received from those who have read Perry Belcher: Criminal Records Now Available for Download and actually read the legal documents before making a judgment about the Internet marketer.

  To clarify a few points.

  1. Posting Perry Belcher’s guilty plea and probation deal is not an attack. It is a way to show that deceptive Internet marketing does have adverse consequences.

  2. The documents speak for themselves. You dont need a lawyer to read and understand them. Belcher was arrested and cut a deal as part of his guilty plea. You decide what that means to you.  If you think he’s turned over a new leaf, nothing written or said will convince you otherwise. If you think Belcher is still a criminal, nothing written or said here will convince you the contrary is true. Your perception of the issue is your reality.

  3. The terms of Belcher’s probation are objective. Either he has complied with those terms or he has not. I won’t be weighing in with my opinion on the issue. And if someone thinks Perry Belcher has violated his probation, I won’t be the one making that report to his probation officer.

   
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  Internet Lawyer 0 Permalink | Reply
  Tags: can-spam act (3), e-mail (2), emails (2), federal trade commission (13), ftc (13), spam (5), spam@uce.gov, spammer (2), spamming (2), unsolicited commercial email (2), white house (2)

  If you received unsolicited commercial e-mail (UCE), a.k.a. spam, from the White House recently talking about its healthcare proposal, chances are the junk e-mail came from GovDelivery, a Minnesota-based private contractor hired by the Obama Administration.

  Be sure to report the spam to the U.S. Federal Trade Commission at spam@uce.gov. Just kidding.

  There is no way in Hades that the FTC is going to investigate a firm that emails for the White House for possible violations of the CAN-SPAM Act.

  Hat tip: Fox News

   
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  Internet Lawyer 0 Permalink | Reply
  Tags: i4i, mark hachman, microsoft, microsoft word, ms word, office, open office, openoffice, patent infringement (2), pc magazine, word, word processing

  With a $290 million patent infringement judgment against Microsoft for its MS Office Word processing software, and an injunction barring sales of the software, one has to wonder if MS Word will in fact be killed off by the courts. Of course, Microsoft is appealing the decision so i4i (the victor in the lawsuit) should not be expecting a big pay day any time soon from playing litigation lotto.

  In the unlikely event that Office Word is permanently pulled off the market, look for users to shift to free programs like Open Office to meet their word processing needs.

  Hat tip: Mark Hachman at PCMag.com