My cousin Stephen Pate opens Italian motorcycle shop in Windy City

Posted on June 30, 2009 by Stephen Pate

Sid and Stephen Pate of Restoration Werks eye the fancy Vincati, only one in the world

Stephen Pate of Restoration Werks and Big Sid Biberman eye the fancy Vincati, only one in the world (photo by Matthew Biberman)

The continuing adventures of my cousins Stephen Pate

One day a few years ago, I came across my long-lost cousin from the States Stephen Pate while surfing the net. He had a website called StephenPate.com. In our family, we usually defer to the oldest family member when registering dot.coms except when your cousin beats it to it.

Stephen, my cousin and not the one I’m named after, has an interesting career. In 2006 he opened a shop in Milwaukee to fix motorcycles. Starting with $500 and a Craigslist listing, Restoration Werks was so busy that he soon was working on more than 80 motorcycles.

This proves the inherent value of Craigslist for real people doing really important work. I don’t think my cousin was running a sex ring out of the back of his shop like some people who use Craigslist. See State AG ultimatum to Craigslist: Pull racy ads or face prosecution Continue reading →

Young and sexy Abercrombie look discriminates against minorities

Posted on June 30, 2009 by Stephen Pate

Abercrombie kids - sexy white and American, minorities need not apply ? (Rex features)

Deliberate marketing policy hires models with white American non-ethnic values

Story from BBC Magazine

The stir over Riam Dean’s claim she was discriminated against because of her disability is reviving a challenge Abercrombie and Fitch has faced before. They settled a discrimination case in 2004 for $45 million and agreed to integrate minorities into their employment.

Continue reading →

Abercrombie and Fitch puts beautiful law student in the stock room

Posted on June 30, 2009 by NJN Network

Ambercrombie girl not beautiful enough, prosthetic arm unfit

Prosthetic arm offends their sense of beauty, go figure – updated

Story from New Zealand Herald updated June 30, 2009

The story of Riam Dean, a 22 year old law student has traveled around the world from London, UK to New Zealand and across North America. She was constructively dismissed by Abercrombie and Fitch, the American clothier.

Susan Boyle may be talented but plain: Riam Dean is drop dead gorgeous yet Abercrombie think her prosthetic arm is off-putting.

Discrimination against the disabled has always included a certain amount of social segregation and Dean’s case is a classic irony because of her natural beauty and intelligence. Many less attractive people with disabilities are discriminated against right off the bat. Continue reading →

Why was Michael Jackson so weird?

Posted on June 30, 2009 by Stephen Pate

Fundamentalist religion, abusive childhood and fame make a strange cocktail

Michael Jackson, other wordly image by Daniel Nieves

With story from BBC – updated October 10, 2011

“Any of us have less than perfect personalities and upbringing. The pressure cooker of fame and stardom along with virtually unlimited wealth can and do let those demons out.”

Michael Jackson was a super talent, in the same league as Elvis and the Beatles. Like great artists he had a peak in his career and then a long decline of lesser work. During the decline he was rich beyond the means of most people and indulged in a weird and rumored deviant life for the past two decades.
Continue reading →

Michael Jackson and the Zombieconomy

Posted on June 30, 2009 by Byline

Editor – great article and discussion on Michael Jackson and the music biz. Watch the zombieconomy clip if you can.

11:05 AM Monday June 29, 2009

By Umair Haig, Harvard Business Publishing

“…Sales of his recordings through Sony’s music unit have generated more than $300 million in royalties for Mr. Jackson since the early 1980′s.”

Want to know why we have a zombieconomy? Because the bean counters killed the incentives to create real value. Continue reading →

Beyonce is fantastic at Michael Jackson BET 2009

Posted on June 30, 2009 by Stephen Pate

Beyonce at BET 2009 Awards and Michael Jackson Tribute

Beyonce is resplendent singing Ave Maria, Award and Tribute fails to spark

Stephen Pate, NJN Network, Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, Canada, June 29, 2009 with story from BBC News updated June 30, 2009

The stars and family came out for the hastily converted BET 2009-Awards-now-Michael Jackson Tribute last night but the show was long on effort and low on emotional spark. There was more enjoyment watching the old Michael Jackson videos except one awesome song by Beyonce that was both visually and musically worth the ticket.
Continue reading →

Microsoft discounts Windows 7 for 2 weeks, over charges later

Posted on June 29, 2009 by NJN Network

Stephen Pate, NJN Network, Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, Canada, June 29, 2009 with stories from ComputerWorld.

Microsoft is running a two week promotion to sell Windows 7 upgrades at half price, even though the product won’t ship until October 2009. Amazingly, orders are flying in. To add confusion, newly announced European pricing is almost double the price in the US.
Continue reading →

Life on the boulevard…Victoria Row Charlottetown PEI

Posted on June 29, 2009 by NJN Network

Relaxing at Cafe Diem 2004, not much changes but the people walking by

Summer has started and the laissez les bons temps roulez

We don’t think we miss Victoria Row all fall, winter and spring until the first hot day hits. Then there is no other place to be for supper and the evening. Admittedly one doesn’t get the grass cut whiling the time away but who cares.

Thursday last week was too hot for supper so off we went. Now things have changed. Brennan’s is a construction zone opening this week as the International or something. I’m hoping for a Euro-Trance or Euro-Disco bar like Club Bulles in Paris. If I’m disappointed, c’est la vie.

We settled into Cafe Diem for supper and drinks. Right away, the differences started to irritate. No bottled beer is served. They only have draft from the Gahan House which is owned by the joint owner Kevin Murphy, seemingly the owner of all food establishments. Only two kinds of wine which seems slack. No entrées, no pasta, only soups, sandwiches and cheese cake. Even the desserts are deserted. Continue reading →

Webtrix Conversion Blues – ain’t it hard to struggle hard to fall

Posted on June 29, 2009 by Stephen Pate

Webtrix conversion blues # 2 phot by Future Blues from photography-on-the-net

Webtrix conversion blues # 2 photo by Future Blues from photography-on-the-net

When your website is down you ain’t got nothin’ at all

Stephen Pate, NJN Network, Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, Canada, June 29, 2009

As you may have noticed, things have changed. NJN Network has a new format and things went not too badly. We idled Friday night away on Victoria Row in complete, blissful ignorance of the mess we were headed for. Wine and song were the order of the evening.
Continue reading →

Pirate Bay planning YouTube competitor

Posted on June 29, 2009 by Stephen Pate

Pirate Bay to stream videos, unbowed and unbroken

Site will stream video ignoring copyright

Stephen Pate, NJN Network, Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, Canada, June 29, 2009 with story from BBC

BBC News is reporting plans byThe Pirate Bay to start a video streaming site competing with YouTube. That will be a gutsy move considering their recent conviction for copyright infringement. Four of the founders were jailed and ordered to pay a $4.5 million fine. After the conviction it was revealed that the judge was in conflict of interest over his relationship with copyright bodies in Sweden. The case is being appealed.
Continue reading →