Tides of Life Ocean View Home in Aptos - Zelda Sims

Perhaps you're considering traveling to the Santa Cruz area, and you are going with a bunch of people. Maybe you're looking for a cozy ocean view home to stay at while you're there.

Perhaps you've come across an add for the Tides of Life Ocean View Home owned by Zelda Sims, and are thinking of renting it as a vacation home for some time....

Well, think again!

This is a terrible choice! Zelda Sims is one of the most petty, unorganized, unfriendly people you'll ever meet. The views are overrated, and coordinating with Zelda to get enough towels, toiletries, etc. in the house is a big pain in the ass.

In fact, Zelda Sims herself is a pain in the ass....

So don't rent this house! It would be a big mistake....BOYCOTT!!!

American Airlines also uses dishonest advertising

Guess who joined the "Air Canada dishonest advertising" fan club?

Why it's American Airlines, also advertising non-reality fares:
"Fares shown are each way, based on round-trip purchase. Taxes, fees and conditions apply." (found on their website)

So their advertisement of Dallas-Acapulco round trip goes from
$134 USD on their advertising page, to $368 USD total....
DISHONEST!


Sounds like another BOYCOTT!!!
Such dishonesty in the airline industry!

Air Canada - Dishonest Advertising

Air Canada is one of the worst airline companies at misleading customers about its prices. If it were a European company, it would never be allowed to get away with how it advertises its fares.

First of all, for international destinations, it advertises one-way fares.....but:
"Sample fares shown are each-way based on a round-trip purchase."

Huh? If you have to buy round-trip, like Air Canada is telling people that these fares are ONLY valid for round-trip purchase, then ADVERTISE THE ROUND TRIP FARE! Don't try and get away with the one-way fare listing, when purchasing one-way is not allowed at this price range....

I then did a random search for flights from Toronto (YYZ) to Frankfurt (FRA).
I found YYZ->FRA for $276 and FRA->YYZ for $236.
Altogether: $512 - that's not bad at all, right?

WRONG!!!

After you pick your flight, you are saddled with (in CAD):
$224 Fuel Surcharge
$20 Canada Airport Improvement Fee
$10.50 German Airport Security Levy
$17 Canada Air Travellers Security Charge
$1 GST
$38.78 German International Passengers Levy

for a grand total of: $823.28 for the entire ticket.

European advertising rules would ensure that the customer knew that the ticket was from the outset, going to cost $823.28, and not allow Air Canada to show $276 and $236 each-way base fares.

Don't get duped by Air Canada advertising....it's a FRAUD!
BOYCOTT Air Canada!!

Tip Inflation

About 20 years ago, tipping in North America was 10% of the pre-tax bill, and then sometime around 15 years ago or so, this became 15%. Now in the last 5 years or so, I have heard some people say 20% is a fair tip share.

RIP OFF!!!!

This North American obsession about tipping, tipping for everything, tipping for the hotel housekeeper, tipping for taxis, tipping for the doorman, tipping the guy who carries luggage, tipping the airport shuttle driver, tipping, tipping, tipping.....

I refuse to adhere to Tip Inflation.....BOYCOTT TIP INFLATION!!!!!

Elvis Rocks!

Elvis Stojko is the best figure skater EVER, and this just confirms it:

Athletes should think twice about heading to Beijing: Elvis Stojko

Olympic Logo

Here is how the olympic logo was developed for Peking 2008.....

Olympic Torch and San Francisco

The Olympic torch is coming through San Francisco within the next few days. Protestors that are pro-Tibet have voiced their opinions, including one brave soul who climbed the Golden Gate Bridge:

(Picture from SF Chronicle, read the article here).

This week's protests on Tuesday and Wednesday should prove interesting... anyone who wants to join the protests can view these websites:

http://www.sfteamtibet.org/
http://www.sftorch2008.org/

Boycott the Genocide Olympics

The stuff going on in Tibet is downright unjust....

Cultural Genocide in Tibet committed by China

Why are countries such cowards when it comes to China's outright gross violations of basic human rights?

BOYCOTT THE GENOCIDE OLYMPICS!!!

Are you freakin' kidding me!?!?!?!

Geez! What's up with these st00pid airlines!?!?!?!?! I hate flying more and more!

What the heck!?

Academic integrity

Here's a rare serious post on my blog. I recently went to the big device conference and saw that a paper was published by a group at Stanford (by two big name EE professors). The professors (and their grad students, of course) were reporting on some simulations for a particular device. However, students in my research group had found similar results earlier, and chose not to publish these simulation results without experimental data.

Now here's the bad part. The main professor on the paper is in charge of a research center involving many research groups from different universities. He is also the Chair of the conference that I attended. He had heard a presentation from my research advisor during one of the research center updates - basically, this prof knew what one of the students in my group had studied yet still decided to publish his own paper. Not only that, the other professor on the paper was previously a professor at my school before moving to Stanford, and had a close working relationship with our group. Talk about dishonesty.

That's just not right. BOYCOTT STANFORD. They conduct some dirty business.

BOYCOTT U of T

I just heard that the University of Toronto is making my brother take 2 defenses for his PhD. Why 2?? That's hella retarded.

Thus, I'm starting my new boycott:

BOYCOTT UNIVERSITY OF TORONTO!!

MultiCites Moving Inc. - It SUCKS!!!

If you ever think about moving, do NOT use MultiCites Moving Incorporated.

It is basically the worst moving company EVER......

My friend Oliver used their services, and you can see the nightmare here:
Oliver's Moving Experience with Multicites

Boycott Mount Allison

For those of you who don't know me well, I'm pretty unreasonable. I boycott things on a regular basis... call it a hobby, if you will. Anyway, please join me in my new quest to ...

BOYCOTT MOUNT ALLISON UNIVERSITY!!!

That is all.
Peace out.