Microsoft Lawsuit
By Ed Fallon
Dear Friends,
In terms of our usual updates, this one will
strike you as odd. Today, weÂ’re not advocating for an issue. Instead,
weÂ’re helping you, Joe and Jane Average Citizen, participate in a
class-action lawsuit that will land you $100 - $200 and help keep
Corporate America more honest in the future.
Perhaps youÂ’ve not
heard about the Microsoft class-action lawsuit? There certainly hasnÂ’t
been a lot of news about it. One of our supporters is familiar with
the case in detail, so weÂ’ve been privy to the inside skinny. In a
lawsuit that Roxanne Conlin shepherded through the legal system, it was
determined that Microsoft engaged in anti-competitive practices,
preventing improved consumer products from reaching our desktops.
Basically, it was attempt by Microsoft to lock down and control the
market.
If you are a resident of Iowa and believe, to the best
of your recollection, that you purchased a Microsoft product between
1994 and 2006, you are eligible to file a claim. It's understood in
the lawsuit that few people will have records of computer-related
purchases stretching back over thirteen years. Since Microsoft
products were pre-installed on almost all PCs during those years, if
you purchased a computer you likely bought Windows and Microsoft Word
or Microsoft Office. Your best estimates on what you purchased and
when will suffice.
To file a claim go to
www.iowamicrosoftcase.com. All you need to do is indicate to the best
of your recollection the year, product(s), and, generally speaking,
where they were purchased, e.g., Dell online, Comp USA, Best Buy, etc.
The claim was set up to be bare bones because there just is not much
more information people will be able to recall.
So, with that in
mind, each and every one of you who bought a computer during that
thirteen-year period should consider it your civic responsib ility to
file this claim. You have until December 15 to do it. If Iowans donÂ’t
claim the money approved in the settlement, it merely reverts to
Microsoft, so please feel free to forward this information to others to
encourage the broadest possible participation.
YouÂ’ll help send
a message that Iowans believe in holding big companies accountable . .
. and youÂ’ll get reimbursed for your efforts!
Thank you,
Ed Fallon
P.S.
On an unrelated matter . . . the Iowa Bicycle Coalition is working to
pre-sell 500 “Share The Road” license plates. The plates are a rolling
billboard to encourage more bicycling and reinforce the message to
motorists that safety is a life-and-death matter. The basic plates are
$35. Personalized plates are $60. Funding goes to bicyclist safety
education and motorist awareness. The coalition hopes to reach their
goal by December 1. Application and instructions are at
www.iowabicyclecoalition.org/strplate.htm.
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Friday, November 30
Microsoft Lawsuit
by
Sam Garchik
on Fri 30 Nov 2007 08:32 AM CST
Thursday, November 29
Share the Road License Plate Progress Report
by
Sam Garchik
on Thu 29 Nov 2007 08:45 AM CST
Share the Road License Plate Progress Report
By the Iowa Bicycle Coalition 344 Applications Paid 700+ Requested We need 156 more applications. This is urgent. 1. Download your application ( www.iowabicyclecoalition.org/strplate.htm) 2. While your turkey is cooking, fill out the application. 3. Write the check to the Iowa Bicycle Coalition. It's just $35 for numbered or $60 for personalized. 4. After your feast, walk or ride to the post office and drop the application in the mail! If you have already sent your application... thank you! If you still need to send your application, don't wait another minute. Download your application at http://www.iowabicyclecoalition.org/strplate.htm. We have a limited time to reach our initial 500 plates or we may lose our chance to have a Share The Road plate. We want to reach 500 plates by December 1st, so don't wait another minute. Did you say DECEMBER 1? YES, It's crunch time. We need less than 222 people to fill out the application and then the plates will be issued. What does the money go to? 100% of the funding is directed to the Share The Road fund. This will be used for bicycle safety education and motorist awareness. Can I make copies of the application and forward this to my friends? Yes, please send this to as many people as you can. But urge them to act fast. Until next time... ------------------------------------------------------- Copyright © Iowa Bicycle Coalition See what we are doing at: http://www.iowabicyclecoalition.org. Wednesday, November 28
CASHING IN ON THE WIND
by
Sam Garchik
on Wed 28 Nov 2007 09:15 AM CST
CASHING IN ON THE WIND
By ISU Extension Iowa State University Extension and the Iowa Energy Center are co-sponsoring the Central Iowa Wind Energy Conference on Nov. 30 in Nevada and on Dec. 7 in Eagle Grove. The same program will be offered at each location. The conference will be offered from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. and includes an optional tour of a wind turbine installation. This conference will provide interested farmers; government officials; and business, industry, and rural homeowners an opportunity to evaluate wind energy and explore the potential use of this power source for the future. The program will include discussions with early adopters of wind energy in the county and with utility companies serving the area. Topics to be discussed include wind energy basics, grants and zero interest loans to purchase wind generators, current pricing structure for connection to the power grid, and wind energy contracts. The registration fee, including lunch, is $15 per person for registering at least one day in advance of the conference date. Registrations on the conference date will be $25 per person. The registration brochure is available online at: www.extension.iastate.edu/Bioeconomy/News/CenIowaWindConf.htm ********************************************** Rick (Derrick N.) Exner, Ph.D. PFI Farming Systems Coordinator ISU Extension Practical Farmers of Iowa 2104 Agronomy Hall, ISU, Ames, IA 50011 (515) 294-5486, -9985 fax http://www.practicalfarmers.org Tuesday, November 27
Progressive Radio, Eastern Iowa
by
Sam Garchik
on Tue 27 Nov 2007 09:05 AM CST
Progressive Radio, Eastern Iowa
Dave Bradley Next Saturday evening, December 1st, beginning at 6PM there will be an open house at 105 Downey Street in downtown West Branch. The purpose of the open house is to celebrate the filing of an application for a community radio station by New Bohemia in Cedar Rapids. The open house will be hosted by Brett Gordon. Brett has been instrumental in the filing of the application. Please come join Brett and celebrate what we hope will be the new community radion in Eastern Iowa. Dave Bradley Monday, November 26
Go Jump In A Lake
by
Sam Garchik
on Mon 26 Nov 2007 09:07 AM CST
Go Jump In A Lake
By Ed Fallon Seriously. I promise not to write about the global climate crisis every week. And I promise to keep todays Update short. But this is such an important issue that I have to bring your attention to an upcoming event that didnt make the Update last week. Its a special event, not just because its important, but because its fun . . . for some people . . . perhaps. On December 8th, representatives of nations the world over will gather in Bali for talks on climate change that will, hopefully, lead to the next generation of the Kyoto Treaty. Rank-and-file citizens around the world will mark the start of these talks with the Third International Day of Action on Global Warming. In Des Moines, local activists are organizing the "Polar Bear Plunge." People passionate about tackling global warming, or simply inclined to acts of insanity, are invited to a rally followed by a j ump into Gray's Lake at 12:00 noon on December 8th. The theme of the event is Keep Winter Cold, which may be a hard sell for Midwesterners on a brisk December day; but talk with any polar bear you meet on the street and you wont see a lot of enthusiasm for warmer winters. Organizers are encouraging participants both those who, like Lynn, will take the plunge literally and those who, like me, choose to regard plunge as metaphorical to write a letter or sign a petition letting Congressman Boswell know how important it is that he support the Safe Climate Act (HR 1590). Among leading Iowa Democrats, Boswell is alone in his lack of action on global warming. Iowas other Democratic Congressmen Braley and Loebsack support the bill. (Please thank them if you live in their districts.) Just last week, Chet Culver joined governors throughout the upper Midwest to form a regional pact to reduce global warming pollution 60% 80% by 2050. Frank Cownie, mayor of Des Moines, is gaining a national reputation as one of the countrys most proactive mayors on global warming. Every top Democratic presidential candidate has come out with a plan to tackle global warming. On the Republican side, John McCain is talking about it. The Iowa Farmers Union, the United Steelworkers of America, key environmental organizations and religious leaders have publicly called on Boswell to do everything he can to address global warming. Yet not only has Boswell declined to sign-on to the Safe Climate Act, he is supporting a fuel economy bill that is weaker than what President Bush called for in his State of the Union address. On December 8th employing the creative notion of plunging oneself, polar-bear style, into water a degree or two above the temperature of ice Des Moines-area residents will have yet another chance to impress upon Congressman Boswell the importance of jumping on boa rd the climate-change bandwagon. For more information, to help organize the event or to discuss the latest fashion in winter bathing suits, contact Kelly Mitchell at kelly.mitchell@wdc.greenpeace.org or (818) 282-0168. Thanks for reading, and I hope we get to spend part of a day at the beach together next month. Tuesday, November 20
Help fight for marriage equality
by
Sam Garchik
on Tue 20 Nov 2007 12:36 PM CST
Help fight for marriage equality By Planned Parenthood of Iowa Planned Parenthood is committed to ensuring that sexuality is understood as an essential, lifelong aspect of being human and that it is celebrated with respect, openness, and mutuality. Our coalition partner, One Iowa, is working to secure the right to civil marriage for Iowa's lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) citizens. One Iowa is currently conducting a confidential survey to obtain information about how individuals in same-sex relationships and their families are treated in Iowa. If you are in a same-sex relationship, please respond to the confidential online survey. You can also help by urging LGBT friends to complete the survey. It's available online through December 1.www.iowafamilysurvey.org Current Iowa law provides no access for LGBT citizens to the myriad of rights, protections, and responsibilities provided by marriage. In August Polk County District Court Judge Robert B. Hanson ruled that same-sex couples must be allowed to marry based on the Iowa Constitution's guarantee of equal treatment under the law. That decision was then stayed and will be appealed to the Iowa Supreme Court. Those opposed to marriage equity favor amending the Iowa Constitution to say marriage must be between one man and one woman. The real life experiences gathered through the survey provide a powerful educational tool to help Iowans understand the discrimination LGBT families face because civil marriage is not available. Please take a few minutes to respond to the survey. www.iowafamilysurvey.org To learn more about One Iowa's work, go to www.one-iowa.org
Monday, November 19
Sick and tired of recalls? Tell the companies responsible for them
by
Sam Garchik
on Mon 19 Nov 2007 12:26 PM CST
Sick and tired of recalls? Tell the companies responsible for them
Meshawn Ayala, Iowa PIRG Citizen Outreach Director Holy recalls, Batman! What's with all the dangerous products? Mattel's Batman action figure was recalled because the toy had loosely attached magnets that kids could swallow, causing major health problems. Earlier this week, we asked you to sign our petition asking Corporate America to do better. More than 2,500 of you did! Please add your name today and then forward this link if you've got friends concerned about this issue. http://www.uspirg.org/action/product-safety/challenge?id4=ES (Apologies to those of you who had problems with the link earlier in the week. We have fixed those problems with the link.) If it seems that more products are being recalled these days, you're right. So far this year, manufacturers have recalled an estimated 25 million dangerous toys, 60 million pounds of pet food and 1 million pounds of spinach. And the numbers keep growing. We've launched the Corporate Safety Challenge to demand that corporations do better. To join us in our campaign, click on the link below and then forward this to your friends and family. http://www.uspirg.org/action/product-safety/challenge?id4=ES Sincerely, Meshawn Ayala Iowa PIRG Citizen Outreach Director MeshawnA@iowapirg.org http://www.IowaPIRG.org Saturday, November 17
Action on Coal Plants
by
Sam Garchik
on Sat 17 Nov 2007 07:58 AM CST
Action on Coal Plants By Ed Fallon |
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