Brutus Observations - Latest Blog Entries

Don't Let Workers Compensation Fool You

Mon, 07 May 2012 08:01:00 -0500

Don't let workers' compensation fool you. On the one hand it is great that if you get hurt or sick on the job, you get to keep your job. You get your medical bills covered, time to heal up, and even a little compensation to cover your lost wages. If you never fully recover, then you get retrained to do something else or they give you a desk job with AC which can't be beat. Who wouldn't give up a limb to have it easy like the admin staff? But do you see the catch? YOU get hurt at work, but YOU are the one that takes it in the shorts. Workers' Compensation almost NEVER pays you as much as you were making. You only get like 40% to 60% of your lost wages, or something like that. How is that fair? You get hurt, so you get the paycut. Your boss certainly doesn't take a cut for losing your productivity and neither does his boss. Only you are the proud recipient of a discount!

Now you ask what is workers' compensation, really? It is an insurance program that benefits the employer. By acccepting workers' compensation, by signing the papers to get what they call "benefits," assuming you are not at all at fault when you get hurt or sick, you are agreeing not to sue your employer. In return for this agreement you get a big cut in pay. What is the upside for you? You get to keep your job and don't have to go to court to get something, even though you might be able to get a full recovery. In the end, some argue workers' compensation is just a way to screw employees because most of them can't afford to go to court in the first place. So, if you are seriously hurt on the job, talk to a lawyer before you sign anything. You don't want to give up an arm or a leg just to take a temporary pay cut.

What to Do About Wage Garnishment

Wed, 25 Apr 2012 14:58:00 -0500

You know all about wage garnishment. You've seen it happen to your friends and family members and it can be devastating. Too often people just don't do anything when they are sued because they don't have the time or money to go to court, lawyers are too expensive, and besides, you have a strict work schedule. You can't get time off when you need it. So, sometimes judgments happen, and shortly after the court orders you are on the hook for a lot of money because you couldn't afford to fight in court in the first place, you are left sitting there, not asking what is a wage garnishment? You already know what it is. Rather, you need to know what you can do about it. One avenue is bankruptcy. Bankruptcy won't get you off the hook for everything, but it can fix a lot of problems. Credit cards are one of them. Let's say you owe $50,000 on a credit card and have a $65,000 judgment and garnishment against you for it for essentially the rest of your life. Most likely, you'll be getting only 75% of your pay for the rest of your life. And with this burden you are going to financially collapse. There is a possible answer.

Hire a lawyer, or do it yourself if you can't afford it, and call the lawyer that got the garnishment against you. Tell him he has to reduce your garnishment to something way less than you are being garnished for or you'll just file for bankruptcy. It might work. The lawyer might have you sign some sort of settlement reducing the amount to something more fair. If not, and of course assuming you have no other financial option because a 25% reduction in pay is just too much, file for bankruptcy! You'll show them that being too greedy does not always pay off. What is wage garnishment? Sometimes not a lot after the Bankruptcy Court comes to the rescue!

HDMI in TV Requires More than a 1080p Display

Fri, 13 Apr 2012 18:07:00 -0500

Time and time again a friend or family member buys an HDMI TV and the first thing they do is call me.

"How do you get this HDMI in TV thing to work? I just brought my HDMI TV home and it sure doesn't look as good as it did at the store."

"I don't know. Look at the box. Do you see 1080p anywhere?"

"Yup. So what's the problem?"

"What are you trying to watch?"

"The TV you dummy!"

"I know, I know. I'm just trying to start at the beginning, you know, where the TV HDMI signal should start and how it gets to your display."

"What? Say that again professor."

"Ok, are you watching cable?"

"No, they turned off my cable a few months ago."

"Why?"

"I couldn't pay for it and save up for this blasted HDMI TV! That's why!"

"Ok, so are you trying to watch a DVD?"

"Yes."

"Is the DVD a Blu Ray?"

"I don't know. I just know it is a DVD."

"Ok. How about your DVD player? Do either DVD player or DVD say 'Blu Ray' anywhere on them?"

"Hold on, I'll check."

A few minutes pass. Cussing can be heard in the background.

"No, neither of them. We have a problem, huh?"

"Yes, you are going to have to buy a Blu Ray player and DVD before your movie looks as good as the one at the store, and that's assuming your cables can carry the signal."

[explicative deleted]

No Layoff for Me! See my Contract Buddy!

Thu, 05 Apr 2012 10:00:00 -0500

There is an interesting article at www.patdickson.com that suggests in today's world the most important thing to get in your employment contract is a no layoff provision. How can you argue with that? These days companies treat employees like dirt. They mass layoff all the people that do the real work and give big raises to the shirt and tie guys that don't know anything but how to talk a lot with a PowerPoint on the conference room display without saying anything but using a bunch of acronyms. Then everyone claps and leaves the room, doesn't know what was really said, but it sounded good, and when some of them get back to their desks, a pink slip is waiting. What a bummer! Anyway, if you are lucky enough to be thinking about taking a new job and you are going to have to sign an employment agreement, make sure you get a no layoff provision in it. And if they won't let you have it, tell them you don't want the job. Because aren't they really saying you are disposable? Well, maybe you take the job anyway, even if they don't give you any assurances. The economy today is crap and you never know whether your next paycheck is coming.

Protecting Your Product's Name

Sun, 01 Apr 2012 21:32:00 -0500

If your business sells products of any kind and you want them to be recognized by name, kind of like how everyone knows what a Pepsi or Big Mac is, you have to get a trademark.

Here is an article about how Blue Ocean Capital got the trademark name for the Brush Gripper:

In summary, they first looked up the name Brush Gripper and BrushGripper with the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). Then they found they could use the name because it didn't come up in a search on the USPTOs site. Then they started putting "TM" behind the Brush Gripper name to let everyone know they were using it first, and then finally they filed for the mark. Next thing you know, they had the name all to themselves and a registered name and number. It is all pretty easy. A few hours of reading at the USPTO web site and just about anyone can file for a trademark all by themselves.

Subcontractors Getting Ripped Off by Contractors

Tue, 27 Mar 2012 15:44:00 -0500

If you are a subcontractor and you don't want to get ripped off by your contractor, make sure he has money in the bank and hasn't been getting sued by a million vendors. Do a contractor check. Make sure he's got money. The construction business is really rough these days and so many subcontractors are just going belly up, especially since the residential housing crisis, and they can't expect a contractor to watch out for their best interests. After all, the contractors are going under too. So many of them aren't even making payroll, are selling off equipment, or are otherwise fighting with their banks because they've maxed thier credit lines or violated their covenants.

Anyway, the smartest thing to do is get money down before you procure any materials. A lot of contractors will tell you you can't have money down because they only pay for completion, but that isn't true. They just have to get their CFO or controller to cut a check. So, if you are a small subcontracor and only have a $300k job, when the Contractor's job is $10m, it really isn't that big of a deal to give you a 50% down payment. You can't always get money down, but it doesn't hurt to ask. Also, if you don't get any money down, ask if you can be paid immediately for the value of materials, right upon submitting proof via purchase orders.

Some of the ways to do a contractor check:

1. Get a D&B report

2. Ask for financials

3. Ask for proof he's got room on his credit line, or cash in the bank to pay you.

4. Ask around and see if you can find some subcontractors who've done business with the Contractor before.

C & D HDMI Cable Connector Types

Tue, 28 Feb 2012 14:48:00 -0600

What are Type C HDMI cable connectors?

A Type C HDMI TV connector adheres to HDMI 1.3 specifications. It is like the Type A connector but smaller. It has 19 pins.

Essentially, Type C HDMI cable connectors are designed for use with portable devices. However many Type C connectors can be connected to outlets requiring a Type A cable if an adapter is used. Most adapters are under $20.00 and can be purchased at local electronics retailers or via online merchants.

What are Type D HDMI cable connectors?

A Type D HDMI TV connector adheres to HDMI 1.4 specifications. It is just like the Type A and C connectors, in that it has 19 pins, but it is even smaller than the Type C. The Type D connector is only 2.94mm x 7.8mm.

Many modern cell phones use Type D HDMI cable connectors. There are many adapters available for helping attach Type D connectors to Type A outlets. A common example of the purpose for making such a connection is the uploading of photos taken via a cell phone to one’s personal computer’s hard drive.

Stay Away From North American Van Lines

Thu, 09 Feb 2012 05:45:00 -0600

Wow - what a horrible North American Van Lines Review. I cannot understand how NAVL can stay in business treating their customers this way. As large of a company as they are, it would only seem feasible for them to reach out to customers who have had such a horrible experience as these poor people. Over three weeks late delivering their items PLUS the movers steal all their belongings???

Maybe this isn't a rare case. Perhaps this is norm for them? In which case it appears they wear customers down with complaint forms, denials of reimbursements, and not returning phone calls or answering questions.

Have you been to their Facebook page? It is swamped with people who have had similar (very similar) experiences. It's just page after page of people complaining - how do they stay in business? And they never appear to ever address any of the peoples complaints. One look at that page and if I was a potential customer, I would head for the hills.

No doubt, these guys are bad news. I advise you use a different moving company if you have to move.