The Open Cubicle

CALIFORNIA (OCN) — Once again, Apple got egg in their face. The first came as a worldwide server crash for the Apple iPhone 3G.

The later came earlier today when California courts dismissed their case saying that the shape of TeleBrands PedEgg did not infringe on look of the Apple Mighty Mouse.

Apple’s Mighty Mouse came about for the first time two years ago on August 2, 2005. Prior to the Mighty Mouse, Apple had sold only one-button mice with its computers, beginning with the Apple Lisa some 22 years earlier. This uniqueness help set apart their device and system from competitors. After the release of the multi-button Mighty Mouse it was is seen as a significant event in the company’s history.

To order your Mighty Mouse to use with an Apple System or Psystar’s OpenComputer (formerly OpenMac), visit www.apple.com.

ENGLAND (OCN) — We would like to thank one of our readers who has let us know that The Camelot Group Scam is still going strong. Here is format these tricksters are using to scam you.

THE PURPOSE FOR THE MANDATORY RETAINERSHIP PAYMENT BY YOU! Your winnings can only be approved for you to receive it after you are cleared by the United Kingdom Government hence the reason for legalizing it with the Gaming Promotion Commission. The Legalization/Notarization process is the verifications and confirmation that you have never been involved, indicted or convicted of any of the following:

(1) Acts of Terrorism as prescribed in the United Kingdom Terrorist ACT and as amended by the 2005 Terror Laws of the United Kingdom.
(2) Financial and/or Moral assistance to any Group listed in the United Nations Release of world Terrorist organizations.
(3) Acts similar to any listed in the United Nations classification of Terrorist acts.
(4) International Money Laundering.

At this point, we will want to advice that if you’ve ever been indicted or convicted of any of the listed crimes above both within or outside the United Kingdom, there’s no reason for you to proceed any further with your winnings claims as it will certainly be revealed because checks are conducted on your name with your country’s government and the United Nations.

REASONS THE RETAINERSHIP PAYMENTS CANNOT BE DEDUCTED FROM YOUR PROMOTION WINNINGS BY US

1) The mandatory insurance cover placed on your Promotion winnings by CAMELOT GROUP NATIONAL LOTTERY on your behalf as required by UK laws. This means your Promotion winnings are insured to its REAL value for it’s protection on your behalf when you receive it. This insurance cover can only be invalidated after you actually receive your lottery winnings and sign that you have been paid in full.

2) Our retainer fees cannot be deducted from your winnings because the body in charge of promotion winnings (The UK Board of Promotion Commission) and a Royal Court of Justice hasn’t yet finally approved your promotion winnings for payment to you since it’s yet to be ascertained if you have or haven’t be involved in crimes listed in the UK Terrorism Act/Law.

We cannot also assist you in making any payments since we cannot guarantee in it’s entirety that you have never been involved in any of the above. Please understand our situation in this matter as only the United Kingdom government apart from yourself can genuinely ascertain that you have not been involved in any of the above and so you are clear to receive the promotion winnings.

Be rest assured that you will receive your promotion winnings according to your choice of mode of payment immediately we receive the retainership fees from you and apply for your legalization. A clearance is issued for you to receive the promotion winnings by the Promotion Commission once it is confirmed that you never been involved in any of the above listed crimes. This entire exercise does not take more than 48 hours to conclude as we have always handled this very situation for non UK citizens who are winners in the email or ticket promotion programme of CAMELOT GROUP NATIONAL LOTTERY

We will wait the maximum number of days for you to make payments for the legalization after which a LETTER OF FORFEITURE/DISCLAIMER will be sent by us to CAMELOT GROUP NATIONAL LOTTERY Promotion Office as regards your winnings claims due to your inability to fulfill all statutory obligations in regards to the winning in context.

This is based on the memorandum of understanding to which we are party and legal affiliates to CAMELOT GROUP NATIONAL LOTTERY OFFICE.

Kindly understand that we are most willing to explain this matter further to you as we expect you will understand our concern for you and your winnings. So kindly proceed to make payments as advised so that we can commence process on your promotion winning claims. We remain obliged to be of service to you.

Yours Sincerely,
Bar. Michael Phillip (Esq) For,
Thomas Cadwell and Associates.

Do you have a more info on the scam? Contact us via email and we’ll add it here to help others.

ENGLAND (OCN) — If you loved Jill de Jong as Laura Croft, you are going the love the new bombshell.

It has been announced that Alison Carroll will be the new Lara Croft model for the latest game, Tomb Raider: Underworld.

Carroll, a gymnast, was born in Croydon in England and during her twelve 12 years as a professional display gymnast, represented Great Britain.

CANADA (OCN) — Move over Pokémons! Ganz’s lovable Webkinz characters are coming to take over a big screen near you. According to reports, Sony Pictures (SPE) headquartered in Culver City, California is working on a Webkinz movie.

Will the movie use anamtronics or CGI (computer generated imagery)? That remains to be seen as the studios are trving to keep a tight lid on things.

NEW YORK (OCN) — It seems everyone is jumping on the Regina Usvjat bandwagon.

While visiting MSN.com hours ago to find information on North Carolina’s weather for the coming week, something told me to visit MSN Search and enter Regina Usvjat (who in 2007 was reported as being an Associate at Thacher Proffitt & Wood) in the search field.

After entering the info, I discovered Usvjat.com had snuck right pass the PINUP’S NAKED JUSTICE article from New York Post in ranking and was number one in the index. So far, PINUP’S NAKED JUSTICE continues to rule supreme in Google’s Index along with the Adwords campaign.

As I was just about to close out the screen I discovered the following at the top right of the search index listing.

Find Regina - $7.95
Find any unlisted number & address
history. Instant & Accurate Results
www.intelius.com

According to one post (see image below), at least ten people surf the Internet each day for information on Usvjat and if at least five request info, the company stands to make $35 per day before paying MSN to deliver the ads.

CANADA (OCN) — Looking for 3219 Yonge Street? Well, you are not the only one. People worldwide are looking for the company, website and phone number associated with the address and are directed to our post called Willington Pierce Brothers.

There you will find the address listed below with several business names that are being used to scam you.

3219 Yonge Street
Suite 342
Toronto, Ontario
Canada M4N 2L3

The next time you receive a letter, keep these tips in mind.

1. Legitimate sweepstakes don’t require you to pay or buy something to enter or improve your chances of winning, or to pay “taxes” or “shipping and handling charges” to get your prize. If you have to pay to receive your “prize,” it’s not a prize at all.
2. Sponsors of legitimate contests identify themselves prominently; fraudulent promoters are more likely to downplay their identities. Legitimate promoters also provide you with an address or toll-free phone numbers so you can ask that your name be removed from their mailing list.
3. Bona fide offers clearly disclose the terms and conditions of the promotion in plain English, including rules, entry procedures, and usually, the odds of winning.
4. It’s highly unlikely that you’ve won a “big” prize if your notification was mailed by bulk rate. Check the postmark on the envelope or postcard. Also be suspicious of telemarketers who say you’ve won a contest you can’t remember entering.
5. Fraudulent promoters might instruct you to send a check or money order by overnight delivery or courier to enter a contest or claim your “prize.” This is a favorite ploy for con artists because it lets them take your money fast, before you realize you’ve been cheated.
6. Disreputable companies sometimes use a variation of an official or nationally recognized name to give you confidence in their offers. Don’t be deceived by these “look-alikes.” It’s illegal for a promoter to misrepresent an affiliation with — or an endorsement by — a government agency or other well-known organization.
7. It’s important to read any written solicitation you receive carefully. Pay particularly close attention to the fine print. Remember the old adage that “the devil is in the details.”
8. Agreeing to attend a sales meeting just to win an “expensive” prize is likely to subject you to a high-pressure sales pitch.
9. Signing up for a sweepstakes at a public location or event, through a publication or online might subject you to unscrupulous prize promotion tactics. You also might run the risk of having your personal information sold or shared with other marketers who later deluge you with offers and advertising.
10. Some contest promoters use a toll-free “800″ number that directs you to dial a pay-per-call “900″ number. Charges for calls to “900″ numbers may be very high.
11. Disclosing your checking account or credit card account number over the phone in response to a sweepstakes promotion — or for any reason other than to buy the product or service being sold — is a sure-fire way to get scammed in the future.
12. Your local Better Business Bureau and your state or local consumer protection office can help you check out a sweepstakes promoter’s reputation. Be aware, however, that many questionable prize promotion companies don’t stay in one place long enough to establish a track record, and the absence of complaints doesn’t necessarily mean the offer is legitimate.

If you have additional info to add, please share it with us and we will add them to the growing list. Your personal information will not be saved or revealed and tips could be a benefit to others as this is now for you.

NEW YORK (OCN) — Do you want to go to a fundraiser? On Thursday, August 14, 2008, there will be a fundraiser to benefit New York Police Officer Kenneth Baribault and his son Christopher.

The fundraiser will be held at Mulcahy’s of Wantagh - Pub and Concert Hall located at 3232 Railroad Avenue from 6:00pm to 11:00pm. Tickets, which are available at the PBA office, are US$25.00 and includes admission and one raffle ticket for a flat panel television. It is not necessary to be present to win the raffle but door prizes will be raffled off to those who attend the benefit.

Would you like to make a donation? To send donations to the family, you could do so by fowarding a check to:

Kenneth and Christopher Baribault Benevolent Fund
c/o Nassau County PBA
89 East Jericho Turnpike.
Mineola,
New York 11501-3106

NEW YORK (OCN) — Can she hear you now? Yes she can! If you have a Verizon cell phone (or any cell phone at all) and you no longer need it, 72-year-old Susan Grossman from New York will be more that happy to take it.

Why? Grossman was the one of many (the 120,000th) to receive Cochlear implants and was blessed to have regained her hearing again. For the past 40 years, Grossman did not have any hearing in both ears and was not able to use things that we take for granted like cell phones or having a group conversation.

MARYLAND (OCN) — Encore for Enkore Kids. The Boonsboro, MD business has relocated from their past location in Frederick, MD.

So why the move? “It will also allow us to grow our online sales” says owner Jennifer Geunther. Guenter goes on to say that online sales have accounted for as much as 40 percent of their sales. This is excellent news for lovers of Webkinz as they carry Webinkz and other toys.

You can learn more about Enkore Kids and their move and promotions by visiting http://www.enkorekids.com.

Business Information:
Enkore Kids
146 South Main Street
Boonsboro, MD 21713-1204
P: (301) 668-0837
C: (240) 329-2121
E: Store@EnkoreKids.com
W: www.enkorekids.com

NEW YORK (OCN) — How do you get into the Bronx Zoo for free? Well, there are a few things that you will need to know if you would like to avoid paying the full admission fee. Below are some examples that we have compiled from the Bronx Zoo Forum.

1. On Wednesdays, you can get in virtually free by making a small donation, otherwise, you will be paying the full admission fee. Please note that many visitors show up on this day and you could expect delays. (See Reviews)

2. Look for promotional codes (promo code). Quite a few codes and coupons can be found on sites and blogs and offline so keep you eyes peeled.

3. Purchase the New York Pass. If you buy the New York Pass to use at other attractions in the State of New York, it will get you in there for free as well. The pass does require a fee but the benefit is to be able to see other attractions as well with line skip privileges.

4. Acquire a WCS membership. The WCS membership provides free admission to the Bronx Zoo, the Aquarium for Wildlife Conservation (on Coney Island in Brooklyn), the Central Park Zoo Conservation Center (in Manhattan), and the Prospect Park Wildlife Conservation Center (in Brooklyn). It also entitles you to free parking at the Bronx Zoo and the Aquarium, free tickets for Zoo rides, and discounts on classes and events sponsored by the WCS. It will cost you at least US$90.00 but is worth it if you are a frequent visitor to New York.

5. Meet the age requirements. If you are a certain age, you can get fee entry into the Bronx Zoo. However those who are under the age of 18 must be accompanied by a chaperone per visitors rules. The negative side to this is your chaperone will be paying the admission fee usless they have a way of getting in the Bronx Zoo for free.

6. Take public transporation when possible. The Bronx Zoo charges for parking and currently only the WCS membership waives the parking fee. Promotion codes from the Bronx Zoo’s website can not be used towards parking. Most new visitors are unaware of this and surprised when they get there. Also, if you can only visit on Wednesday due to your schedule, you will have to deal with the traffic and others trying to get parking.

7. Look for contests. A few New York business provide contests on their website or location(s) where a winner can receive free admission for up to four people so keep your eyes and open. One restaurant that does this often is Applebee’s. If you ever see The Open Cubicle’s orange news van outside, drop in and say hi.

8. Buy or purchase special items. If you bought for example a $50.00 Applebee’s gift card before January 2008, they would have given you tickets for four to the Bronx Zoo. Later you could have used (at the two nearby restaurants) the gift card or give it away to friends, family or charity. Here is the new promo from www.applebeesny.com

9. Get a job there. The Bronx Zoo has Seasonal Employment (along with Full Time) opportunities which will pay you for being there. You can also seek job opportunities in the area that would give you the opportunity for free access.

10. Have a credit, debit card or credit union account. Certain financial institution (ex. Bank of America) and credit unions provide their card holders free admission to the Bronx Zoo so keep a close eye on your statements and their web site each month. If you have eStatements, you should select to receive promotions via mail and/or email from your institution so you do not miss out.

11. Talk to friends or join an online community. Your friends might be aware of hidden promotions that you can share as well.

We hope these tips has been helpful and hope that you will enjoy your experience.