Back in December, I had written that CompUSA had announced that they would become a memory after the holiday season, but it seems that they were talking about their retail stores. I started noticing weekly (or more frequent) emails about special sales from CompUSA on-line. They also noted that these deals were web specials only and not available in retail stores. OK, another retailer decided to go web based and drop the huge overhead of the brick and morter protion of their business.
BUT wait, There’s more!
The other day, I saw something that they were having a “Grand Re-Opening” of some of their stores. But here is the deal. The stores are located in Texas, Florida and Puerto Rico ONLY. Don’t know the reasoning around that, but the numbers are in dozens and not hundreds.
It seems that due to loosing the overhead, their prices have become better. The selection is pretty good and specials are frequent. The down side is no more running down to the corner CompUSA to pick that emergency power supply or replacing a misplaced USB cable. Is this a preview of the future of retail? Or simply the only way survive in a highly competitive, low margin market?
April 13th, 2008
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The following story is reprinted from the Philadelphia Daily News:
Oy vey! Bat mitzvah photographer accused of stealing guest’s purse By REGINA MEDINA Philadelphia Daily News
medinar@phillynews.com 215-854-5985
Sometime between the DJ playing “Hava Nagila” and “Last Dance” at a recent bat mitzvah party, the professional photographer allegedly stopped snapping pictures and got sticky fingers. Steve Raab, 60, of Huntingdon Valley, allegedly stole a guest’s black felt purse and apparently used a credit card it contained to pay for gas and dog food, Montgomery County authorities say.
Now, county prosecutors want to know if Raab, who specializes in weddings, bar/bat mitzvahs and other festivities, has stolen other items while at work.
So far, there are no indications that Raab has stolen before, said Assistant District Attorney Steven Latzer.
Raab and his wife, Susan, 63, were arrested Friday and charged with theft, criminal conspiracy and other charges. The couple, who have run Creative Photography and Video for more than 30 years in Newtown, Bucks County, and in Northeast Philadelphia, are out of jail on bail until a March 26 preliminary hearing.
“It’s obviously distressing,” Latzer said. “You place your trust in them [photographers], you have a good time. You don’t consider the fact that the photographer is going into your things and stealing them.
“In situations such as this, not only did he steal a purse, but he also stole the trust of the people that hired him,” he said.
Steve Raab was hired to videotape and snap photos of a bat mitzvah at the Philmont Country Club in Lower Moreland Feb. 2, according to the affidavit of probable cause.
The purse belonging to an out-of-town guest went MIA between midnight and 1 a.m. on Feb. 3, the police criminal complaint said.
The purse reportedly contained an American Express credit card, an iPhone, makeup and other items.
The victim canceled the card, but not before the Raabs used it to purchase $60 in gasoline at a Philly Amoco BP and for a large bag of dog food, valued at $66.32, on the same day, according to the complaint.
Susan Raab was not at the party.
The couple allegedly attempted to buy a global-positioning system and a man’s shirt at a Wal-Mart in the Northeast, but the transaction was declined. The Raabs allegedly tried once again - and failed - to get the GPS at a Target store in the Northeast. The transactions at Target and Wal-Mart were recorded on surveillance video.
The investigation led cops to Raab’s studio at 120 S. State St. in Newtown, where Lower Moreland Township Detective Rick Small showed the surveillance photos to Raab. The photographer said he had found the credit card “laying in the parking lot” outside the Philmont Country Club, according to the police complaint.
When Small asked where the card was, “Raab, without hesitation, pulled the card from a left jacket pocket that he was wearing and gave it” to the detective, according to the complaint.
Eventually, the couple hired a lawyer who helped facilitate the return of the black purse including all missing items, prosecutors said.
Small asks anyone who believes he or she was the victim of a theft at a wedding, bar/bat mitzvah or other private party at which Raab was the photographer to call him at 215-947-3132, extension 223. *
March 15th, 2008
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It was announced Friday (12/7) that the new owners of the CompUSA computer retail chain will close all remaining stores right after the holiday sales season. Citing pressures from Best Buy and Circuit City (who just went through their own problems) as the reason to call it quits.
Reports say the shoppers will be seeing 10-30% off most items in the stores (an added bonus for the season). But a note of caution, last year my local CompUSA closed (as an attempt to re-organize) and what was on sale was either junk or prices of everything went back to MSRP, then the discount was taken. This time it may be different as ALL stores will be closing and ‘everything must go’.
December 10th, 2007
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Models (HD-XA2/HD-A20) of HD DVD players manufactured by Toshiba have been found to require a firmware upgrade right out of the box. Reports are that certain DVDs will cause the Toshiba players to lock-up during playback. Best Buy had sold these players with free DVDs included and ironically these DVDs were the some of the titles that caused the difficulties. These players are Internet enabled and can be upgraded via an Internet download or downloading the upgrade to a PC and transferring it to the player. All instructions and upgrades are available on the Toshiba website.
http://tacpservice.toshiba.com/ConsumerProductSupport/productupdatesandnotices.asp
According to the manufacturer, this is a common occurrence because more options and information is constantly being added to DVDs and the players need to be upgraded to access and use this information. With the new breed of Internet enabled players, it is very easy to keep the equipment current and lengthens its useful life.
I guess this is just another example of how fast technology is advancing. The new equipment that you buy is obsolete by the time you bring it home. A local TV commentator quipped that you should not buy any ‘brand new’ product, but rather wait until all of the bugs are worked out. I guess he has experienced more than one Windows upgrade!
December 4th, 2007
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Where’s the VALUE in video? It’s in the Videographer.
- Get educated because knowledge is power.
- Hone your skills to increase earning potential.
- Network to stay connected in an ever-changing industry.
By increasing your value – your product will have more value. As a skilled specialist you will always have clients. You’ll be in demand because you will know how to please your clientele. For every client you please you will generate more business for yourself and you will help to improve the image of video, resulting in increased consumer demand.
Benefit yourself and the industry: Develop your value and help to raise the value of video.
Join the movement.
Laura Moses ~ Vantage Point Productions
November 30th, 2007
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All lawsuits between The 4EVER Group, its management team, and their respective production companies and weva and its management team have been settled out of court. The settlement documents were filed in Federal District Court in Tampa, FL on November 13, 2007. All settlement documents are part of the public record, and are available to any interested person.
Under the terms of the settlement, The 4EVER Group and weva are permitted to use any and all mailing list information that they have. Each side will pay their own attorney’s fees.
A podcast interview with Thomas Steele, attorney for The 4EVER Group, is now available at http://fourevergroup.libsyn.com/index.php?post_id=280163. I n the interview, Mr. Steele discusses the settlement in great detail. Mr. Steele explains why this settlement is a victory for The 4EVER Group.
November 20th, 2007
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Registration is now open for the 4EVER Group’s annual event video conference and tradeshow - VIDEO 08. Being held at the Wyndham Orlando Resort on International Drive in Orlando, Florida. Programming starts on Sunday, January 20, 2008 and concludes Thursday, January 24.
Prices start are $249 per person for Videographers Network members. This provides access to all standard seminars and workshops in addition to the expanded tradeshow on Tuesday and the Signature Event on Wednesday evening.
This year’s conference includes two “Super Sessions” (at additional cost) featuring a 12 hour workshop with Randy Stubbs and a 6 hour workshop with Mark & Trisha Von Lanken. Admission to these sessions are extremely limited to provide a more intimate learning experience.
VIDEO 08 is the only national conference and tradeshow that is created and run by event videographers FOR event videographers and is the fastest growing event of its kind.
For more information or to register, go to http://4evergroup.org/video08/home.shtml
November 13th, 2007
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Did you wake up this past Sunday (10/28) and notice that your computer was showing the wrong time? Or your TV was late one hour? If you had set your electronic time keeper to automatically set itself for daylight saving time, then it did it’s job. The issue is that the politicians change the date for the switch to next weekend. If you are a Windows user and have kept up with the latest updates, then you don’t have this problem.
So if that is the case, go into your clock and un-select the automatic DST box and bump the time up an hour. Just remember to change the settings next weekend.
October 29th, 2007
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The last Iron Videographer semi-final competition has been held and I’m sad to say, the Frog’s not jumping. Terry Taravella, (Studio Vieux Carre) with the determination of Scarlett O’Hara, took the Frogman down.
In a field where women have been sorely underrepresented, I can’t help but be excited that a female is going to the showdown at Video 08! And, who better than this grand dame of video artistry. Congratulations, Terry!
But, you can’t keep a good frog down and Frogman (Philip Hinkle, Frogman Productions) is surely bound for other paths of glory.
Now it’s come down to North against South. Man against Woman. Terry will take on Glen Elliott, (GM Elliott Videography) in Orlando, for an editing Armageddon to determine, once and for all, who will be the Iron Videographer!
For more details check out the 4EVER Group’s home page.
Anxiously awaiting my bookie’s phone call,
Laura ~ Vantage Point Productions
October 14th, 2007
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The winner of the Iron Videographer, East vs. West, semi-final competition is Mr. Glen Elliott. Word has it that the very talented Julie Hill gave Glen quite a run for the money, but there was no stopping this determined Jerseyographer, last night, as he catapulted the East to glory with his amazing edit.
Video 08 will be the arena for the final round of competition. Glen will battle either Terry Taravella, of New Orleans, or Philip (Frogman) Hinkle, of Wisconsin, for the coveted title of Iron Videographer.
Terry and Frogman, whom some are now calling Ironfrog, will go head to head October 9 for the chance to enter the ring with Elliott. Who will it be; the savvy Southern Belle or the Iron Frog? Will Frogman zap her like a fly and live up to his new moniker, or will he end up just another serving of frog legs, New Orleans style? Stay tuned to find out ….
Laura Moses ~ Vantage Point Productions
September 25th, 2007
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