If you are a Verizon Wireless customer you may have noticed that Verizon has found yet another way to charge customers while appearing to stay competitive with others in the space. But if you look closer at surcharges you will see at $2.98 charge on your bill.

Economic Adjustment Charge
Our number one priority is to provide exceptional service to your
business and consistently deliver the quality and reliability that you
expect from Verizon Business.
Just as you are seeing in your business, Verizon Business is seeing
a wide range of increases in its costs to provide service. As these
challenges have continued to mount, we have made the decision to
add an Economic Adjustment Charge.
On June 16, 2022, Verizon Business began adding the charge to
newly activated and upgraded lines, existing lines that have
completed a contract-based line term, and lines that have twelve
(12) months or fewer remaining on a Device Payment Plan
Agreement. The amount of the charge is $2.98 per month/line for
each smartphone and data device, and $0.98 per month/line for
each basic phone and tablet device. As lines meet these criteria, the
charge will be automatically added to your bill. You can find the
Economic Adjustment Charge in the Other Charges & Credits
section of your bill.
Thank you for trusting in us and choosing Verizon Business as your
partner. We remain committed to delivering outstanding network
performance, service excellence and value for your business.

Recently I called Spectrum / Charter after they raised our rates for the third straight month.

The rep insisted we could save money by signing up for the ACP/ government subsidized internet. Stating that 90% of customers qualified for the ACP. This is basically a ploy to get you off the phone. Meanwhile Spectrum/Charter is baiting in new customers with special promotions and discounts to lure them into their marketing trap.
After attempting to bundle other services like video and cell phone into your services they then give you the monthly.
Then after a year your rates start to go into full increase mode, in may cases people have seen their bills double.
What Spectrum counts on is that you use the video and phone. Don’t! Don’t get the service to begin with. And be prepared to cancel.
What really stinks about the whole process is that when they raise the rates they leave some smaller promotion on your account and claim you are getting the best rate. That you are getting a great deal, and now they are using the ACP to shift the attention to the customer to get subsidies from the government to basically keep their revenue increasing.
Knowing that many of the people they send that route will not qualify for the subsidies.
Spectrum / Charter should be ashamed of themselves for the practices they continue to employ.
In addition when you speak to a rep, there’s no guarantee they do what they say they are doing.
In my case recently a rep from the retention department after being on the phone for about an hour, said they where adjusting my rate to $64.98 for internet and phone and that a new modem was being sent to resolve an issue on my account, the rep failed to do both of these. … and said I would receive a confirmation of the account, they failed to do that as well.
I had to call because the online portal did not allow me to schedule a service call, and the rep never adjusted my rate.
Nobody with the Spectrum seems to care as this is really the intended goal to string people along and frustrate them and basically lie to them.
Shame on Spectrum.
There will be an investigation and spectrum will pay a fine for their practices, and that is a cheap out compared to the millions and millions they make by continuing to employee their practices.
The best thing we can do as consumers is diversify and work with other providers for internet and other services.

DAVE’S FREQUENT FRYER POINTS, you get FREQUENT FRYER POINTS for every dollar you spend. Watch how fast those points add up.

Burbank, CA – N. Victory Pl.

Grand opening on Friday, May 5!!

1781 N. Victory Pl. Burbank, CA 91502

(747) 308-3660

Mon-Wed: 10:00am-12:00am
Thur-Sun: 10:00am-1:00am

After a long weekend of negotiations JP Morgan was awarded approval from FDIC and government regulators to take over First Republic Bank.
How the questions come about as to what will change?
It appears that no deposits will be lost.
FRC 0 First Republic Stock is down under $2 per share. Dropping from $144 just a two months ago.
As much as bankers claim that this is the end of the crises… it is hard to believe that other banks are not exposes the same as SVB and FRC and that depositors will scramble to protect themselves to keep the balances under the $250k limit. Both business and individuals are exposed and the FDIC and government regulators need to do more to protect deposits and keep banks from running afoul from what could only be referred to as greed.

What happens to deposits now is to be seen. We don’t know if branches will be open and business will be conducted as usual. We can expect there will be a lot of layoffs, from reports it was close to 25% that was last reported.
The cost to the FDIC is estimated to be $13 billion, where is this money? The heads of FRC should be made to answer for this money, as many of them will surely be gone if not already gone much like the SVB collapse.
More regulation is needed is what it comes down to.

This is the message posted on the First Republic Site:
A message to First Republic clients from JPMorgan Chase:
MAY 1, 2023
JPMorgan Chase recently announced that we acquired a substantial majority of assets and assumed certain liabilities of First Republic Bank from the FDIC. JPMorgan will protect all deposits, insured and uninsured, bringing our financial strength, capabilities and capital to support First Republic’s clients and the U.S. banking system. JPMorgan Chase has been a leader in financial services for more than 200 years, and we look forward to continuing to serve you and be deserving of your trust and business.

What does this mean for you today?
You and your assets are now backed by the fortress balance sheet of JPMorgan Chase, and all of your deposits are protected.
You will receive uninterrupted service. All preferred banking offices will operate as usual. You can continue visiting your local First Republic preferred banking office to make financial transactions, and over time you will have access to JPMorgan Chase’s extensive branch network, the largest in the country, which includes more than 4,700 Chase branches across all lower 48 states and the District of Columbia, and 16,000 ATMs in 49 states.
You can still go to www.FirstRepublic.com to manage your finances online or on your First Republic mobile app.
You will continue to work with your team at First Republic.
You should not respond to calls or texts claiming to be from JPMorgan Chase or First Republic that ask for your personal financial information. We don’t do that. We will also never ask you to transfer funds using Zelle, Wires or ACH to safeguard your funds.
We look forward to serving you. Welcome to JPMorgan Chase.

If you were a Facebook user in the United States between May 24, 2007, and December 22, 2022, inclusive, you may be eligible for a cash payment from a Class Action Settlement.

July 26, 2023
Opt-Out Deadline
July 26, 2023
Objection Deadline
August 25, 2023
Claim Deadline
September 7, 2023 at 1:00 PM PDT
Final Approval Hearing

Here’s How To Get Paid:

Submit a claim online.
Download and print a copy, then mail it to:
Facebook Consumer Privacy User Profile Litigation, c/o Settlement Administrator
1650 Arch Street, Ste. 2210
Philadelphia, PA 19103
To be eligible, you must have had a Facebook account at any time between May 24, 2007, and Dec. 22, 2022.
All claims must be filed by 11:59 p.m. on Aug. 25.

Venture Funding in a Time of Uncertainty

How do rising interest rates and banking turmoil affect your chances of securing funding?

Saturday, April 22, 2023 9:00 AM

The venture ecosystem experienced frothy times for over a decade, during which entrepreneurs enjoyed abundant capital, enormous valuations and robust exit opportunities. Suddenly, the climate has changed and entrepreneurs are asking:

How do rising interest rates affect the flow of venture capital?

Does the recent run on SVB and other banks spell the end to low cost debt and equity?

For those companies that receive a term sheet, what should they expect re: valuation?

And how can you increase the odds of securing venture funding for your startup?

Our program keynote, Eric Pakravan of TenOneTen Ventures, will debut his 2023 LA Tech presentation which offers a comprehensive overview of the Los Angeles tech and venture landscape. It will include a look back at 2022, and highlight all the relevant investors, influencers, history and emerging players in LA tech. This is priceless information for those seeking funding.

Todd Glickman of Navitas Semiconductor will walk us through the company’s funding history, sharing war stories and lessons learned, as well as his advice on how best to present your company to potential investors. Navitas has successfully raised multiple rounds of funding, culminating in a public SPAC in 2021 at a valuation of $1.7 Billion.

Then we will have an expert panel discussion of entrepreneurs and Venture Capitalists followed by an extended Q&A opportunity and networking.
Register Now

Keynote Speaker

Erik Pakraven

Partner

TenOneTen Ventures

Speakers

Todd Glickman

SVP, Finance

Navitas Semiconductor

Jason Schoettler

Co-Founder

Calibrate Ventures

Venture Capitalists To Be Announced

Producer

Randy Churchill

Managing Director

Avidbank

Coffee and Networking begin at 8:00 am.

Free Parking Underground: Right turn at signal on east side of Cahill (turn right at tennis courts); parking lot entrance 75 yards on right.
REGISTER NOW

Peacock TV is offering for New Peacock Accounts: 1-Year of Peacock Premium for $19.99 when you apply promo code N2TEWDZZ in the Redemption Box on the page and complete checkout.

Click here and use the promo code

Peacock Premium Includes:

New & Hit Shows, Films & Originals
LIVE Sports & Events
Current NBC & Bravo Shows
50+ Always-On Channels
Includes Ads

Have you ever wondered about the many methods to keep bugs away?
There’s a popular method that uses oranges to deter garden pests.

You basically cut up oranges, and place in a pot of water and boil and mash until a mush is formed. THen you cool and run through a strainer.
The liquid you place in a spray bottle and use on your garden vegetables, the pulp that is left you can place dabs around the garden to deter pests.

I have a pot of oranges boiling now.
The other benefit is that it smells great as the oranges are cooking.

Pizza City Fest Los Angeles
April 29th-April 30th

Come experience over 40 pizzerias from all over LA on April 29-30, 2023 at L.A. LIVE! Fans will have the opportunity to sample pizzas from the best pizza makers all in one location over two days.

In Los Angeles, we’ll have another 40 unique pizzerias from all over Southern California. Steve has curated a stellar lineup from Santa Barbara down to San Diego, with several different styles, including Sicilian, artisan, Neapolitan, Detroit and even a few classified as “L.A. Style.” We’ll also have a special “Collab Lab” featuring mashups between great independent bakers and artisan produce suppliers.

In Los Angeles, we’ll feature another “Dough Whisperers” panel, this time with Daniele Uditi (Pizzana) and Evan Funke (Felix, Mother Wolf), plus demos on pan pizza at home, a conversation with the Producer of “A Chef’s Table: Pizza” and a panel discussion on how to build a pizza brand with five guys who’ve succeeded in transforming an idea into a brand.

GET TICKETS NOW

For Immediate Release: 

April 6, 2023

Public Health Launches Heart Heroes 2023 Campaign

500,000 LA County Residents to be Trained in Hands-Only CPR by End of 2023

The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health is proud to announce the launch of the LA County Heart Heroes 2023 Campaign, with the goal to train 500,000 Los Angeles County residents and workers in hands-only CPR by December 31, 2023.

The initiative is holding trainings this week at Public Health Week events across the County. Additional trainings will be held throughout the year at sporting events, entertainment venues, places of worship, college and school campuses, worksites, malls, and other places throughout LA County.

According to the American Heart Association, more than 350,000 cardiac arrests occur outside of hospitals each year, and more than 70% happen at home, with only 40% of people receiving immediate help before emergency professionals arrive. Learning hands-only CPR can potentially triple the chance of survival for someone experiencing cardiac arrest.

Residents and workers can find hands-only CPR trainings by searching the Public Health calendar of events or requesting a training for their organization (for a minimum of 150 people). Additionally, community members can become hands-only CPR trainers for their organization as part of the Heart Heroes 2023 campaign. As a partner, organizations will receive training in DPH’s hands-only CPR train-the-trainer session, support in training at least 150 individuals, and resources to promote hands-only CPR training.

“Hands-only CPR is a simple yet powerful way to save a life in an emergency situation, and I encourage all LA County community members to learn this lifesaving skill,” said Dr. Barbara Ferrer, Ph.D., M.P.H., M.Ed., Director of the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health. “Our Heart Heroes 2023 campaign is a collective effort with our partners, including the Los Angeles County Fire Department, the American Heart Association, the American Red Cross, LA City Fire and Police, and so many others, who are instrumental in supporting this important initiative. Together, we are working to ensure that every resident in LA County has the knowledge and skills to respond effectively in the event of a cardiac emergency. I urge everyone to take advantage of the many training opportunities available and help us achieve our goal of training 500,000 Heart Heroes by December 31, 2023.”

Public Health has partnered with the following partners to achieve the goal of training 500,000 Los Angeles County residents in hands-only CPR: Los Angeles County Fire Department, Department of Health Services Emergency Medical Services, Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, Los Angeles Fire Department, Los Angeles Police Department, American Heart Association, American Red Cross, Los Angeles Dodgers, Los Angeles Rams, Los Angeles Chargers, Los Angeles Lakers, LA Clippers, Los Angeles Kings, Los Angeles Galaxy, LAFC, The Music Center, LA Zoo, and the Hotel Association of Los Angeles.

For more information, visit ph.lacounty.gov/heartheroes.