And why can't the Chicago subway system renovate it's own station?
I happen to know this, since I live here, but a quick bit of searching would have told you that the CTA is facing a HUGE shortfall in its budget, requiring not only increased rates but also significant cuts in personnel and services.
In that climate, spending to renovate what is a perfectly serviceable, if quaintly run-down and dingy, station is not going to happen. Apple wants that station to look nice, so Apple's willing to pay for that. That sounds like a perfectly reasonable choice to me.
If Apple wanted that station to look nice, and thus pressured the CTA to renovate it for them, using taxpayer's scarce resources to do so, THAT would be, well, crappy.
I'd rather live in a world where more corporations followed Apple's lead here: Apple wants some improvement to a public infrastructure, so they work with public entities by providing funding to improve that public infrastructure, rather than pressuring public sector entities, to spend money how the corporation wants it to.
Quote:
I'm now paying for renovations to a Chicago subway station that I will never use.
Not if you feel so strongly about this, that you choose to stop giving money to Apple.
Under the vision you suggest, instead, every citizen of Illinois would be paying for Apple to have better advertising. Apple employs several hundred people in Illinois, so only a few hundred of us would have any payback for that expenditure.
Quote:
Chicago's failure isn't our problem and we shouldn't be paying for it through higher costs for our computers.
I think it's important to note that the existing North & Clybourn station is perfectly serviceable, works fine, nothing WRONG with it at all-- it's just not very pretty. So, there's no impetus right now to update it, using public money-- there's nothing that needs fixing. So, there's no "Chicago's failure" here: nothing's failed about that station, it's just not AS PRETTY as Apple would like it to be.
This is Chicago. The four million dollars will run out quickly and the project will go over budget by about eight million dollars. The "Windy City" has very greasy palms, so don't think for a minute that four million will go very far.
Holy crap, is that like a photo from the 70s or something? Developing country? Everyone keeps telling me things there can look run down, but pretty startling to see the shot.
Hats of to Apple for getting involved in a little bit of urban regeneration to enhance the area for everyone. It's a good thing.
Great point! Maybe Apple can open a store at LAX and spruce up the airport as part of the bargain. That place is a disgrace to a world class city like Los Angeles. Check out Zurich--now that's a 21st century class act airport.
Last time I checked those people in the White House won. McCain and Palin were the losers. Elections have consequences. Run a candidate who wins next time and you can have bragging rights for at least four years. Until then, deal with it.
Those people in the White House won because those in Congress were effective at shifting the blame of the failed attempt of their socialized sub-prime housing onto the outgoing administration which didn't defend itself.
Yes Greenspan created the real estate bubble for speculation and economic improvement, but the sub-prime mess of Freddie and Fannie was the Congress's fault. Congress makes up 2/3 of the power of our government. So essentially when that 2/3 shifted parties, all hell broke loose.
Greenspan taking over the corrupt, highly over leveraged, government run mortgage buyers Freddie and Fannie is proof of that.
Real estate bubbles happen and collapse eventually, but taking the sub-prime and the economy down with it wasn't part of the plan.
Banks and lending institutions that practiced the three C's; Credit, Collateral and Character. Are doing fine today.
Anyway what does this have to do about the topic?, it's economy and that effects what is going on with Apple and people's spending habits.
Apple is opening lot of fancy stores, in high priced locations to a market that might be disappearing here shortly.
It might not be the end of Mac's, Apple could always start selling Mac's with Windows 7 instead of OS X.
It's got it's toe in the water with Bootcamp, taking the temperature. Just like OS X being able to run on Intel processors was planned years in advance.
I'm unable to find any sales figures, yet (yeah, it's only been four days)-- could you cite something indicating that Windows 7 is successfully selling?
Tripper, seriously between these two posts you have demonstrated the most amazing lack of cognitive ability outside of a studlytech rant. It was a two-post single-handed demonstration of a complete lack of grasp of corporate operations, marketing property management and selection, advertising and politics all wrapped up in nicely spaced blocks of complete misunderstanding - bravo!
Most corporations, (which indeed includes Apple) have people who scout future sites years ahead of announced intent. The money involved in accomplishing what they are doing is largely written off as operational costs and reflects an amount per device that devolves to .0000000X or further in terms of price impact. An amount you wouldn't even know to look for, let alone feel impact from.
Likewise your touting of "wealthy people" not using computers is completely specious, and wildly inaccurate - so much so that it seems more about stereotyping than reality. Unless your are an avid viewer of reality TV. Regarding Apple Stores filled with people looking not buying - did you even notice the quarterly report filed by Apple and discussed in the forum here? Obviously not.
And finally your premature assessment of the relative success of Windows 7 reflect a prescience that most here cannot claim. I need some lottery numbers and a couple horse race W/P/S calls from you if your accuracy is as good as you seem to think. Or perhaps not.
Windows 7 appears to be everything Vista should have been on first release - which for Microsoft, staggering under its first significant quarterly loss very much needs to slow the bleeding. However consumers are now on their guard and suspicious - because they are being thrown the same level of marketing they were given for Vista - and we all know how that turned out. Redmond needs to blitz Windows 7 is every major way possible to overcome consumer reticence stemming from Vista.
I commend your attempts as valuable for personal opinion, and worthless as a real analysis of the situation reported in the article.
Holy crap, is that like a photo from the 70s or something? Developing country? Everyone keeps telling me things there can look run down, but pretty startling to see the shot.
Hats of to Apple for getting involved in a little bit of urban regeneration to enhance the area for everyone. It's a good thing.
There are several really good photo collections of abandoned buildings with fantastic architecture in Detroit and Chicago you might be interested in.
I really find it all very interesting and then after awhile it makes me depressed that people and corporations abandon things like this so willingly. I understand there are circumstances that often necessitate it , but it just makes me sad.
I'm now paying for renovations to a Chicago subway station that I will never use.
Chicago's failure isn't our problem and we shouldn't be paying for it through higher costs for our computers.
And to boot Apple has to still pay for advertising which it should be getting for free for the 4 million.
Well that's one less Apple product I will buy now to make up for it.
What goes around comes around.
"The problem with socialism is that eventually you run out of other people's money." - Margret Thatcher
Don't be ridiculous, you aren't paying for the renovations. How much do you think 4 million is to a company that makes several billion a year? It's incredibly insignificant, and works out as cents, if that, per Apple fanboy.
Secondly, you have to spend money to make money. Are you suggesting that Apple doesn't ever spend anything? Perhaps you'd like them to employ three people and have them work in the dark on G5s? Or maybe they should cut their marketing budget to zero and close their website because it most likely costs them 400,000 a year to run.
Thirdly, you quoted one of history's most hated politicians who was single-handedly responsible for putting millions of people out of work, and whose middle aged daughter makes a living out of appearing on reality tv shows.
And why can't the Chicago subway system renovate it's own station?
Why do socialists always capitalize on successful capitalists? Like leaches or something.
Raise the subway fee's a little, renovate the station and rent out space. Be self sustaining or at least make a little profit on it's own merits, not on the backs of companies who will just pass those costs onto guess who?
Where do you think the $$$ apple is paying is going to? Not only that, in the same post you get pissed that "they" should rent the space out to earn revenue but when Apple leases it (The company reportedly paid $700,000 per year to lease the lot ) you get pissed at that too. Like a lot of people, sounds like you want the moon, and when nobody can give it to you, you lash out at everybody. Try looking inward .... there's the problem.
Quote:
Originally Posted by MacTripper
I'm now paying for renovations to a Chicago subway station that I will never use.
A lot of taxpayers never have a fire, never need to call police, don't have children but still see tax $$$ support policeman, fireman and schoolteachers. Do you hear them bitching about socialism? No ... Time to think about the big picture instead of me, me, me!
Quote:
Originally Posted by MacTripper
Also flashy areas are just places people go to forget how bad the economy is and think they are wealthy. The Apple Stores are filled with lots of people looking, but not buying. That's why the prices have been lowered recently.
Guess you didn't get the memo re: record sales & profits, huh?
Quote:
Originally Posted by MacTripper
"The problem with socialism is that eventually you run out of other people's money." - Margret Thatcher
And the problem with Capitalism is you never run out of other people's money! Think billions of $$ of bailouts going to bankers and wall street types to cover their asses and "mistakes"!
I'm loving all the expert opinion on Chicago from people who don't actually live here. Willis Group moved into Sears Tower and requested naming rights and got it. Was that Socialist too?
As for the Chicago having a direct line to the White House and this somehow being connected to that...that is by far the most idiotic statement I have ever heard.
As for the Chicago having a direct line to the White House and this somehow being connected to that...that is by far the most idiotic statement I have ever heard.
Oh then why did Obama fly to Stokholm and plead for the Olympics for Chicago? Certainly you're not suggesting that he was secrectly meeting the Nobel committee a week before the announcement of his winning?
Also, most of his staff is Chicago local yocals. His interests lie not far from where the Acorn drops.
And why can't the Chicago subway system renovate it's own station?
Why do socialists always capitalize on successful capitalists? Like leaches or something.
Raise the subway fee's a little, renovate the station and rent out space. Be self sustaining or at least make a little profit on it's own merits, not on the backs of companies who will just pass those costs onto guess who?
US. Yes US.
I'm now paying for renovations to a Chicago subway station that I will never use.
Uh, Apple isn't the government. If you don't like their investments in real estate, don't buy their computers. This has nothing to do with socialism, silly. It's much more about privatization of a small part of a socially subsidized transportation system that is as vital to the functioning of any city as roads, most of which are not maintained by user fees.
Living just blocks from this site, a lot more progress has taken place than is pictured above. For those of you not familiar with this area, you should understand its history. Just within the last 10 years or so has this area become a retail corridor for the residents of Lincoln Park. It used to be just blocks from the infamous Cabrini Green housing development, and in the 1990's, the neighborhood began re-gentrifying as mixed income developments began to spring up. Apple is smart for wanting to renovate the current red line stop because traveling to the area via car, and parking especially, is a hassle. Promoting shoppers to take the el to their store is only helping the the environment and I wouldn't be surprised if Apple plays that card. As for the city taking care of the renovations, its by far one of the nicer stops in Chicago. I am a tax payer and I'd only expect Apple to take care of the costs. They're the one who've decided to build on that lot. I would have been more annoyed if they built further up the street and put up a parking ramp or garage, which probably would be in excess of $4 million. The city isn't forcing apple to do this, and I for one would be angry with the increased car traffic in the area. So I applaud Apple for taking the initiative to spend a small amount of its assets to improve the area's shopping experience for everyone.
Considering that Chicago is a direct line to the White House, it wouldn't be surprising to find that Apple's investment here pays for more than just a subway stop.
Last time I checked those people in the White House won. McCain and Palin were the losers. Elections have consequences. Run a candidate who wins next time and you can have bragging rights for at least four years. Until then, deal with it.
I really find it all very interesting and then after awhile it makes me depressed that people and corporations abandon things like this so willingly. I understand there are circumstances that often necessitate it , but it just makes me sad.
Some brilliant stuff there. Had a look at all the sites and commentary and it's hard not to think it's important to have some of these great old buildings, and other important areas in the city maintained properly. Funding of civic infrastructure is always a challenge (and is the same all around the world), but whilst Apple's involvement and investment is welcome, as a community we should expect that the real leadership (though not necessarily all the the funding) has to come from the city and the people.
I'm loving all the expert opinion on Chicago from people who don't actually live here. Willis Group moved into Sears Tower and requested naming rights and got it. Was that Socialist too?
As for the Chicago having a direct line to the White House and this somehow being connected to that...that is by far the most idiotic statement I have ever heard.
There was a report last week stating that the city (taxpayers) is paying for upgrades to that building and that Daley's brother has space in Willis Tower. Business as usual in Chicago.
Comments
Dude, that's last years losers. What's his popularity right now? Has he accomplished anything yet? Here's a refresher course for you:
http://politicalhumor.about.com/gi/o..._n_308979.html
Oh, I get it. Didn't see that you were being sarcastic.
And why can't the Chicago subway system renovate it's own station?
I happen to know this, since I live here, but a quick bit of searching would have told you that the CTA is facing a HUGE shortfall in its budget, requiring not only increased rates but also significant cuts in personnel and services.
In that climate, spending to renovate what is a perfectly serviceable, if quaintly run-down and dingy, station is not going to happen. Apple wants that station to look nice, so Apple's willing to pay for that. That sounds like a perfectly reasonable choice to me.
If Apple wanted that station to look nice, and thus pressured the CTA to renovate it for them, using taxpayer's scarce resources to do so, THAT would be, well, crappy.
I'd rather live in a world where more corporations followed Apple's lead here: Apple wants some improvement to a public infrastructure, so they work with public entities by providing funding to improve that public infrastructure, rather than pressuring public sector entities, to spend money how the corporation wants it to.
I'm now paying for renovations to a Chicago subway station that I will never use.
Not if you feel so strongly about this, that you choose to stop giving money to Apple.
Under the vision you suggest, instead, every citizen of Illinois would be paying for Apple to have better advertising. Apple employs several hundred people in Illinois, so only a few hundred of us would have any payback for that expenditure.
Chicago's failure isn't our problem and we shouldn't be paying for it through higher costs for our computers.
I think it's important to note that the existing North & Clybourn station is perfectly serviceable, works fine, nothing WRONG with it at all-- it's just not very pretty. So, there's no impetus right now to update it, using public money-- there's nothing that needs fixing. So, there's no "Chicago's failure" here: nothing's failed about that station, it's just not AS PRETTY as Apple would like it to be.
Holy crap, is that like a photo from the 70s or something? Developing country? Everyone keeps telling me things there can look run down, but pretty startling to see the shot.
Hats of to Apple for getting involved in a little bit of urban regeneration to enhance the area for everyone. It's a good thing.
Great point! Maybe Apple can open a store at LAX and spruce up the airport as part of the bargain. That place is a disgrace to a world class city like Los Angeles. Check out Zurich--now that's a 21st century class act airport.
Last time I checked those people in the White House won. McCain and Palin were the losers. Elections have consequences. Run a candidate who wins next time and you can have bragging rights for at least four years. Until then, deal with it.
Those people in the White House won because those in Congress were effective at shifting the blame of the failed attempt of their socialized sub-prime housing onto the outgoing administration which didn't defend itself.
Yes Greenspan created the real estate bubble for speculation and economic improvement, but the sub-prime mess of Freddie and Fannie was the Congress's fault. Congress makes up 2/3 of the power of our government. So essentially when that 2/3 shifted parties, all hell broke loose.
Greenspan taking over the corrupt, highly over leveraged, government run mortgage buyers Freddie and Fannie is proof of that.
Real estate bubbles happen and collapse eventually, but taking the sub-prime and the economy down with it wasn't part of the plan.
Banks and lending institutions that practiced the three C's; Credit, Collateral and Character. Are doing fine today.
Anyway what does this have to do about the topic?, it's economy and that effects what is going on with Apple and people's spending habits.
Apple is opening lot of fancy stores, in high priced locations to a market that might be disappearing here shortly.
It might not be the end of Mac's, Apple could always start selling Mac's with Windows 7 instead of OS X.
It's got it's toe in the water with Bootcamp, taking the temperature. Just like OS X being able to run on Intel processors was planned years in advance.
With the success of Windows 7 ...
I'm unable to find any sales figures, yet (yeah, it's only been four days)-- could you cite something indicating that Windows 7 is successfully selling?
Most corporations, (which indeed includes Apple) have people who scout future sites years ahead of announced intent. The money involved in accomplishing what they are doing is largely written off as operational costs and reflects an amount per device that devolves to .0000000X or further in terms of price impact. An amount you wouldn't even know to look for, let alone feel impact from.
Likewise your touting of "wealthy people" not using computers is completely specious, and wildly inaccurate - so much so that it seems more about stereotyping than reality. Unless your are an avid viewer of reality TV. Regarding Apple Stores filled with people looking not buying - did you even notice the quarterly report filed by Apple and discussed in the forum here? Obviously not.
And finally your premature assessment of the relative success of Windows 7 reflect a prescience that most here cannot claim. I need some lottery numbers and a couple horse race W/P/S calls from you if your accuracy is as good as you seem to think. Or perhaps not.
Windows 7 appears to be everything Vista should have been on first release - which for Microsoft, staggering under its first significant quarterly loss very much needs to slow the bleeding. However consumers are now on their guard and suspicious - because they are being thrown the same level of marketing they were given for Vista - and we all know how that turned out. Redmond needs to blitz Windows 7 is every major way possible to overcome consumer reticence stemming from Vista.
I commend your attempts as valuable for personal opinion, and worthless as a real analysis of the situation reported in the article.
Holy crap, is that like a photo from the 70s or something? Developing country? Everyone keeps telling me things there can look run down, but pretty startling to see the shot.
Hats of to Apple for getting involved in a little bit of urban regeneration to enhance the area for everyone. It's a good thing.
There are several really good photo collections of abandoned buildings with fantastic architecture in Detroit and Chicago you might be interested in.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/rickhar...7620856257576/
http://www.environmentalgraffiti.com...scrapers/16195
and an amazing number of pictures and history here:
http://www.forgottendetroit.com/index.html
I really find it all very interesting and then after awhile it makes me depressed that people and corporations abandon things like this so willingly. I understand there are circumstances that often necessitate it , but it just makes me sad.
I'm now paying for renovations to a Chicago subway station that I will never use.
Chicago's failure isn't our problem and we shouldn't be paying for it through higher costs for our computers.
And to boot Apple has to still pay for advertising which it should be getting for free for the 4 million.
Well that's one less Apple product I will buy now to make up for it.
What goes around comes around.
"The problem with socialism is that eventually you run out of other people's money." - Margret Thatcher
Don't be ridiculous, you aren't paying for the renovations. How much do you think 4 million is to a company that makes several billion a year? It's incredibly insignificant, and works out as cents, if that, per Apple fanboy.
Secondly, you have to spend money to make money. Are you suggesting that Apple doesn't ever spend anything? Perhaps you'd like them to employ three people and have them work in the dark on G5s? Or maybe they should cut their marketing budget to zero and close their website because it most likely costs them 400,000 a year to run.
Thirdly, you quoted one of history's most hated politicians who was single-handedly responsible for putting millions of people out of work, and whose middle aged daughter makes a living out of appearing on reality tv shows.
And why can't the Chicago subway system renovate it's own station?
Why do socialists always capitalize on successful capitalists? Like leaches or something.
Raise the subway fee's a little, renovate the station and rent out space. Be self sustaining or at least make a little profit on it's own merits, not on the backs of companies who will just pass those costs onto guess who?
Where do you think the $$$ apple is paying is going to? Not only that, in the same post you get pissed that "they" should rent the space out to earn revenue but when Apple leases it (The company reportedly paid $700,000 per year to lease the lot ) you get pissed at that too. Like a lot of people, sounds like you want the moon, and when nobody can give it to you, you lash out at everybody. Try looking inward .... there's the problem.
I'm now paying for renovations to a Chicago subway station that I will never use.
A lot of taxpayers never have a fire, never need to call police, don't have children but still see tax $$$ support policeman, fireman and schoolteachers. Do you hear them bitching about socialism? No ... Time to think about the big picture instead of me, me, me!
Also flashy areas are just places people go to forget how bad the economy is and think they are wealthy. The Apple Stores are filled with lots of people looking, but not buying. That's why the prices have been lowered recently.
Guess you didn't get the memo re: record sales & profits, huh?
"The problem with socialism is that eventually you run out of other people's money." - Margret Thatcher
And the problem with Capitalism is you never run out of other people's money! Think billions of $$ of bailouts going to bankers and wall street types to cover their asses and "mistakes"!
How's that Capitalism thing working out for you?
I understand MS is renovating and renaming the adjacent men's room for their store.
As for the Chicago having a direct line to the White House and this somehow being connected to that...that is by far the most idiotic statement I have ever heard.
I'm just coming off of novocaine- was at the dentist this morning. PLease excuse me, your excellency.
Ah, that would explain post #21 ... get well soon, I like Teckstud much better that TeckDud.
As for the Chicago having a direct line to the White House and this somehow being connected to that...that is by far the most idiotic statement I have ever heard.
Oh then why did Obama fly to Stokholm and plead for the Olympics for Chicago? Certainly you're not suggesting that he was secrectly meeting the Nobel committee a week before the announcement of his winning?
Also, most of his staff is Chicago local yocals. His interests lie not far from where the Acorn drops.
And why can't the Chicago subway system renovate it's own station?
Why do socialists always capitalize on successful capitalists? Like leaches or something.
Raise the subway fee's a little, renovate the station and rent out space. Be self sustaining or at least make a little profit on it's own merits, not on the backs of companies who will just pass those costs onto guess who?
US. Yes US.
I'm now paying for renovations to a Chicago subway station that I will never use.
Uh, Apple isn't the government. If you don't like their investments in real estate, don't buy their computers. This has nothing to do with socialism, silly. It's much more about privatization of a small part of a socially subsidized transportation system that is as vital to the functioning of any city as roads, most of which are not maintained by user fees.
Considering that Chicago is a direct line to the White House, it wouldn't be surprising to find that Apple's investment here pays for more than just a subway stop.
I don't get it
Last time I checked those people in the White House won. McCain and Palin were the losers. Elections have consequences. Run a candidate who wins next time and you can have bragging rights for at least four years. Until then, deal with it.
Well said!
There are several really good photo collections of abandoned buildings with fantastic architecture in Detroit and Chicago you might be interested in.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/rickhar...7620856257576/
http://www.environmentalgraffiti.com...scrapers/16195
and an amazing number of pictures and history here:
http://www.forgottendetroit.com/index.html
I really find it all very interesting and then after awhile it makes me depressed that people and corporations abandon things like this so willingly. I understand there are circumstances that often necessitate it , but it just makes me sad.
Some brilliant stuff there. Had a look at all the sites and commentary and it's hard not to think it's important to have some of these great old buildings, and other important areas in the city maintained properly. Funding of civic infrastructure is always a challenge (and is the same all around the world), but whilst Apple's involvement and investment is welcome, as a community we should expect that the real leadership (though not necessarily all the the funding) has to come from the city and the people.
I'm loving all the expert opinion on Chicago from people who don't actually live here. Willis Group moved into Sears Tower and requested naming rights and got it. Was that Socialist too?
As for the Chicago having a direct line to the White House and this somehow being connected to that...that is by far the most idiotic statement I have ever heard.
There was a report last week stating that the city (taxpayers) is paying for upgrades to that building and that Daley's brother has space in Willis Tower. Business as usual in Chicago.