apple jockey

Success in America is not an easily transferable talent when one comes from a totalitarian government, where a person of influence and means can depend on the scale being strongly weighted in their favor. It is rare that an individual or corporation from these roots translates regime favored advantage to the real world strictures of global standards and equitably regulated society, especially when maintaining an old world ego.

Sdw2001 and Tallest Skil,

i always enjoy reading both of your comments and at my clearest, I sometimes agree with your points.

But I think it is hilarious that you guys are bemoaning the length of DED columns, when you both go on for what seems forever in defense of at times anti-liberal anti modern humane/civil/global realities. Respect is due for your thoroughness.

If he didn't provide detail, history and his rationale for his prepositions, he of course would be chasten for the lack thereof.
Thanks for the smile. 

On Russian interference in the US election... 17 US Intel Services agreed that this happened, also U.K. And a second European IC developed similar evidence. Also from the IC, it was found that not only was information intercepted/stolen by Russia on Democratic Party operatives, but also on Republicans as well, but importantly, went unused. That alone is a clear action by Russia to tip the election to their preferred candidate. Let alone the communication, known and unknown by Trump operatives with Russian apparatchiks. It is a bad joke that Congressmen Nunes is more interested in who told the truth about Russian/Trump coopting of the elections, than wanting to stand up for our democratic way of government above being another lackey for the bloodless coup that took place.

On fake news..... real news is fact based, fake news is a coloration of the truth at its best. If information in a story is not subject to rigorous fact checking it should not be accepted because it aligns with ones preconceived notions or the rhetoric of ones bias. In my experience the MSM bases its information on solid fact based reporting and rarely gets a story wrong. The fringe media, primarily right leaning, does not allow facts t get in the way of their sensational approach to bias news schlupping(?)brainwashing their listeners.

A very wide ranging thread. Please endure this long comment, there is a payoff, if just in a reason to deride this commenter.  Which is welcomed if deserved.

As mentioned by others, Tim Cook is a man on the wire at all times. Even some Apple lovers here seem to not understand his dilemma. Haters include some among Apple users, Apple haters and anti liberal governments at home and abroad. No winners in his job, when even people whom enjoy the luxury of free speech, open tech, unlimited liberties comparatively to other countries still bad mouth a successful representative of that freedom, in Cook and Apple when they go into the opposing den.
Clearly, he must defend the health and prosperity of his company, which means he speaks a different language to different audiences, remains flexible to the inflexible barriers to Apple. And throughout, at least to my eye and ear, he acts as a worthy role model on the world stage, and as a proper corporate representative and citizen of the United States. The people, business and entrepreneur types and authoritarian governments learn from the determination and patience of a liberal icon like Cook in their midst, even when it isn't immediately apparent.

One other major factor not directly mentioned in this thread which has had a major impact and influence on low educational achievement in the US and the problems encompassed in globalization began several decades ago, mid 1970's.

Once thought to to be a 'crazy conspiracy theory', the Concept of Trilateralism actually took hold and has in an almost monopolistic fashion, taken over important aspects of US lifestyle, education and economic globalization theory. This is also true to a lesser extent in other Trilateral nations and in the present lack of cohesion and stability in international relations as a whole.

Lowering of educational standards in the US was one of the main goals of the Trilateralists, under the theory that a less educated electorate will be less able to understand and disagree/refuse the issues and consequences of transnational corporate domination and all factors of  globalization and importantly less able, prepared and motivated to vote for a truly representative leader. If you include gerrymandering and the disenfranchisement of many traditionally Democratic leaning members of the electorate, it is amazing, center right Democratic candidates like Clinton and Obama were able to win national elections, even though  the economic and social leanings in a majority of the voting age members of society favor the more generally identified democratic issues and planks. 

Trilateralism is not a conspiracy theory it became a conspiracy reality. The greatest example of their success was the election of 1980. Three candidates were in contention Democratic candidates Carter/Mondale, Republicans Reagan/Bush and for one of the few times in modern Presidential Elections, an independent candidate considered a legitimate contender, John Anderson.

As many know, all three contenders in 1980 were Trilateralists. In essence, in supposedly, the most open and democratic election system in modern times, people had no choice other than a candidate from the Trilateral Commission.

How many Trilateralist existed at the time? Western Europe, Japan and US Canada was considered the Trilateral world. Approximately 600 millions people in those countries at the time, and only 360 people were hand picked as Trilateralist, as representatives for 600 millions people.
In the US, the dominant member nation of the Trilateral world, we had 80 members on the Commission. So 80 members for 280 million folks. That's a hell of a conspiracy. In 1976, the first election that the Trilateralist came into ascendancy, President Carters Administration had 16 top members of his Administration as Trilateralists. President, V. president, Sec of State/Defense/Treasury/UN Ambassador and many other top officials. Between the Carter/Reagan/GHWBush period Trilateralism dominated American Foreign and Domestic Policy including the considerable dumbing down of the educational standards of American classrooms.

So, to the present, these folks run the show, because the Trilateralists, the political theory they subscribe to and globalization as a whole was theorized and institutionalized by the think tank off shoots scholars and policies from those rightist institutions. Two that stand out are the Heritage Foundation and American Enterprise Institute.

the important difference in our situation now is that this political/economic theory cum present reality is now in the hands of a completely unethical illiberal Presidential/Congressional leadership, and some would say, Russian influenced government. In any case our present government is not a benevolent government, so the current incarnation can be expected to be more Authoritarian with an even more militaristic and economically dominating bent here and abroad.

So give Cook and Apple a break, we are witnessing the breakdown of the modern nation state system and economic status quo. Where it all lands, nobody knows!

Vision, public service and education. I really love this company. They continue to set the standard on some many fronts.