charlesn

I would LOVE to stop using Alexa voice control for smart home devices, but it's ubiquitous while support for Siri remains very poor. If Apple does release a HomeOS, I hope it does a MUCH better job of getting smart home device manufacturers on board to support it. Lacking that improved support, I'm not sure what the point of this exercise would be. 

sdw2001 said:

Oh, look, calling his tariffs “nonsensical” and using scare quotes.  Shocker.

Trump's "reciprocal" tariffs are nonsensical as defined by the silly and preposterous "formula" used to determine them. Honestly, the sooner the empty shelves can get here, the better, because maybe that will finally wake Americans up to the real consequences of an idiot running the country into the ground.  

For our Grifter-in-Chief who is pulling in millions from corrupt schemes to monetize his Presidency on a daily basis, Cook's measly million is small potatoes--more like one small potato--that didn't get him the exemption for Apple. The far more likely reason can be seen in the White House's off-the-rails reaction to Amazon's plans to simply make the cost of tariffs known to its customers. The White House is terrified of that. They don't want Americans to know how much Trump is costing them, how much they're paying to support his "dumbest trade war in history," as described by the Wall Street Journal. Which brings me back to Apple: the company is a cultural touchstone in America, its products are wildly successful, and if prices suddenly double or more, it will be highly visible and Americans will know exactly who to blame--and it's not Tim Cook. 

It's either financial malpractice or stupidity or both for JP Morgan's position to be "not too bothered" by possible effects of tariffs on Apple's business going forward. Are you kidding me? Listen: no one, including his own Treasury Secretary per yesterday's interview with Bessent, can predict what the orange buffoon will do or what lies he will tell when it comes to China tariffs. But what's on the table right now is: an expiration "soon" of the "temporary" exemptions given to Apple and others, plus 145% tariffs. And, as Bessent confirmed, Trump is lying about ongoing trade talks--none are happening. I sure don't know what this lunatic is going to do next, but I do know this: he has been willing to do huge damage to his polling and perception of his presidency thus far to stick to his tariff insanity, so you can't assume he will step back from the brink. And even the fall back position he has floated of cutting the China tariffs in half, perhaps even unilaterally, would still leave them at near 75%, hardly a "win" for Apple. 

Yes, 2nd quarter may look better than expected because of people "stocking up" on Apple products before the tariffs hit in full, but if you're betting on Apple stock going forward, then you're betting that fiscal sanity will prevail in this administration and that's a very risky bet to make with a malignant narcissist who's in love with tariffs having the final say. 

Trump collected over one-quarter of a billion dollars in donations--$239 million to be exact--just for his inauguration. And here's some context:

Obama 1: $53 million
Obama 2: $43 million 
Trump 1:   $107 million
Biden:       $61 million
Trump 2:   $239 million

Notice a pattern? For his second inauguration, Trump raked in almost as much money as Obama 1&2, Trump 1 and Biden inaugurations put together! Hmmmm, let's see, any sign of corruption there? What would pay-to-play look like on an unprecedented gargantuan level? This is blatant, unapologetic corruption out in the open on an industrial scale. It's essentially a "For Sale" sign hanging in the Oval Office. And Elizabeth Warren is wondering aloud if "a line" was crossed?! How about today's news that the $trump meme coin shot up 70% for a time, and closed up 30%, based on news that big investors in it were getting invited to a private dinner with Trump. Any whiff of corruption there? Any suggestion that you could get private, personal access to the President for an evening if you invest a bunch of money in a meme coin that almost entirely benefits Trump? I mean, Christ, why even bother with these charades at this point and just set up a White House Venmo that goes directly to Trump's bank account?

Unfortunately for America, corruption is the least of our worries with this lunatic in charge. Between shredding the Constitution, tanking the economy and reducing our government to rubble, we have WAY bigger problems that demand our full attention and energy.