jonagold

Apple has plenty of cash to increase its dividend.  If they could repatriate the cash at a decent rate they wouldn't have to sell bonds to raise the funds but even then the bonds are cheaper than the lowest repatriation rate I've seen quoted so we'll see what management does. 

We have to accept that Apple has a double standard against it. They have to outperform and out innovate by 5:1 in order for these analysts to not dump the stock. Everyone else somehow blows smoke and sees stock price increases. Just look at the P/E ratios for some of these companies in comparison.  Why does MSFT (and Alphabet) have a P/E of 30?  Did they announce a cure for cancer?  The highest P/E AAPL has had in the last five years was 18.5. Total market bias.

I'd rather the $7B be invested here, it benefits us all.  And if we have to give our companies tax breaks like others do so that we can alleviate product dumping...fine.  That seems to be the problem with us, we're so righteous and try and play by the "rules" of the free market except we live in a world that does the opposite and we wonder why we lose.  We need to get over ourselves. 

About time!  I would guess they finally developed a protocol that doesn't infringe on someone's IP (intellectual property)?

Let's compromise data security of 300M+ people because some losers went on a shooting rampage and killed less than two dozen people. Terrorists win. 

tallest skil said:

jonagold said:

Who needs the 4th when we have the 2nd!

It was not part of their blood,

  It came to them very late,

With long arrears to make good,

  When the Saxon began to hate.

They were not easily moved,

  They were icy–willing to wait

Till every count should be proved,

  Ere the Saxon began to hate.

Their voices were even and low.

  Their eyes were level and straight.

There was neither sign nor show

  When the Saxon began to hate.

It was not preached to the crowd.

  It was not taught by the state.

No man spoke it aloud

  When the Saxon began to hate.

It was not suddently bred.

  It will not swiftly abate.

Through the chilled years ahead,

  When Time shall count from the date

That the Saxon began to hate.

– Rudyard Kipling

It’s always important to remember that, while the Constitution does not grant us these rights, we are equally held in our own responsibility to maintain civility, order, and law until such time as they cannot be maintained.

I don't disagree, but government's fear of the people was by design.  Of course, a last resort, but an effective one.  Tim is a true defender of our liberty and privacy.  It takes a big pair of guts to do what he's doing.  These are historic moments we will look back at and be thankful that history didn't fork the other direction.