ilarynx

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  • Apple reduces raises given to retail employees after weak iPhone quarter

    ilarynxilarynx
    Oh FFS. Who the heck is running Apple's retail business? The ghost of Jack Welch? This is an idiotic, myopic, 19th century management approach that has guaranteed long term negative return. 

    Almost nobody goes to an Apple Store not already knowing what they are going to buy. iPhones aren't an impulse buy as is gum at the grocery store checkout line. Deirdre and every other manager between retail and VP takes similar percentage cuts to raises.

    https://www.apple.com/leadership/deirdre-obrien/

    At what point did Deirdre sell her soul for a 1.2% return on her stock options? She should already be out on her can for her moronic, ham-fisted approach to store unions. When Microsoft does a better job with its employees, you know something is screwed up. 

    muthuk_vanalingammobird9secondkox2

  • App Store terms probably won't stop X from turning off the block feature

    ilarynxilarynx
    davidw said: That's the function of "mute". That is still available. A user can "mute" another user and not ever have to see any of their comments. That's your  right to "freedom of association". However, when a user "block" another user, that is preventing other users from exercising their "freedom of association". Even if the other users completely agree with you that the comments of the user you blocked, are BS, they might have a better understanding of the "spirit of the law" we here in the US refer to ....... as our 1st Amendment rights. 
    1st Amendment rights have ZERO RELEVANCE TO PRIVATELY OWNED SERVICES. Elon Musk can ban, censor or encourage whatever speech he wants BECAUSE ELON MUSK HAS ABSOLUTELY NOTHING TO DO WITH ANYONE'S RIGHTS TO FREEDOM OF SPEECH. 1st Amendment rights are specific to government actions because that's where your freedoms actually come from: the government, not the private sector. 

    Anyone who thinks Elon Musk is protecting their freedom of speech or 1st Amendment rights with his actions on a social media app is completely mistaken. 
    Thank you! 

    It is astounding how many U.S. citizens fundamentally don’t understand the First Amendment. 
    Or the others. Or the rest of the U.S. Constitution - which can be found here: 

    https://www.archives.gov/founding-docs

    Somewhat related to Elon's relationship to free speech as well as those at one time complaining about alleged collusion between X/itter and those in government positions: 

    https://www.emptywheel.net/2023/08/17/as-xitters-lawyer-stalled-doj-elon-musk-met-with-jim-jordan-twice-and-kevin-mccarthy/


    Alex1Nwatto_cobrafreeassociate2

  • Russian kangaroo court fines Apple two seconds of profit over News row

    ilarynxilarynx
    iBiC said:
    igorsky said:
    I don’t know why Apple is still in Russia but I bet there’s a lot of Russian citizens who don’t agree with Russian politics

    You would lose that bet.  There is ample evidence online that Russians by and large gleefully support Russia’s brutal invasion of Ukraine, just as they’ve supported Russia’s past military actions. 


    Russians love their own country - they don't burn their own flag like Antifa.  They took over east Ukraine (Cremea) without a bullet being shot in 24 hours.  It was military genius.  NATO were embarrassed. Russia doesn't even call it Ukraine, it's Russia, and have changed street names, schools, and that was back in 2014.  Don't poke the bear.  Russia coded the first video game called Tetris.  Well now Russia is the official bread basket of Europe.  France and Germany are very silent.  Check out wheat prices in Europe.
    While I understand that you don't like anti-fascists, I would point out that the right to burn the flag in protest is one of the things that makes the US a great country. The flag after all is only a symbol, not a sacred object, and the US flag is a symbol of freedom. And one of those freedoms is the freedom to burn the flag as an act of unrestricted speech. Thousands of US soldiers have died, millions have fought, for the freedom to burn our own flag.
    iBiC said:
    igorsky said:
    I don’t know why Apple is still in Russia but I bet there’s a lot of Russian citizens who don’t agree with Russian politics

    You would lose that bet.  There is ample evidence online that Russians by and large gleefully support Russia’s brutal invasion of Ukraine, just as they’ve supported Russia’s past military actions. 


    Russians love their own country - they don't burn their own flag like Antifa.  They took over east Ukraine (Cremea) without a bullet being shot in 24 hours.  It was military genius.  NATO were embarrassed. Russia doesn't even call it Ukraine, it's Russia, and have changed street names, schools, and that was back in 2014.  Don't poke the bear.  Russia coded the first video game called Tetris.  Well now Russia is the official bread basket of Europe.  France and Germany are very silent.  Check out wheat prices in Europe.
    While I understand that you don't like anti-fascists, I would point out that the right to burn the flag in protest is one of the things that makes the US a great country. The flag after all is only a symbol, not a sacred object, and the US flag is a symbol of freedom. And one of those freedoms is the freedom to burn the flag as an act of unrestricted speech. Thousands of US soldiers have died, millions have fought, for the freedom to burn our own flag.
    and the freedom to not only not burn it, but be proud of all it represents. They can burn their own flag they bought or made, but not someone else’s or property of the government. That’s stealing and destruction of property. Also just burning anything anywhere is illegal. They’re not free to do that. If they want to do so in their fireplace at home or in a permitted area, fine. Go buy a flag from the store and take it home for firestarter. But to do so in the public square? Negative. Not free to do so. Heck, people celebrating true freedom can’t even light a small firework in most places. 

    Those who burn the USA flag burn the banner under which our soldiers died and disrespect their great sacrifice, for which we all must be thankful. The fascists calling themselves anti-fascists are defined by much more than just burning a flag. They are domestic terrorists have no respect for the freedoms of others. It’s their way or else. They riot, yet violently shut down the freedom of speech and freedom of protest of others. Our soldiers, present and past, have vowed to fight against both foreign and domestic enemies. Let’s not pretend our brave men and women had these spoiled punks on their minds when they were facing eternity. Certainly they have freedom to be disrespectful. That doesn’t make it good. But some of the things they do, such as destruction of property, harassment, and assault, are not covered under freedom - that’s infringing on the freedom of others. You go to jail for that. 

    Just like with Russia. We have a regime dining Apple for simply allowing freedom of the press. Yet here in the USA we have suppression of free speech and press as well with the government colluding with social media to suppress news and censor those who  say something they don’t like. As Americans we need to keep our eyes and ears open and stop tolerating those who strip our freedoms away not by wit with new excuse after new excuse. “Oh no! There’s a disease. Lock everyone up and shut down their businesses. Oh no! Some violent criminal used weapons! Take away everyone’s right to bear arms. Oh no! We are getting caught lying about various things! Take away people right to free speech and calling out our lies. Enough is enough. Whether you read, watch, post, etc on apple products, with speech, the newspaper, android, whatever, it’s time we stopped just accepting the spoon fed drivel and speak up where we can. That includes the freedom to show up and vote our conscience. 


    “Also just burning anything anywhere is illegal.” Just one of several bizarre, uninformed and Mal-informed statements. 

    Also, a lot of unsubstantiated broad-brush whines. WHO is “suppressing free speech and press” and HOW? The subsequent Wehrmacht inspired word-salad rant sounds like someone finished their weekend allotment of meth before the weekend even arrived. 

    As for the pro-Putin claims of Russia's "bread basket", the numbers aren't so bad after the initial panic: 

    https://markets.businessinsider.com/commodities/wheat-price/euro


    One last word on the claimed "Russia bread basket": Holomodor. 

    https://holodomor.ca/resource/holodomor-basic-facts/#:~:text=The%20term%20Holodomor%20(death%20by,peasantry%2C%20who%20resisted%20Soviet%20policies.

    https://www.atlanticcouncil.org/blogs/ukrainealert/mr-jones-film-exposes-the-fake-news-campaign-behind-stalins-ukrainian-genocide/



    9secondkox2williamlondon

  • Russian kangaroo court fines Apple two seconds of profit over News row

    ilarynxilarynx
    iBiC said:
    igorsky said:
    I don’t know why Apple is still in Russia but I bet there’s a lot of Russian citizens who don’t agree with Russian politics

    You would lose that bet.  There is ample evidence online that Russians by and large gleefully support Russia’s brutal invasion of Ukraine, just as they’ve supported Russia’s past military actions. 


    Russians love their own country - they don't burn their own flag like Antifa.  They took over east Ukraine (Cremea) without a bullet being shot in 24 hours.  It was military genius.  NATO were embarrassed. Russia doesn't even call it Ukraine, it's Russia, and have changed street names, schools, and that was back in 2014.  Don't poke the bear.  Russia coded the first video game called Tetris.  Well now Russia is the official bread basket of Europe.  France and Germany are very silent.  Check out wheat prices in Europe.
    While I understand that you don't like anti-fascists, I would point out that the right to burn the flag in protest is one of the things that makes the US a great country. The flag after all is only a symbol, not a sacred object, and the US flag is a symbol of freedom. And one of those freedoms is the freedom to burn the flag as an act of unrestricted speech. Thousands of US soldiers have died, millions have fought, for the freedom to burn our own flag.
    iBiC said:
    igorsky said:
    I don’t know why Apple is still in Russia but I bet there’s a lot of Russian citizens who don’t agree with Russian politics

    You would lose that bet.  There is ample evidence online that Russians by and large gleefully support Russia’s brutal invasion of Ukraine, just as they’ve supported Russia’s past military actions. 


    Russians love their own country - they don't burn their own flag like Antifa.  They took over east Ukraine (Cremea) without a bullet being shot in 24 hours.  It was military genius.  NATO were embarrassed. Russia doesn't even call it Ukraine, it's Russia, and have changed street names, schools, and that was back in 2014.  Don't poke the bear.  Russia coded the first video game called Tetris.  Well now Russia is the official bread basket of Europe.  France and Germany are very silent.  Check out wheat prices in Europe.
    While I understand that you don't like anti-fascists, I would point out that the right to burn the flag in protest is one of the things that makes the US a great country. The flag after all is only a symbol, not a sacred object, and the US flag is a symbol of freedom. And one of those freedoms is the freedom to burn the flag as an act of unrestricted speech. Thousands of US soldiers have died, millions have fought, for the freedom to burn our own flag.
    and the freedom to not only not burn it, but be proud of all it represents. They can burn their own flag they bought or made, but not someone else’s or property of the government. That’s stealing and destruction of property. Also just burning anything anywhere is illegal. They’re not free to do that. If they want to do so in their fireplace at home or in a permitted area, fine. Go buy a flag from the store and take it home for firestarter. But to do so in the public square? Negative. Not free to do so. Heck, people celebrating true freedom can’t even light a small firework in most places. 

    Those who burn the USA flag burn the banner under which our soldiers died and disrespect their great sacrifice, for which we all must be thankful. The fascists calling themselves anti-fascists are defined by much more than just burning a flag. They are domestic terrorists have no respect for the freedoms of others. It’s their way or else. They riot, yet violently shut down the freedom of speech and freedom of protest of others. Our soldiers, present and past, have vowed to fight against both foreign and domestic enemies. Let’s not pretend our brave men and women had these spoiled punks on their minds when they were facing eternity. Certainly they have freedom to be disrespectful. That doesn’t make it good. But some of the things they do, such as destruction of property, harassment, and assault, are not covered under freedom - that’s infringing on the freedom of others. You go to jail for that. 

    Just like with Russia. We have a regime dining Apple for simply allowing freedom of the press. Yet here in the USA we have suppression of free speech and press as well with the government colluding with social media to suppress news and censor those who  say something they don’t like. As Americans we need to keep our eyes and ears open and stop tolerating those who strip our freedoms away not by wit with new excuse after new excuse. “Oh no! There’s a disease. Lock everyone up and shut down their businesses. Oh no! Some violent criminal used weapons! Take away everyone’s right to bear arms. Oh no! We are getting caught lying about various things! Take away people right to free speech and calling out our lies. Enough is enough. Whether you read, watch, post, etc on apple products, with speech, the newspaper, android, whatever, it’s time we stopped just accepting the spoon fed drivel and speak up where we can. That includes the freedom to show up and vote our conscience. 


    While I disagree with almost all of what you say, I have to take particular exception with this statement: "Those who burn the USA flag burn the banner under which our soldiers died and disrespect their great sacrifice."

    Did they not fight and die for freedom? For our constitution and all the freedoms it guarantees, including the freedom of speech? Then how can it possibly, "disrespect their great sacrifice," when Americans exercise those very freedoms in whatever form that takes? Do we not actually honor them when we engage in freedom of speech, particularly when that speech is not popular? I say we do. Not a single American died to defend the flag, they died defending what the flag stands for, and it cheapens their sacrifice to say otherwise.

    The flag itself is just a piece of cloth of no significant value. However, what the flag symbolizes is of the greatest value. People objecting to flag burning as a form of protest, of protected speech, either don't understand what free speech is, or don't actually believe in it. Burning a flag as a form of protest because you think your country is on the wrong path is one of the most powerful statements you can make. It should not be done casually, but we should celebrate that they have the freedom to do it. When we loose the freedom to burn the flag, we will have lost the very thing those soldiers died to defend. 


    Exactly right. Case in point is the statement from a Vietnam POW below:


    In March of 1973, when we were released from a prisoner-of-war camp in North Vietnam, we were flown to Clark Air Force Base in the Philippines. As I stepped out of the aircraft I looked up and saw the flag. I caught my breath, then, as tears filled my eyes, I saluted it. I never loved my country more than at that moment. Although I have received the Silver Star Medal and two Purple Hearts, they were nothing compared with the gratitude I felt then for having been allowed to serve the cause of freedom.

    Because the mere sight of the flag meant so much to me when I saw it for the first time after 5 1/2 years, it hurts me to see other Americans willfully desecrate it. But I have been in a communist prison where I looked into the pit of hell. I cannot compromise on freedom. It hurts to see the flag burned, but I part company with those who want to punish the flag burners. Let me explain myself.

    Early in the imprisonment the communists told us that we did not have to stay there. If we would only admit we were wrong, if we would only apologize, we could be released early…

    Because we would not say the words they wanted us to say, they made our lives wretched. Most of us were tortured, and some of my comrades died. I was tortured for most of the summer of 1969. I developed beriberi from malnutrition. I had long bouts of dysentery. I was infested with intestinal parasites. I spent 13 months in solitary confinement. Was our cause worth all of this? Yes, it was worth all this and more.

    Rose Wilder Lane, in her magnificent book, The Discovery of Freedom, said there are two fundamental truths that men must know in order to be free. They must know that all men are brothers, and they must know that all men are born free. Once men accept these two ideas, they will never accept bondage. The power of these ideas explains why it was illegal to teach slaves to read…

    They tried to “re-educate” us. If we could show them that we would not abandon our belief in fundamental principles, then we could prove the falseness of their doctrine. We could subvert them by teaching them about freedom through our example. We could show them the power of ideas.

    I did not appreciate this power before I was a prisoner of war. I remember one interrogation where I was shown a photograph of some Americans protesting the war by burning a flag. “There,” the officer said. “People in your country protest against your cause. That proves that you are wrong.”

    “No,” I said. “That proves that I am right. In my country we are not afraid of freedom, even if it means that people disagree with us.” The officer was on his feet in an instant, his face purple with rage. He smashed his fist onto the table and screamed at me to shut up. While he was ranting I was astonished to see pain, compounded by fear, in his eyes. I have never forgotten that look, nor have I forgotten the satisfaction I felt at using his tool, the picture of the burning flag, against him.

    Aneurin Bevan, former official of the British Labor Party, was once asked by Nikita Khrushchev how the British definition of democracy differed from the Soviet view. Bevan responded, forcefully, that if Khrushchev really wanted to know the difference, he should read the funeral oration of Pericles.

    In that speech, recorded in the Second Book of Thucydides’ History of the Peloponnesian War, Pericles contrasted democratic Athens with totalitarian Sparta. Unlike the Spartans, he said, the Athenians did not fear freedom. Rather, they viewed freedom as the very source of their strength. As it was for Athens, so it is for America — our freedom is not to be feared, for our freedom is our strength.

     - James H. Warner, Captain O-3,  U.S. Marine Corps

    https://www.sun-sentinel.com/1989/07/16/flag-burning-doesnt-bother-former-pow/

    https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/CREC-2006-06-26/html/CREC-2006-06-26-pt1-PgS6471-2.htm


    Those who get their panties in a bunch over such things are just showing what snowflakes they are. They typically have never read the Constitution, but can sing along with Lee Greenwood’s insipid spiel ad nauseam. 

    anonymousewilliamlondontmaybageljoeyFileMakerFeller

  • How the Apple-Goldman Sachs relationship became an unhappy marriage

    ilarynxilarynx
    macgui said:
    ilarynx said:
    Either they created the glitch themselves or are shamefully incompetent. Maybe a mix of both?
    Maybe neither? Maybe just an occasional glitch that can happen in a non-perfect world?

    Having had hundreds of transactions with the Apple Card and 0 actual problems and a couple of misunderstandings on my part quickly cleared up by Apple Card "specialists", I've no indication that either scenario is likely. 


    Probably both, and more. My 1st hand experience  today  indicates a royal Goldman Sachs F-up. 

    Below is an excerpt of the text "customer support" text initiated by the Apple sales person in the store. Attached is the full PDF text string. For anyone thinking this represents good customer support but just a bit of a non-perfect glitch, would probably look up to the movie "Chernobyl" as an exemplary way to handle a "glitch". 

    Getting bounced between over half a dozen different "specialists" in a little over 30min is not some "occasional glitch" - glitch or not, THAT is a royal failure on the part of Goldman Sachs Customer Service. 

    A subsequent 10-min phone call to GS elicited the fact that they were experiencing technical problems which were preventing transactions. WHY the 7 people on the GS CS text system couldn't/wouldn't share that fact - and save me an hour of wasted time - is a FAILURE of internal communications. 

    The Apple sales person noted that about 1/4 of the problems he sees with the Apple Card were similar to mine. 

    The Apple sales person apologized several times for the poor (nonexistent) customer service provided which delayed me for over an hour in the store. He was exasperated as well.

    After completing the transaction (without the Goldman Sachs installment plan), the Apple sales person apologized 5 times before I left. We were both frustrated in the process but laughing at the absurdity of it. 

    Goldman Sachs are a bunch of overpaid incompetent clowns. The Keystone Cops run a smoother operation. 

    QED



    vtvitawilliamlondonFileMakerFellerbyronlAlex1N