Monthly Archives: October 2016

Is Tim Cook the Steve Ballmer of Apple?

Posted on October 31, 2016 | Comments Off on Is Tim Cook the Steve Ballmer of Apple?

This piece makes a strong case that he is: Why Tim Cook is Steve Ballmer and Why He Still Has His Job at Apple. I’d add to it and say that people like Steve Jobs and Bill Gates were great people at a great time and a great place. Steve Jobs wasn’t terribly successful at NeXT: he was still great, but the timing of his ideas wasn’t and the company itself wasn’t either. Tim Cook and Steve Ballmer are very good CEOs, but they are not in the same league as Jobs and Gates, and you could argue that the time has come and gone for both Apple and Microsoft.

Apple has many good months and years ahead. We will have to wait and see if they can regain the golden era of Jobs and his new iMacs, iPods, and iPhones.

Comments Off on Is Tim Cook the Steve Ballmer of Apple?

Posted in IT

Tagged , , , ,

When people propose solutions on how to deal with terrorists, read this next

Posted on October 29, 2016 | Comments Off on When people propose solutions on how to deal with terrorists, read this next

And by next, I mean this: How do you spot the next terrorist? – The Globe and Mail.  Chances are the solutions they are proposing are wrong and harmful. Read that and know why.

Comments Off on When people propose solutions on how to deal with terrorists, read this next

Posted in advice, news

Tagged , ,

Shocked by the image of the Syrian boy in the rubble? Here’s how to help | World news | The Guardian

Posted on October 28, 2016 | Comments Off on Shocked by the image of the Syrian boy in the rubble? Here’s how to help | World news | The Guardian

Syrian civil war as of 08-2016

There is much outrage over the images of dead and injured children. If you feel compelled to do something, here’s a good source of information on how: Shocked by the image of the Syrian boy in the rubble? Here’s how to help | World news | The Guardian

If you are wondering why it is so terrible, especially around the city of Aleppo, then you can read this: Lina Khatib on the Battle of Aleppo – Council on Foreign Relations Lina Khatib on the Battle of Aleppo – Council on Foreign Relations.

Khatib argue that because Aleppo is seen as crucial for success by both regime and opposition forces, much terrible fighting is occurring there. To add to that, partners and proxies are joining the fight, turning it into something that looks like a modern day Stalingrad. At this time, there does not seem to be many (or any) good diplomatic or military solutions. Hence the terribleness that is happening.

 

 

 

 

Comments Off on Shocked by the image of the Syrian boy in the rubble? Here’s how to help | World news | The Guardian

Posted in politics

Tagged , ,

Facebook Lets Advertisers Exclude Users by Race

Posted on October 28, 2016 | Comments Off on Facebook Lets Advertisers Exclude Users by Race

So, you might ask? Well, as ProPublica states, “Imagine if, during the Jim Crow era, a newspaper offered advertisers the option of placing ads only in copies that went to white readers. That’s basically what Facebook is doing nowadays.”

There is no end to the discrimination that can result in the features that Facebook is enabling, as described here: Facebook Lets Advertisers Exclude Users by Race – ProPublica. Worse, Facebook seems to be clueless as to what they are enabling.

The IT profession has too many company’s like Facebook that are developing technology that affects society in ways they are unable to process. There needs to be more focus on this. I’m glad ProPublica has done this here: more work on this has to be done.

Comments Off on Facebook Lets Advertisers Exclude Users by Race

Posted in new!

A reminder: Soylent? Still terrible

Posted on October 28, 2016 | Comments Off on A reminder: Soylent? Still terrible

Why? According to the LA Times, “Liquid meal maker Soylent is stopping sales of its flagship powder, warning that a handful of customers reported stomach sickness after consuming it.” This after recently having problems with their food bar causing people to become ill. So far, their blended liquid drink is not having an ill effects on people. Though, honestly, if a company keeps making food products that make you ill, why are trusting anything that comes from them.

Why people digest this stuff when simple foods are easy to eat is beyond me.  Even Boost or any existing meal supplement products seem to be better.

For more on the story, see: Soylent halts sales of its powder as customers keep getting sick – LA Times

Comments Off on A reminder: Soylent? Still terrible

Posted in food

Tagged , ,

The Apple Car is off (for now)

Posted on October 28, 2016 | Comments Off on The Apple Car is off (for now)

According to the article below, Apple “has drastically scaled back its automotive ambitions, leading to hundreds of job cuts and a new direction that, for now, no longer includes building its own car, according to people familiar with the project.” Too bad. I expect we will see more and more car related activity from Apple, but a shiny new vehicle may not be one of those things.

For more details, see:

Source: How Apple Scaled Back Its Titanic Plan to Take on Detroit – Bloomberg

Comments Off on The Apple Car is off (for now)

Posted in IT

Tagged , , , ,