"The Global Consciousness Project, also known as the EGG Project, is an international multidisciplinary collaboration of scientists, engineers, artists and others continuously collecting data from a global network of physical random number generators located in 65 host sites worldwide. The archive contains over 10 years of random data in parallel sequences of synchronized 200-bit trials every second."
Posted by Warm Southern Breeze on Monday, November 28, 2022
Apple Could Lose Six Million iPhones Taipei Times
Tuesday, November 29, 2022, page 12
FACTORY TUMULT: Departure of new workers will negatively affect production much less than official governmental quarantines imposed on existing employees, said a worker at China’s ‘iPhone city.’
Turmoil at Apple Inc’s key manufacturing hub in Zhengzhou is likely to result in a production shortfall of almost 6 million iPhone Pro units this year, said a person familiar with assembly operations.
iPhone 14 Pro Max
The situation at the plant remains fluid and an estimate of lost production could change, said a person who requested anonymity to discuss private information.
Much depends on how quickly Hon Hai Precision Industry Co (鴻海精密), the Taiwanese company that operates the facility, can get people back to assembly lines after violent protests against COVID-19 restrictions. If lockdowns continue in the weeks ahead, production could be further reduced.
The Zhengzhou campus has been wracked by lockdowns and worker unrest for weeks after COVID-19 infections left Hon Hai, also known as Foxconn Technology Group (富士康科技集團), and the local government struggling to contain the outbreak.
Posted by Warm Southern Breeze on Sunday, November 27, 2022
Apple charges between US$799 for a basic iPhone 14, to US$1599 for a top-of-the-line iPhone 14 Pro Max model.
That’s how much you’ll pay without carrier subsidies, which are typically tied to a service contract, but…
How much does Apple pay for it?
How much does it cost them to make it?
Japanese business newspaper Nihon Keizai Shimbun, and Fomalhaut Techno Solutions, a Tokyo-based mobile communications equipment analysis firm, collaborated to investigate and issued a report of their findings which were based upon disassembly of three models of the iPhone 14 series, and an estimated cost analysis of the hardware components.
Nihon Keizai Shimbun (Nihon sometimes also spelled Nippon), translated as “Japanese Economic Newspaper,” is Japan’s most widely respected daily business-oriented newspaper, with a total morning and evening circulation of 3.7 million.
iPhone 14 Pro Max
The report found that the total parts cost of Apple’s iPhone 14 Pro Max, their top-of-the-line model, costs about 20% more than last year’s iPhone 13. The iPhone 14 Pro series has few new features, and is powered by Apple’s A16 processor, which continues the company’s strategy of producing ultra-high performance products, yet prices in the US and elsewhere remain the same, thus ostensibly constricting, or compressing, profitability.
Since its 2018 introduction, iPhone’s flagship “Max” model has cost an extra US$400 to US$450.
Based upon their analysis, Fomalhaut estimated that the total parts price for the iPhone 14 Pro Max is approximately US$501, which is slightly US$60 more than last year’s iPhone 13 Pro Max model.
The cost increase in the iPhone 14 Pro series is primarily because of Apple’s “A16 Bionic” chip, which uses a state-of-the-art 4nm (nanometer) production process, currently only available from Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited (TSMC), and Samsung Electronics.
Moves Protect Intellectual Property
Headquartered in Taiwan, TSMC is the world’s largest contract chip maker, a major Apple supplier, and is constructing a US$12 billion plant in Arizona near Phoenix. Governor Doug Ducey had initially visited Taiwan in 2017, and again in August 2020 for a 3-day trip, at which time TSMC announced their intention to build a $12B chip foundry in Arizona that year, and shortly thereafter began seeking subsidies. At the time of the announcement, TSMC speculated that construction would begin in 2024.
However, in August 2022, Governor Ducey made a brief construction progress report about TSMC’s Arizona facility, and recollecting his previously visits, stated in part that, “Just over two years later TSMC has completed construction for its main facility and continues to make excellent progress. Along with TSMC’s historic investment, roughly two dozen Taiwanese-based suppliers are finding Arizona is right for investment.”
TSMC broke ground on the project March 2021 and had a ceremonial “topping” celebration, a construction industry term meaning installation of the last beam, with 4000 attendees in July 2022. The property literally went from 1100 acres of tumbleweeds to factory shells in under six months.
But not only is the construction of TSMC’s Arizona facility a win-win for the United States, it also represents a prospective national security matter, because there have been rumblings that the Communist Chinese government could seize the Taiwanese facility.
Speaking in May 2022 at the Chongyang Institute for Financial Studies at Renmin University of China in Beijing, Chen Wenling, Chief Economist at the Communist Chinese government-run China Center for International Economic Exchanges told attendees that, “If the US and the West impose destructive sanctions on China like sanctions against Russia, we must recover Taiwan.”
Her remarks were alarming, and appeared to encourage Chinese military assault, and she warned the attendees that Read the rest of this entry »
Posted by Warm Southern Breeze on Saturday, November 26, 2022
In what is rapidly becoming an International Public Relations, Marketing and Sales nightmare for Apple Computer — the world’s largest and wealthiest corporation, with a market capitalization value of at least US$2.356 Trillion — Chinese citizens in Zhengzhou, China, known colloquially as “iPhone City” for its massive manufacturing facilities owned by Foxconn, which are contracted with Apple Computer, of Cupertino, California, to manufacture the iPhone 14, and other Apple-branded consumer computer hardware — have gone on strike after having been brutally beaten by Communist Chinese police over a reneged promise made to prospective and new employees by Foxconn for their pay.
The iPhone 14, Apple’s latest and greatest model, which retails from US$799 to $1,599.00 for a top-of-the-line iPhone 14 Pro Max model, is now “behind the power curve” on holiday sales leading up to, and immediately after “Black Friday,” when many American customers nationwide reported an inability to find the product in stores, or online. The phrase is an aviation-related one, which colloquially means to be in a situation in which circumstances are beyond a locus of control, and any extra effort to play “catch up” only gets worse with each successive attempt.
“Black Friday,” of course, refers to the day immediately after Thanksgiving (which always occurs on a Thursday) in which retailers experience their greatest sales, which for many, if not the exceeding majority, accounts for a significant portion of their annual profitability, and places them “in the black,” rather than being in an indebted, or profitless condition, which is referred to as being “in the red.”
Tim Cook, Apple CEO, official portrait
The events in China’s “iPhone City” couldn’t have come at a worse time for Apple.
Matters are further complicated by the Communist Chinese government’s mandatory “shutdowns” of all public business operations, and public intercourse.
Again, ALL of this is completely outside Apple Computer’s locus of control. Yet, there are some thing that Tim Cook could do to minimize, or ameliorate, any damages, now, and in the future.
Naturally, the problem is not limited exclusively to Apple Computer, and rather, is the initialization of an avalanche-like, cascading chain of events which will reduce Apple’s profitability, as well as that of retailers nationwide.
Beyond that, it further reemphasizes what has been continually been an increasing point of contention in the United States, which is the “outsourcing’ of American manufacturing jobs — the most notable of which is China — to nations where there are little-to-no labor laws, practically non-existent workplace safety laws or regulations, and certainly no wage standards, and neither minimum wage laws, nor collective-bargaining labor unions to represent the employees’ interests.
In short, it is the moral equivalent of — and for all practical purposes is — slave labor, because the employees in factories in China, overseas, and in other developing nations, have no rights, nor opportunity for redress of grievances against their employer as in the United States. It is capitalism run amok. And the worst part of it all, is that it originates from within the United States.
The second sentence reads in part, “but security researchers and advocates are warning the scanning update — along with one that aims to give parents protective tools in children’s messages — could pose data and security risks beyond the intended purpose.”
But, here’s the creepy part:
“Apple said its method to detect the abusive material is “designed with user privacy in mind.” Instead of scanning images in the cloud, the system performs “on-device matching” using a database of known child sexual abuse material image hashes provided by child safety organizations.”
Did you get that?
“A database of known child sexual abuse material image hashes provided by child safety organizations.”
Now, what follows is a rather simplified version, and quite frankly, it wouldn’t surprise me to know that Law Enforcement authorities are onto that game. But here’s something even more sophisticated: Image hashes.
It almost does the same thing, albeit with a slight twist – it’s not encrypted.
The technology is called PhotoDNA, was invented by Microsoft, and essentially, works from a known database of child pornographic images, and analyzes them (creates a “hash”) thereby creating a unique digital identifier for each and every image, that is resistant, or impervious to change, such as the elimination of color, or adjustments made using photo editing software/algorithms, including of size, and analyzes each cell/pixel’s intensity gradients, or edges.
But again, it’s based upon ONE premise: An unencrypted file.
Immediately after reading the headline, I saw the flaw.
That flaw is base upon the presumption that customers of Apple’s iCloud service are uploading UNENCRYPTED files.
Posted by Warm Southern Breeze on Friday, September 14, 2018
With it’s new Watch Series 4, Apple Computer of Cupertino, CA has signaled its intent to capitalize upon integrating electronics, health informatics, and aging.
With one fell swoop, Apple has exemplified and cemented the “Help! I’ve fallen and I can’t get up!” era.
Long thought of as a popular cultural icon, the phrase “I’ve fallen and I can’t get up!” entered American vernacular in 1989 and quickly became a comedic touchstone which endures to this day.
The LifeCall company advertised their medical alarm product on television, which was shown being worn as a pendant or brooch (primarily marketed toward women), and which could be activated by pushing a single button on the device which in turn, called the firm’s 24-7/365 operators in the event of the wearer’s immobility… presuming, of course, that they were fully alert, and capable of pressing a button.
By October 1990, LifeCall had patented the phrase “I’ve fallen and I can’t get up!” and with various minor modifications, as time progressed, by 2007, the phrase had become their legally official trademark.
Posted by Warm Southern Breeze on Thursday, October 19, 2017
In Apple’s iOS 11 {as 11.0.3 (15A432)}, shortened battery life/power has been a source of continual complaint form many.
Part of the reason why, is that in iOS 11, the Bluetooth & Wi-Fi features can NOT be turned OFF from the “swipe” menu, which is accessed by swiping up from the bottom of the screen.
Posted by Warm Southern Breeze on Tuesday, June 27, 2017
Admit it.
You’re not a Professional Photographer.
That is to say, you don’t make your living with a camera. And, probably never have.
That’s okay. It’s not a problem. But by the same token, you probably wouldn’t know The Rule of Thirds, backlighting, high-key, or the difference between an ƒ-stop and ISO/ASA. And, that’s okay too.
But… if you want to make better pictures, you’ll want to learn to a few tips and tricks to improve the images you do make.
The smartphone’s ubiquity has made picture-taking commonplace. And the democratization of photography via the iPhone, and other smartphones, has been a veritable dream come true for George Eastman, Kodak’s late founder, who wanted to put a camera into everyone’s hands. And to give credit where credit is due, Steve Jobs, late founder of Apple Computer, is probably the man who was actually able to do that.
Seen below, we have a snapshot taken indoors of a beloved pet dog named Bug, who is lying on his back on the sofa in a very cute state of repose.
Posted by Warm Southern Breeze on Monday, August 25, 2014
Apple has determined that a very small percentage of iPhone 5 devices may suddenly experience shorter battery life or need to be charged more frequently. The affected iPhone 5 devices were sold between September 2012 and January 2013 and fall within a limited serial number range.
If your iPhone 5 is experiencing these symptoms and meets the eligibility requirements noted below, Apple will replace your iPhone 5 battery, free of charge.
Eligibility
If your iPhone is in working order and exhibits the symptoms noted above, use the serial number checker below to see if it is eligible for this program.
Posted by Warm Southern Breeze on Monday, March 17, 2014
Recently, I received an email message from a friend, one who is highly intelligent, and who has a phenomenal diversity of life experiences. The item had a video to a Faux News video segment, which is included in this post, at the conclusion.
My response to the half-truthed item follows.
Here’s hoping you and others find it informative, and helpful.
—
While I have neither been the type to proclaim THE SKY IS FALLING! THE SKY IS FALLING! nor believe there is conspiracy against me, nor the paranoid type that imagines “the government” is out to get me (and therefore neither view nor read Fox News), I do think there is some credence to the item. (Of course, a “Snopes check” shows a mix of half-truths. But, if it ain’t all true, it ain’t true – kinda’ like the gas, you know.) More details on that follow.
While residing there, I also noticed the same, and noticed that the price for 100% pure gasoline is higher than for the 10% ethanol blend. One day, while pumping the 100% gasoline at a Chattanooga gas station, I happened to speak with a gent at the adjacent pump about the difference. He shared an observation with me which I thought quite interesting, and one which certainly seemed reasonable.
He said that in an “accidental” experiment, he purchased some 10% ethanol blended gasoline for use in his lawn mower. He then poured some of the 10% ethanol blended gas into a glass jar, and let it set out at least overnight (or a bit longer). He observed that it had become cloudy from the accumulation of humidity.
While I’ve never tried such an experiment, I do note that many years ago, on occasion, I would run my little carbureted Toyota’s gas tank empty, and would then fill it up with 1 gallon each of Methanol, 100LL, Toluene, Xylene and Methyl Ethyl Ketone. I did so for at least two reasons: 1.) to get any water in the fuel tank & system out, and; 2.) to “clean out” any deposits that may have formed in the fuel system.
Of course, Gasoline and Water are different for several reasons, not the least of which is that Read the rest of this entry »
Posted by Warm Southern Breeze on Saturday, June 8, 2013
Much ado about nothing.
That’s how I describe the recent ruckus & hullabaloo made about the recent UK news story that “revealed” the U.S. National Security Agency is “spying” on American citizens at home.
The reality is, that the information the NSA is creating is called “metadata,” is a set of data that describes & gives information about other data. Phone numbers called, dates, times & length of calls is NOTHING by comparison to what BIG BUSINESS knows about us already.
When you bought your car, if you borrowed money to purchase it, the bank or credit union which loaned the money to you performed a background credit check on you before they loaned their money to you.
When you applied for a credit card, did you happen to list your age or birthdate on the application?
What about the life, health, auto, or house insurance policies you have? Did you mention your relationship status, number of children, their ages, specifics of your health including medicines, treatments, surgeries, income & source, length of residency, height, weight, or even the size, color & consistency of your last bowel movement?
I would imagine the answer to ALL those questions – at one time or another – has been “yes.”
Posted by Warm Southern Breeze on Friday, June 7, 2013
IN AN EARLIER ENTRY I’d written that I had successfully resolved sparsebunlde errors on the Time Capule/Time Machine which I use to back up my computer.
At the time, I thought I had.
However, when I examined the disk, I found there was a duplicate sparsebundle.
Typically, unless the file name is changed by the user, on the OSX (Apple’s MacintoshOperating System) duplicate files are indicated by the presence of an Arabic numeral (1, 2, 3, 4, etc.) following any file name. Because the sparsebundle, and any errors arising from it are created by the system, they are therefore not available to be changed by the user. Thus, the file names would be appended with a number as explained.
Posted by Warm Southern Breeze on Tuesday, April 23, 2013
Time Capsule offers automatic backup for your Mac. And it’s a full-featured 802.11n Wi-Fi base station with simultaneous dual-band support in the 2.4GHz and 5GHz bands simultaneously. It delivers great performance and range. And it’s easy to set up from your iPad, iPhone, iPod touch, or Mac.
Posted by Warm Southern Breeze on Sunday, January 20, 2013
Among the standard WordPress offerings are statistics on each blog, and corresponding search terms that were used to discover any particular entry. Those are very powerful tools, and in the proper hands, can be effectively utilized.
It’s interesting to read the search terms that often lead to this blog, and to this point, though I have considered opining on some of the more “fascinating” or “peculiar” entries, I shall share something a wee bit less salacious.
In fact, it’s not salacious at all.
One such entry was “what does unified info mean on iPhone“?
First, consider what the word “unified” means.
“Unified” means “to make, or become united, uniform or whole.”
The prefix “uni” means “one.”
By implication, unity, unification, or unified means that exactness is present. There is no variation, or difference.
Things are as one. They are made into one. To unify is to make into one.
New Contact on iPhone – Note the data fields.
New Contact in “Contacts” address book on OSX Note the data fields.
Sample Contact entry in “Contacts” address book on OSX.
Research in Motion’s BlackBerry devices “have been failing both at inopportune times and at an unacceptable rate,” the agency wrote in a procurement request issued last week.
NTSB spokesman Eric Weiss, citing procurement rules, declined to name any specific problems the agency has had with its BlackBerry phones. RIM (RIMM) has suffered a few high-profile outages, including a global, three-day disruption last year.
“The NTSB requires effective, reliable and stable communication capabilities to carry-out its primary investigative mission and to ensure employee safety in remote locations,” the agency wrote. “Due to performance issues with the blackberry [sic] devices, the NTSB desires to transition to a different device.”
RIM declined to comment specifically on the NTSB’s criticisms.
And, once again, hospitals across the nation will engage in a costly and highly-misguided effort of X-rayingcandy under the pretense that by so doing, somehow it increases, or adds a level of safety or security for children.
Frankly, the whole idea is faulty to the core, and is based upon a long-standing urban myth.
Those of a certain age may recall the cry of “razor blade in apples” which was supposed to justify X-raying candy.
Then, there was the fear mongering tactic of “dirty needles in candy” to justify X-raying candy.
Now, who knows what else there will be?
Even the most casual observer could plainly see that a razor blade inserted into an apple leaves a very noticeable mark, or bruise upon the fruit. Even if the apple was candied, the bruise would be noticeable. A covering of caramel, however, might hide such a mark. But then again, how many caramel apples are given out at Halloween by the average household? I’d say the chances of that happening are 1.) Slim, and 2.) None.
Here’s more food for thought (pun intended).
Poisons are not radiopaque.
That is, they do NOT show up on X-ray.
Poisons can be injected into still-wrapped candy, which would go undetected by even the most cautious observer.
And yet, Law Enforcement Officers and hospitals nation-wide will, once again, embark upon a well-intended, but seriously misguided notion to X-ray candy for hundreds of thousands of parents.
Not only is that foolish, it is EXPENSIVE to the hospitals, and a waste of precious resources in these difficult fiscal times.
Interestingly, there are others who have had similar thoughts… even as far back as 1988.
Healthcare professionals, hospital administrators and their staff should embark upon a public/community education effort to teach the public that X-raying candy is useless, and a costly endeavor that cannot protect anyone from those whose intent is upon harming children, or others by poisoning candy.
Suitable, safe and sane alternatives to wide-spread trick-or-treat expeditions could include Read the rest of this entry »
Nicholas Carlson | Sep. 15, 2012, 11:32 PM
New Yahoo CEO Marissa Mayer just sent an email to all of Yahoo’s full time and part time employees in the US, promising them a new Apple, Samsung, Nokia, or HTC smartphone.
Yahoo! CEO Marissa Meyer with Michael Arrington founder and former co-editor of TechCrunch at TechCrunch Disrupt September 14, 2011. Photo by Kevin Krejci
“People are happy,” says a source at the company.
A couple weeks ago, we reported that new Yahoo CEO Marissa Mayer was considering giving every Yahoo employee a new iPhone or Android smartphone.
Mayer has now put that plan into motion through a program Yahoo is calling “Yahoo!Smart Phones, Smart Fun!”
We learned about this plan from an internal memo, which we received from one source and confirmed with another.
Through the program, Yahoo employees will have a choice of phones: iPhone 5, Samsung Galaxy S3, HTC One X, HTC EVO 4G LTE, or Nokia Lumia 920.
Posted by Warm Southern Breeze on Friday, September 14, 2012
Gonna’ get yours?
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The iPhone Stimulus
By PAUL KRUGMAN, September 13, 2012
Are you, or is someone you know, a gadget freak? If so, you doubtless know that Wednesday was iPhone 5 day, the day Apple unveiled its latest way for people to avoid actually speaking to or even looking at whoever they’re with.
So is the new phone as insanely great as Apple says? Hey, I’ll leave stuff like that to David Pogue. What I’m interested in, instead, are suggestions that the unveiling of the iPhone 5 might provide a significant boost to the U.S. economy, adding measurably to economic growth over the next quarter or two.
Do you find this plausible? If so, I have news for you: you are, whether you know it or not, a Keynesian — and you have implicitly accepted the case that the government should spend more, not less, in a depressed economy.
Before I get there, let’s talk about where the buzz is coming from.
Tourist and Apple devotes stop and pose to take pictures of the Apple logo adorned front facade of the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts in San Francisco, California, USA, 09 September 2012, three days before the anticipated iPhone 5 announcement will be made. EPA/PETER DaSILVA
The controversy targeting Apple’s manufacturing partner in China comes as Apple is expected to unveil the latest iPhone on Wednesday.
Foxconn, which in recent months has come under heavy scrutiny in connection with working conditions in its factories, has conceded that Read the rest of this entry »
SHANGHAI — As Apple prepares to unveil the latest iPhone this week, the company’s manufacturing partner in China, Foxconn Technology, is coming under renewed criticism over labor practices after reports that vocational students were being compelled to work at plants making iPhones and their components.
Foxconn has come under intense scrutiny in recent months over working conditions inside its factories. Ym Yik/European Pressphoto Agency
Foxconn has acknowledged using student “interns” on manufacturing lines, but says they are free to leave at any time. But two worker advocacy groups said Monday that they had spoken with students who said they had been forced by their teachers to assemble iPhones at a Foxconn factory in Zhengzhou, in north-central China.
Additionally, last week Chinese state-run news media reported that several vocational schools in the city of Huai’an, in eastern China, required hundreds of students to work on assembly lines at a Foxconn plant to help ease worker shortages. According to one of the articles, Huai’an students were ordered to manufacture cables for Apple’s new iPhone 5, which is expected to be introduced on Wednesday.
“They said they are forced to work by the teachers,” Li Qiang, founder of China Labor Watch, one of the advocacy organizations and a frequent critic of Foxconn’s labor policies, said in an interview on Monday. Mr. Li said his staff had Read the rest of this entry »
Vice President Biden said, “Now people, when I say that, look at me and say, ‘What are you talking about, Joe? You’re telling me we have to go spend money to keep from going bankrupt?’ The answer is ‘yes,’ that’s what I’m telling you.”
“And folks look, AARP knows – and the people with me here today know, the president knows, and I know – that the status quo is simply not acceptable. Its totally unacceptable. And its completely unsustainable. Even if we wanted to keep it the way we have it now. It can’t do it financially, Were going to go bankrupt as a nation. Now, people when I say that look at me and say, ‘What are you talking about, Joe? You’re telling me we have to go spend money to keep from going bankrupt?’ The answer is ‘yes,’ I’m telling you.”
Of course, Vice President Biden was speaking in context of the Affordable Care Act – also commonly known as “ObamaCare” – which the Government Accountability Office has shown has already demonstrated significant cost savings and proven to be business-stimulating legislation, and that to eliminate it’s protections would cost the federal government even more in the long-term.
Analogously, it’d be like having a fuel inefficient automobile – one that only got about 5 miles/gallon, or less. If you were to purchase even a used vehicle with twice the fuel economy – 10mpg – you could realize significant overall long-term savings. Simply ceasing driving will not solve any problem, but would rather create more problems.
Similarly, could you imagine having an inefficient Heating/Ventilation & Air Conditioning (HVAC) system? You gotta’ stay cool in the summer and warm in the winter – there’s no way around it. And to lower your average monthly utility bills by even 1/3 would be beneficial.
So, here’s a shocker for armchair philosophers, political pundits, amateur economists, Radical Republicans, TEA Party types and more: Government spending – in part – is a significant driver of our nation’s economy. And, spending on economic infrastructure is ALWAYS a most wise investment.
FCC Is Expected to Vote to Open Up Spectrum, EasingPatientMonitoring and Making Product Development LessRisky
Hospitals are getting ready to cut the cord.
In place of knots of wires stuck to patients to monitor their blood pressure, heart rate, oxygen level and body temperature, doctors and the companies that supply them hope to use Band-Aid-like sensors to accomplish the same task wirelessly.
The Federal Communications Commission is expected to vote Thursday to open up spectrum for wireless medical devices, raising the possibility of easier hospital-patient monitoring, fewer tubes in emergency rooms, and more remote monitoring at home.
The shift will make it easier to track patients’ conditions, improving the odds that health problems will be caught before they become an emergency, analysts and clinicians say.
Wireless Hospitals
While wireless technology has boomed for phones and computing, it has been slower to take hold in the medical sphere. Hospitals have Read the rest of this entry »
Posted by Warm Southern Breeze on Thursday, May 3, 2012
As Bob Dylan sang some years ago, “The times, they are a-changin’.” Our laws should reflect those changes while adhering to the values ensconced in our Constitution. In essence, the argument is about freedom – freedom from the large corporations that supply “content” via the Internet. As well, openness and honesty – popularly termed as transparency – should be the hallmark of all dealings, by government and enterprise.
In short, what we’re encountering in this age, in this era, is an almost unprecedented and wholesale onslaught of money and the power that comes with it. It is, in essence, a corrupting influence. It is, in essence, a type of bribery – and bribery is itself, a form of theft. Bribery is a form of theft because it takes away, removes, or forbids resources from going where they ought, or rightfully should. In this case, it robs freedom from the people. Not only does it usurp their decision-making capacity, it is a blatant announcement and condemnation of freedom, because it says that the rich, the wealthy have freedom, while the poor and disenfranchised have none.
If – as the Supreme Court has declared – money is the equivalent of free speech, and neither cannot, nor should not be limited, what freedom does the poor man have? Again, if money is equated with free speech (that is, our First Amendment rights), the poor man has none. And that, my dear readers, is but one reason why such a ruling is not only ANTI-Constitutional, but is antithesis of freedom.
Making a further case, our nation’s specie – that is, the currency and coinage – is the property of the United States government. It is NOT private property. Money is a thing used to represent something else. So again, I ask rhetorically… in such instances, and in this case, what does it represent?
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GoogleSays “It’s Our Web”–and they bought it fair and square
Who can forget then-candidate Ronald Reagan’s classic line at the 1980 New Hampshire candidate’s debate: “I’m paying for this microphone!” And Google probably is wishing that whichever Ivy League idiot thought of rebranding their anti-SOPA campaign site with the double entendre “It’s Our Web” had not been quite so…uh..transparent…about it all.
President Obama had dinner with technology moguls February 17, 2011 in California’s “Silicon Valley” at the home of John Doerr, venture capitalist and partner at Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers, in Woodside, California. Flanking the president are (L) the late Steve Jobs, Founder/CEO of Apple Computer, and (R) Mark Zuckerberg, CEO of FaceBook. Also present are:Cisco CEO John Chambers, Google CEO Eric Schmidt, Netflix CEO Reed Hastings, Oracle CEO Larry Ellison, Twitter CEO Dick Costolo and Yahoo CEO Carol Bartz. Art Levinson, chairman and former CEO of Genentech, is on the Apple board of directors, and was also present. White House press secretaryJay Carney said after the dinner President Obama exchanged ideas with the business leaders “so we can work as partners to promote growth and create good jobs in the United States,” and discussed research and development spending proposals with the CEOs. (Official White House photo by Pete Souza)
Via Flickr:
The 4our digit passkey is the one with which most may be familiar. Yet some iPhone owners may not be aware that there is another, more secure method of protecting their investment in that wonderfully powerful tool.
A more complex (and therefore secure) combination – one of the user’s own choosing – is able to be used. Not only is the creation of that passkey cAsE sEnSiTiVe, but numbers (0-9) and characters (such as # , $ ) @ + } ~ ? <, etc.) are able to be employed in the creation of the passkey.
Apple continues to improve the camera application on their iPhone, and in the 4S, the resolution of the camera has reached 8MP, and sports all-new optics. Not only does it shoot 1080p HD video, but it boasts a f/2.4 aperture, improved backside illumination sensor, excellent auto white balance, advanced color accuracy, face detection, and reduced motion blur.
As well, the 4S model iPhone has 60 percent more pixels than the camera on iPhone 4.
While the improved camera sensors in the iPhone 4S have increased its sensitivity, it is ultimately the glass that makes any camera’s pictures worthwhile. And the appearance of a five element lens in conjunction with a larger aperture allows better quality light, and more light to reach the camera’s sensors, which results in a clearer focus and significantly improved pictures, overall.
However, those hardware improvement don’t say much about other really cool integrated camera features in iOS 5. And just so you’ll know, iOS 5 will work on the iPhone 3GS, iPhone 4, iPhone 4S, iPad, iPad 2, iPod touch 3d & 4th generations.
In this entry, you’ll see actual screenshots of the zoom adjustments, along with another useful built-in photography help.
Screenshot of the activated built-in Zoom feature on the iPhone. The photo's a bit fuzzy, because it's tough to get a screenshot quickly while maintaining a composition!
Quite simply, not only does the Apple iPhone continue to dominate the smartphone market with innovations, but worldwide and domestic sales of the smartphone indicate market share dominance. In other words, Apple is the “worldwide number one single manufacturer of smartphones by revenue, profit, and volume.” Tom Kang, Director at Strategy Analytics, reported that in 2010 alone, Apple shipped over 100 million smartphones.
But you didn’t necessarily want to read a marketing and sales report – right?
On to the iPhone tips and tricks.
The iPhone’s integrated camera has the ability to zoom up to 5x.
Posted by Warm Southern Breeze on Tuesday, December 6, 2011
Fear not!
There’s GOOD NEWS for every Stanza user!
Previously, Apple’s update to iOS 5 rendered the Lexcyle Stanza reader obsolete – and many were in an uproar over what to do – particularly given that Amazon.com had purchased Stanza and indicated they had no plans to continue updating or working on the software.
Posted by Warm Southern Breeze on Thursday, July 28, 2011
A few weeks back, I enjoyed an outing with a neighbor, and we later returned to make s’mores.
Honestly, the chocolately, marshmallow, graham cracker cookie treat is a fairly new thing for me, having discovered them less than a year ago, when they were introduced to me by another friend who was ecstatically telling me about how delicious they were.
Not being a big fan of marshmallows – I genuinelydon‘t like them in any form – I reluctantly tried them.
Posted by Warm Southern Breeze on Monday, July 4, 2011
I’m not sure I’ve ever seen these screens in any other venue. Of course, there are probably several screens I’ve not seen. As I discover them, I’ll endeavor to post them. Read the rest of this entry »
Android hackers have discovered that Google’s cloud-based music service is up and running, for those prepared to muck about with the internals of Honeycomb at least.
Google has been widely expected to launch a cloud-based music service – an online store of your existing collection – and Read the rest of this entry »
Posted by Warm Southern Breeze on Thursday, January 6, 2011
SquareTrade, a third-party, electronics warranty-issuing business, has extrapolated data from their database of insured iPhones and has discovered some fascinating results. Read the rest of this entry »
Posted by Warm Southern Breeze on Monday, January 3, 2011
Previously in this blog, I’ve written negatively critical remarks of Apple Computer‘s actions, predominately on issues problems associated with the iPhone 4 and iOS 4.
Now, it seems that many more folks have something else to legitimately gripe about.
Again, please don’t misunderstand my intentions; from Day One, I have been an ardent fan of Apple Computer products, and I remain to this day (this entry and all entries in this blog have been composed on an Apple computer, or iPhone) an Apple computer afficionado. Yet, my enthusiasm does not preclude my criticisms of the company’s products or practices.
Here’s the “Ta – DAH!” e-mail which I received trumpeting their “success.” (As an aside, don’t you feel privileged to read my “personal” e-mail?) Be sure to …Continue to…continue to…
Warm Southern Breeze 
Sure, money is power. But, is it also liberty and freedom? Or, is it a tool?
Posted by Warm Southern Breeze on Thursday, May 3, 2012
As Bob Dylan sang some years ago, “The times, they are a-changin’.” Our laws should reflect those changes while adhering to the values ensconced in our Constitution. In essence, the argument is about freedom – freedom from the large corporations that supply “content” via the Internet. As well, openness and honesty – popularly termed as transparency – should be the hallmark of all dealings, by government and enterprise.
In short, what we’re encountering in this age, in this era, is an almost unprecedented and wholesale onslaught of money and the power that comes with it. It is, in essence, a corrupting influence. It is, in essence, a type of bribery – and bribery is itself, a form of theft. Bribery is a form of theft because it takes away, removes, or forbids resources from going where they ought, or rightfully should. In this case, it robs freedom from the people. Not only does it usurp their decision-making capacity, it is a blatant announcement and condemnation of freedom, because it says that the rich, the wealthy have freedom, while the poor and disenfranchised have none.
If – as the Supreme Court has declared – money is the equivalent of free speech, and neither cannot, nor should not be limited, what freedom does the poor man have? Again, if money is equated with free speech (that is, our First Amendment rights), the poor man has none. And that, my dear readers, is but one reason why such a ruling is not only ANTI-Constitutional, but is antithesis of freedom.
Making a further case, our nation’s specie – that is, the currency and coinage – is the property of the United States government. It is NOT private property. Money is a thing used to represent something else. So again, I ask rhetorically… in such instances, and in this case, what does it represent?
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Google Says “It’s Our Web”–and they bought it fair and square
Who can forget then-candidate Ronald Reagan’s classic line at the 1980 New Hampshire candidate’s debate: “I’m paying for this microphone!” And Google probably is wishing that whichever Ivy League idiot thought of rebranding their anti-SOPA campaign site with the double entendre “It’s Our Web” had not been quite so…uh..transparent…about it all.
President Obama had dinner with technology moguls February 17, 2011 in California’s “Silicon Valley” at the home of John Doerr, venture capitalist and partner at Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers, in Woodside, California. Flanking the president are (L) the late Steve Jobs, Founder/CEO of Apple Computer, and (R) Mark Zuckerberg, CEO of FaceBook. Also present are:Cisco CEO John Chambers, Google CEO Eric Schmidt, Netflix CEO Reed Hastings, Oracle CEO Larry Ellison, Twitter CEO Dick Costolo and Yahoo CEO Carol Bartz. Art Levinson, chairman and former CEO of Genentech, is on the Apple board of directors, and was also present. White House press secretary Jay Carney said after the dinner President Obama exchanged ideas with the business leaders “so we can work as partners to promote growth and create good jobs in the United States,” and discussed research and development spending proposals with the CEOs. (Official White House photo by Pete Souza)
Because it certainly is “their web” and they bought it fair and square according to Read the rest of this entry »
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Posted in - Faith, Religion, Goodness - What is the Soul of a man?, - Politics... that "dirty" little "game" that first begins in the home. | Tagged: Apple, Barack Obama, Bob Dylan, commentary, Darrell Issa, FaceBook, Federal government of the United States, First Amendment, First Amendment to the United States Constitution, freedom, Freedom of speech, Google, Internet, Jay Carney, Joe Camel, Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers, Larry Ellison, law, Liberalism, Libertarianism, Liberty, Nancy Pelosi, New Hampshire, New York Times, news, Organizations, Pete Souza, policy, Political freedom, politics, POTUS, Ronald Reagan, SOPA, Supreme Court, Technology, United State, United States, United States Constitution | Leave a Comment »