Is Apple Big Brother?

Currently the largest company in the history of the economic world (by market cap), Apple has grown significantly over the past few years. Apple’s products from iPhones to iPads to iPods to PC’s have increased in demand substantially compared to their competitors. With their memorable launch in 1984 of the Mac, Apple used George Orwell’s classic novel 1984 as the premise for the ad. Was this deliberate? Everyone knows that Apple  applications require very sensitive credit and personal information to be submitted over Apple devices. As well, the devices can be tracked more easily with much less security and privacy capabilities than competitors such as Research in Motion (RIM).

With the largest increase in sales coming from all levels of government as well as corporate clients, Apple customers are more vulnerable and more trackeable than ever in this age of connectivity. Have their devices been pushed on purpose for this reason alone? Is Big Brother watching or tracking you through your Apple device? Is Apple trying to take over and perhaps control the world (from a technology perspective)? Is Apple Big Brother?

Did Gary Bettman ruin the NHL?

With a third player lockout occuring under Gary Bettman as NHL Commisioner one starts to ponder, has Gary Bettman ruined the NHL? From over-expansion to placing franchises in small market US cities while neglecting to place more franchises in key Canadian cities like Hamilton, Quebec City and the East Coast, the NHL seems to be of less quality than it was in the 80’s or early 90’s. Quite a few of the US Teams are in financial trouble or un-profitable such as New Jersey, Phoenix, Dallas, Nashville, Tampa Bay, Florida and NY Islanders as well. The over-expansion American model that we’ve seen before in business history always produces the same end result, collapse, bankruptcy and contraction. If Bettman were really a true leader within the organization he is in charge of wouldn’t he have some savy negotiations to come to an agreement between owners and players to avoid a third lockout? Does he even possess such crucial negotiation skills that are essential to any business leader? For a guy who does not know how to play hockey himself and get’s booed at everywhere he speaks and presents in front of the fans should Gary Bettman finally be fired? Did he ruin the NHL? Would the NHL be better off without him? Mais Oui.

Should Obama be re-elected?

With the US elections coming up in a few months and Barack Obama seeking his second term in office do you think he deserves to be re-elected? Four years have passed since the 2008 Financial Crisis but have things improved or changed? Surely the stock market is back near it’s all time highs and the GDP numbers have been on the plus side for a few years now but how has this helped every American? Poverty rates are at all-time highs, more people are reliant on food stamps, mass speculative money has re-entered the equity and real estate markets, small business is on the brink while the biggest corporations are more powerful than ever, further de-regulation of CBOE trading requirements have caused commodities to sky-rocket causing global unrest, many people are dying every day in both Iraq and Afghanistan, although no new wars have been started by Obama the war in Afghanistan is still going on 11 years later, the white collar criminals who create the 2008 crisis have not been prosecuted, Wall Street is more powerful and centralized than ever, the gap between the rich and the poor is the highest in American history, the municipalities in America are on the brink fiscally, the US deficit spending has broken records and the debt has climbed above the US GDP as well as no fiscal reforms to the economy have been made to eliminate the complete reliance on monetary policy to name a few items of concern.

It seems like the answer is no based on the facts. The problem is the other party is no different in their ideals and agenda. Not much of a choice in the current US Elections.

Has America Gone Gun Crazy?

Of late, it seems like almost every other week there has been a shooting spree incident resulting in fatalities. From Columbine to Virginia Tech to the recent Batman Premiere in Colorado to the Sikh Temple in Wisconsin, the frequency of such incidents is becoming quite regular. But what is causing such problems of violence in society? After each incident occurs the application for gun permits as well as gun sales increase. But is this something that society wants? A bunch of nervous people carrying guns with them in public? Watching movies over the last decade you can tell the amount of gun violence in them has increased big time. Political advocates whose roots are from Hollywood such as the late Charleton Heston as well as action stars such as Clint Eastwood and Arnold have made the pro gun cause even more stronger. The NRA is stronger than ever. Not to mention the video games. Violent game sales dominate the video game industry. With the gap between the rich and the poor at record highs as well as huge strains on the middle class and former Army veterans stressed from battling wars in the US, society is becoming more disgruntled than ever as the winner takes all culture has left many people behind. How can such incidents be prevented? Perhaps gun violence must not be glorified in the movies and in video games. Are there no role models anymore to come out and campaign against violence? Until the powers that be have less of a stranglehold on government and society with the big money making weapons business they have vested interests in, the American Dream will keep getting destroyed with each senseless gun shot.