30
Apr
Many of you may have read the recent remarks by Apple representatives about netbooks… They generally denegrated the platform and called them “cheap and flimsy” if memory serves. They claimed that low quality was the only way the price could be so low.
I am going to have to call BS on all counts. I happen to own an ASUS 1000HA. I have it dual booted with Windows XP and Ubuntu 9.4. I also have done various levels of support and repair on Apple computers and laptops for the last 12 years. What Apple fails to admit is that every time they tried to make a small machine similar to netbooks, they ended up with junk. Case in point the Macbook Air… No physical network port? Are they NUTS? (Yes, they are.) Larger machines, they make very nicely (although they are still over priced in the extreme). Ever since they failed at the Newton and the Powerbook Duo, Apple has had a chip on their shoulder for the subnotebook/netbook category. Add to the issue that a refurbished, off brand netbook can easily be made to run the latest Mac OSX and you have a very sore spot for a proprietary company that is used to charging two thousand dollars for a small form factor laptop.
Apple is going to have to grow up and deal with the fact that zealots are not the end all, be all of marketing. At some point, you have to actually give the market what they want to stay in business. They learned that with the iPod and the iPhone. The iPhone is merely a better version of the touch screen phones that Palm, Audiovox, HP, and many others have been selling for years with great success and considerable proffit. The iPod is just an improved MP3 player. MP3 players were popular in the market before the iPod and will always be.
I think they need to stick to actual advantages in their product line rather than propaganda that insults other manufacturers to sell their product. Either that, or admit that they lack to intellect and skill to compete in the netbook category.
26
Mar
There was an email that went out today from a major medical teaching and treatment center. I have removed certain information that they may consider private to them. Please read it and take action.
Subject: New York State Budget Negotiations – Impact on Hospitals
WE NEED YOUR HELP: The New York State Legislature and the Governor’s Office are now in negotiations regarding the State Budget. While negotiations are on-going, under the current proposals the Medical Center stands to lose significant resources. Other medical centers would also experience significant losses. Cuts of this magnitude will seriously jeopardize our ability to meet the needs of some of the patients who come through our doors each year by forcing cuts in essential healthcare services, as well as limit our ability to invest in the latest medical technologies and make much-needed improvements to our infrastructure.
I urge you to send an email from your personal computer and personal email address to Governor Paterson and key Members of the New York State Legislature, opposing the proposed cuts to Graduate Medical Education (GME) funds to our Medical Center and the gross receipts tax (a tax on our total revenues). The email can simply say:
“Please oppose cuts to Graduate Medical Education and the imposition of a gross receipts tax, as proposed in the New York State Budget discussions.”
Please send your email in opposition as soon as possible to:
Governor David Paterson- www.ny.gov/governor/index.html and go to the bottom of the page and click on “Contact the Governor”.
Speaker Sheldon Silver- Speaker@assembly.state.ny.us
Assembly Health Chair, Richard Gottfried- gottfrr@assembly.state.ny.us
Assembly Member Jonathan Bing- bingj@assembly.state.ny.us
Assembly Member Brian Kavanagh- kavanaghb@assembly.state.ny.us
Senate Health Chair, Tom Duane- duane@senate.state.ny.us
Senator Liz Krueger: lizkrueger@gmail.com
You may also want to email your own Assembly Member and Senator about these proposed cuts and ask them to oppose the cuts too. To find your Assembly Member and Senator you can go to the website of the Healthcare Association of New York State at http://capwiz.com/hanys/state/main/?state=NY and put in your zip code.
Your support on this issue can make a big difference in the outcome of the budget negotiations. Thank you for taking the time to voice your views on these important issues.
8
Mar
As of 2/27/2009, HSBC chose to “reduce risk” by cutting credit limits across the board on an entire line of credit cards. They made this choice without any connection to the credit rating of the customers or their payment history. On top of that, they are not allowing any apeals to this punishing of their own customers. The reduction has been by as much as 90% in some cases.
This move is one that stinks of desperation. Considered along with increasing cuts in service and interest rates on accounts with them, and truly astounding layoffs, it makes me feel like I need to find a safer place for my accounts. Let’s face it, if they are willing to do something this stupid and revenue limiting, they must truly be close to the brink of disaster. Other cards have lowered limits and increased fees and rates on cards, but HSBC is the only one I have seen reduce a limit by 90% on a customer with a credit rating above 700 who had a spotless payment record and multiple accounts with the bank. Far be it from me to give financial advice, but I know I am looking for a bank that is not headed for the drink to put my accounts at.
