Every few weeks, the tech industry is abuzz with a potential new iPhone "killer". Will it be Motorola? Will it be Samsung? Will it be the Android platform? This techie thinks not.
The reality is, there is only one thing that can kill the iPhone; inability to access the data and speeds necessary to keep the content flowing on this seamlessly integrated phone. Cue the ominous music. The one company that was set to not only corner the market on speeds and feeds but on the iPhone itself has changed its data strategies for the masses. Hence, they have changed the very landscape that the iPhone needs to survive.
Yes, Verizon Wireless is poised to officially become the iPhone killer that the tech world has been talking about.
Earlier this week, Verizon announced that unlimited data plans were being discontinued for both current and new customers. Not shocking, many had come before them to do the same. The backlash was swift. Consumers were outraged. Verizon's classic marketing line "Can you hear me now" lit up the internet - in a negative way. "I'm leaving, can you hear me now?" was a common sentiment. Yes, Verizon heard them.
We were told that they wouldn't force current customers to move to these new "shared plans" unless they wanted the latest and greatest phones at discount prices. "Keep the old phone, keep the old plan" was touted from coast to coast. "Pay full price, keep the old plan" came quickly behind it.
Except...the new iPhone 5 is rumored to be coming out in September. Folks won't want to pay its $600+ price tag. Folks won't want to pay the shared data charges that will be required by Verizon to keep the iPhone fed with information. Folks will keep their old phone. They will keep their old data plan. Because folks are beginning to see that sometimes "good enough" is quite frankly good enough.
And Verizon, the largest carrier in the US, will have killed the iPhone.
Way to go Verizon! You won the battle. Too bad you fought the wrong war.
Monday, December 9, 2013
Thursday, December 5, 2013
It's All "Their" Fault
As we approach additional governmental budget arguments, it is important to note one thing. It is all "their" fault. It isn't my party's fault. It is their party's fault. It isn't the President's fault. It is their fault. It isn't the House of Representative's fault. It is their fault. It isn't the Senate's fault. It is their fault.
Except....to define their is pretty easy. Their = The Republicans, The Democrats, The President, the House of Representatives, The Senate.
Yes, if we go off the cliff, there is no one person at fault, there are many. And they are the ones that we all elected. The ones that are too busy pointing fingers at the amorphous their because no one has any answers; at least no one has any answers that will allow him or her to get re-elected or protect a party position. And folks...that means it is OUR fault. Because we allowed "them" to happen. Period. We elected them. All of them. And we get to go down in flames because of our decisions. Way to go, "me", way.to.go.
Tuesday, December 3, 2013
Think. Grow. Think more.
I came across an interesting quote from John Dewey - educational progressive. Dewey believed heavily in experiential learning, and creative "thinking" to develop young minds, rather than the rote and heavy handed academic methods used to prepare students for the industrial age. I guess that is why this quote surprised me so much. It seems out of character for someone who does not believe in a more lock-step vision of traditional education. Perhaps I am reading it incorrectly, and it is more positive that it appears on the surface. I have attempted to locate it - in context - to ascertain his meaning, but have been unsuccessful. Here is the quote:
"Anyone who has begun to think, places some portion of the world in jeopardy"
That isn't to say that I disagree with this quote. I do agree, wholeheartedly. And I believe that we - thinkers so to speak - do need to put the world in jeopardy more often. We need to stop taking a sound-bite approach to learning new things and actually delve into them, learning their immediate, short-term and long term meanings and impacts. To put traditional ideals of the world in jeopardy for the sake of progress; whatever that progress may be.
So I ask you to determine a way that you too can put the world into jeopardy. Think. Grow. Think more.
"Anyone who has begun to think, places some portion of the world in jeopardy"
That isn't to say that I disagree with this quote. I do agree, wholeheartedly. And I believe that we - thinkers so to speak - do need to put the world in jeopardy more often. We need to stop taking a sound-bite approach to learning new things and actually delve into them, learning their immediate, short-term and long term meanings and impacts. To put traditional ideals of the world in jeopardy for the sake of progress; whatever that progress may be.
So I ask you to determine a way that you too can put the world into jeopardy. Think. Grow. Think more.
Sunday, December 1, 2013
The Party Machine
The force and power of the urban political machines at the turn of the century was both positively and negatively awe inspiring. Laying claim to some of the most corrupt periods in local government histories and setting the stage for future societal strength and power struggles in major urban areas such as New York, Chicago, and Detroit, these machines would use measures of corruption and illegality to combine into positive social reform and change.
According to Faragher, Buhle, Czitrom, and Armitage, a “successful machine politician viewed his work as a business, and he accumulated his capital by serving people who needed assistance” (2009, p. 565). As altruistic as this sounds, the implementation of capital accumulation through “serving people” more occurred at the expense and yet benefit of the people.
With “close ties to organized prostitution and gambling” (Faragher et al., 2009, p. 565), and a strong penchant for trading contracts and jobs for bribes, the Democratic Party machines held sway on these large urban centers and controlled all services and actions within their boundaries. The desire to remain in power was great, and often the politicians extended their reach through jobs and services in exchange for voter support; appointments to city service departments including the Police and Fire departments (Faragher et al., 2009) were the normal “thank you for being my constituency” rewards.
For all of the corruption, cronyism and patronage, the machines also served to bring about real societal reforms and change. Machine politicians developed extensive city services including garbage collection and fully funded and staffed emergency services. These services brought about a truly paternalistic responsiveness of the government to its citizens. Further, free community events were offered in thanks to the citizens for support. From entertainment to parades, the largely immigrant populations enjoyed the sense of community in direct response to the machine politician’s ingratiation tactics.
These urban political machines were both a positive and a negative influence on the development of America. As Lord Acton said in 1887, "Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely. Great men are almost always bad men” (Martin, 1996). This is the case with the urban political machine. Blending activities that were corrupt at best and illegal at worst with real societal reform and change served to solidify the party machine power base. These great men, were also bad men. Yet, because of the tradeoff of votes for contracts or jobs, the party machine was able establish and staff staff a strong police, fire, and refuse service. Further, understanding the immigrant populations and their struggles with their employers, progressive machinists drove welfare legislation, labor and safety laws that are still in effect today (Faragher, et al, 2009). In a nutshell, the machines ability to maintain control over every aspect of life within the political district established the largest urban centers in the United States.
As Acton postulated however, this power has corrupted as well. The strides made and the balance that ensued from those early urban machines seems today to have moved to a power-hungry, “what is in it for me” mindset. Corruption no longer has an offsetting positive driver. The strength of the political machine established at the turn of the century appears now to hold no sway over societal issues; the power simply exists to maintain capital cronyism and line the pockets of the politician himself. No longer a balance between corruption and the greater good, party machines have little similarities to their predecessor; and for the future development of America, that presents the largest negative of all.
Reference
Faragher, J. M., Buhle, M. J., Czitrom, D., & Armitage, S. H. (2009). Out of many: A history of the American people, Volume II (5th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall.
Martin, G. (1996, April 7). The phrase finder. Retrieved from http://www.phrases.org.uk/meanings/absolute-power-corrupts-absolutely.html
Written in response to a question about the Party Machine by a History instructor.
According to Faragher, Buhle, Czitrom, and Armitage, a “successful machine politician viewed his work as a business, and he accumulated his capital by serving people who needed assistance” (2009, p. 565). As altruistic as this sounds, the implementation of capital accumulation through “serving people” more occurred at the expense and yet benefit of the people.
With “close ties to organized prostitution and gambling” (Faragher et al., 2009, p. 565), and a strong penchant for trading contracts and jobs for bribes, the Democratic Party machines held sway on these large urban centers and controlled all services and actions within their boundaries. The desire to remain in power was great, and often the politicians extended their reach through jobs and services in exchange for voter support; appointments to city service departments including the Police and Fire departments (Faragher et al., 2009) were the normal “thank you for being my constituency” rewards.
For all of the corruption, cronyism and patronage, the machines also served to bring about real societal reforms and change. Machine politicians developed extensive city services including garbage collection and fully funded and staffed emergency services. These services brought about a truly paternalistic responsiveness of the government to its citizens. Further, free community events were offered in thanks to the citizens for support. From entertainment to parades, the largely immigrant populations enjoyed the sense of community in direct response to the machine politician’s ingratiation tactics.
These urban political machines were both a positive and a negative influence on the development of America. As Lord Acton said in 1887, "Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely. Great men are almost always bad men” (Martin, 1996). This is the case with the urban political machine. Blending activities that were corrupt at best and illegal at worst with real societal reform and change served to solidify the party machine power base. These great men, were also bad men. Yet, because of the tradeoff of votes for contracts or jobs, the party machine was able establish and staff staff a strong police, fire, and refuse service. Further, understanding the immigrant populations and their struggles with their employers, progressive machinists drove welfare legislation, labor and safety laws that are still in effect today (Faragher, et al, 2009). In a nutshell, the machines ability to maintain control over every aspect of life within the political district established the largest urban centers in the United States.
As Acton postulated however, this power has corrupted as well. The strides made and the balance that ensued from those early urban machines seems today to have moved to a power-hungry, “what is in it for me” mindset. Corruption no longer has an offsetting positive driver. The strength of the political machine established at the turn of the century appears now to hold no sway over societal issues; the power simply exists to maintain capital cronyism and line the pockets of the politician himself. No longer a balance between corruption and the greater good, party machines have little similarities to their predecessor; and for the future development of America, that presents the largest negative of all.
Reference
Faragher, J. M., Buhle, M. J., Czitrom, D., & Armitage, S. H. (2009). Out of many: A history of the American people, Volume II (5th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall.
Martin, G. (1996, April 7). The phrase finder. Retrieved from http://www.phrases.org.uk/meanings/absolute-power-corrupts-absolutely.html
Written in response to a question about the Party Machine by a History instructor.
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