Ultimate Income Inequality: 85 People as Rich as Half the World

When the question of income inequality comes up, I don't know what to say about it. I mean, when you hear that the Walton family--who inherited their fortunes--combined are worth the same as the bottom forty-two percent of Americans, you know in your gut "that's f**ked up right there." But just the same, what in the world could be done about it? In a capitalist society, what in the world can you do? Of course, it's complicated by the fact that the Waltons didn't exactly follow old man Sam's example of "Made in America." And they fight organized labor and any effort their employees make to improve their own fortunes.

That's the hardest bit to swallow. America's richest people--mostly older, white folks--often spend their time and money squeezing even more money out of the system. Fighting minimum wage laws, angling for lower taxes, subsidies and governmental special treatment. Sheldon Adelson, the Koch Brothers and others like them inject themselves into politics for the sole purpose of enriching themselves even further, usually at the expense of the poor, the working and the middle classes. What a person or people with billions of dollars needs with additional billions, I have no idea. It proves that greed is boundless.

And still, I don't know if there's any kind of answer to be had. It doesn't help that it's just been determined that eighty-five people on this Earth have the equivalent net worth of half the world. Other than a few noteworthy philanthropic billionaires like Bill Gates and William Buffett, you can bet most of them expend a lot of effort amassing yet more money.

[Excerpt]

There Are 85 People Who Are As Wealthy As Half The WORLD, Oxfam Reports

Worldwide economic inequality is looking rather bleak these days, according to a new report by relief organization Oxfam. Oxfam's "Working For The Few" report looked at Credit Suisse's "Global Wealth Report 2013" and Forbes' list of the world's billionaires from 2013 to conclude that 1 percent of the global population controls half of the world's wealth. . .

Read more at: Huffington Post

iPad Security Breach

Image from source, Business Insider

Wait, wait, wait. I thought this sort of thing only affected Windows-based products! Isn't that what the Cult of Mac is always saying?  Poor Steve Jobs. First he had an iFail at his iPhone demo, and now this?  Bill Gates has probably hurt himself laughing by now.

[Excerpt]

Apple's Worst Security Breach: 114,000 iPad Owners Exposed

Apple has suffered another embarrassment. A security breach has exposed iPad owners including dozens of CEOs, military officials, and top politicians. They—and every other buyer of the wireless-enabled tablet—could be vulnerable to spam marketing and malicious hacking. . .

Read more at: Business Insider

Steve Jobs' iFail: iPhone Demonstration Goes Awry

Somewhere in Washington, Bill Gates is laughing.  Schadenfreude can be so sweet!

Bill Gates Leaves Microsoft

Image from source, Breitbart

I started using computers around 1989 (unless you count the Commodore 64, which puts the date at about 1982). I started on an AMSTRAD IBM-clone, with no hard drive, two 5.25" floppy slots, and a CGA screen, which means very limited color. All of this was run on a version of Microsoft's MS-DOS. As computers advanced, and the company I worked for grew, we were soon using a 386-DX with a VGA screen, 20 Megabyte hard drive, Microsoft Windows 3.0, CorelDRAW 2 and PageMaker 3! Woo-hoo, the big leagues!

I give you this brief history only to illustrate that my computer experience has always been based on my knowledge of Microsoft operating systems. I've never understood the hostility some people hold for Microsoft, and have usually enjoyed rolling up my sleeves and tinkering with the software (as well as the hardware). And even as a graphic artist, I have zero affinity for Apple Macintoshes--largely due to the condescending attitudes of Mac users I've had to deal with.

So, Bill Gates has always been--what--not an idol or hero, exactly, but an inspirational figure to me. I mean, say what you will about him, he truly embodies the American dream. Starting a multi-billion dollar business in your garage? Sure, Steve Jobs did that too, but big deal (kidding, Mac cult, don't put a hit on me).

Some of Gates' tactics are a bit troubling. I mean, he basically stole MS-DOS, and sold people on Windows before the thing was even invented. It's a little like selling a war by bending the facts to fit your story. . . OK, that is too harsh. Nobody is that awful, right?

[Excerpt]

Bill Gates surrendering Microsoft helm

A Harvard University dropout who ushered in the home computer age and made billions of dollars along the way will have his last official day of work at Microsoft on June 27.

Three people will essentially fill the void left behind when Bill Gates retires from the company he and friend Paul Allen co-founded in 1975. . .

Read more at: Breitbart