Open Thread - Thurs 22 May 2025 - The Title is Hilarious!
The Title Is Hilarious
Matt Stoller just wrote this and the title made me laugh and laugh and laugh... 'Apple F$@ks Around with Court Order, Finds Out'. The introductory lead to the story is also funny:
"It's our F$@KING STORE." Apple decided not to obey a court order telling it to open its app store to Fortnite. Yesterday Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers smacked them down, backed up by an appeals court.
As the article says, it's not really that Judge Gonzalez Rogers has been stern with and judged against Apple, at least up until recently. Apple's gotten away with lots. However, the last judgment basically made Apple open their App store to Fortnite (Epic Games) and other App developers. And Apple wouldn't do it... for Fortnite - the other app developers got app store access right away.
From this older, but also good, article: Apple vs Epic Games vs The People
As with many other developers, Epic Games submitted a new version of Fortnite to Apple. But unlike the quick approval granted to most, Epic Games waited for five days, and then was told that it simply could not get the app onto the app store until the end of litigation. In other words, Apple said it simply would not adhere to a court order. Epic Games in turn filed yet another complaint to the judge.
At this point, it’s fair to say Judge Gonzalez Rogers has lost patience...
Stoller's article goes on and delves into why Apple's CEO Tim Cook might be resisting and more. It's a good article, have a read and a laugh!
I've been reading Stoller's articles lately, not because they are uplifting, per se, but because I always learn a lot. Stoller and his fellow authors at Big write about financial things which I find interesting. Some I can even relate to! 
. This article, on Wall Street telling the Google monopoly to break itself up, was also interesting. Will Google do it? I dunno, I kind of doubt it. Interesting times are coming!
Ok, this thread is open! What's up, whatcha doing? Reading? Thinking? Remember, everything is interesting if you dive deep enough, so tell us about where you're diving!
Comments
Happy Thursday!
Hope everything is going well for everyone. It's all going as well as possible here. Our garlic is about 3 feet tall right now! Yeesh!
What's up? Whatcha doing and learning? Let us know!
If you're poor now, my friend, then you'll stay poor.
These days, only the rich get given more. -- Martial book 5:81, c. AD 100 or so
Nothing ever changes -- Sima, c. AD 2020 or so
It is good to see one branch of the gubmint
Fighting back against corporate overreach.
Thanks for the OT!
Zionism is a social disease
Yep, I wish more branches of the gubmint..
would do the same.
That's a nice song. Thank you for the video, I am listening to it now. And yea, the older I get, seems like the less I know. Heh.
Have a great weekend!
If you're poor now, my friend, then you'll stay poor.
These days, only the rich get given more. -- Martial book 5:81, c. AD 100 or so
Nothing ever changes -- Sima, c. AD 2020 or so
Heh. Gonna be a busy day here, so dunno how soon I'll
get to the articles,, but I have to wonder about the basis for any challenge to Apple's crazy-ass censorious and malicious app store, play store and everything else policies. The first custom computer I had made, back in the dark ages, was a 486 that I intended to "dual boot" from a *nix o/s and, iirc, WARP and DRdos. Hard drives were only available in pre-formatted condition. Since I was going to destroy the existing format, all that mattered was volume and price. The biggest unit I could then get was a Seagate 251-something. Apple format cost over $100 more that MSDOS format.
Forever there has been a $ premium for applestuff(tm) and all one gets is cachet, not enhanced utility. Apple has always throttled what apps and music are available and tried to prevent sideloading of unauthorized/unapproved material. There are ugly tales of Apple coming through the ether and bricking violators. Fine with me. Hey, if that what the users want, limited control over their devices for the privilege of saying "my iphone" instead of phone/cellphone/whatever and "My Macbook"instead of notebook/tablet, then who should be interfering. Apple, like the US, is special, its a choice not to permit choice, and the "my iphone" users must getting their money's worth, because they pay plenty extra.
Does this sound like a rant? Sorry
sent from notmyiphone
be well and have a good one
That, in its essence, is fascism--ownership of government by an individual, by a group, or by any other controlling private power. -- Franklin D. Roosevelt --
If it's a rant...
It's one I totally agree with. I experienced some of the same things when the home computer age was just starting. I had a 486 too! And even then, I completely distrusted Apple and would do nothing with it. When Linux started, I jumped right in, and that is what I use on everything but... dammit, my cell phone. I wish I could get Linux on that too. I'm so distrustful of the cellphone owners ('cause it ain't me!) that I cover it up at night and basically make it so it can't see or hear. I hate that it's constantly asking me, (because it's a google phone) if I want to use Gemini. No! NO! Turn it OFF! Ok, that's a small part of my rant
Hope your day as good and your weekend is good as well!
If you're poor now, my friend, then you'll stay poor.
These days, only the rich get given more. -- Martial book 5:81, c. AD 100 or so
Nothing ever changes -- Sima, c. AD 2020 or so
Today's AI-generated
advertising image, brought to you by the worms that are eating my brain...
Not a fan of generative AI. Not at all, and will never be.
Twice bitten, permanently shy.
Ha ha
.
makes one want to grow more eyes and hands
noodles not so much - thanks worms
Zionism is a social disease
Literal spiders from Mars, thanx Mr. Bowie.
be well and have a good one
That, in its essence, is fascism--ownership of government by an individual, by a group, or by any other controlling private power. -- Franklin D. Roosevelt --
Too funny!!
AI is so smart, isn't it?
If you're poor now, my friend, then you'll stay poor.
These days, only the rich get given more. -- Martial book 5:81, c. AD 100 or so
Nothing ever changes -- Sima, c. AD 2020 or so
Miss Rachel: Public Enemy No. 1?
Personally, I don't give a s..t, what PM thinks, never have, never will. This video came on because I fell asleep and it was playing when I woke. I've set the video below to start at a point where I'm personally affected by the content. I see Ms. Rachel's program for kids every time I visit my youngest granddaughter which hasn't been often enough lately, due to circumstances beyond my control. Hopefully I will see her in the next couple of weeks. There are other reasons why I'm struck by this video. The little girl, a double amputee is about the same age as my granddaughter, and reminds me of her in other ways. Fortunately my granddaughter is whole and healthy. I'm so upset by this.
On edit- Good for Ms. Rachel! Thanks for the OT Sima!
語必忠信 行必正直
Glad to hear your grand child is well
.
It has gotten to the point where my spirit can
no longer absorb the lunacy of the ME. For mostly
psychological health, have to filter out the details
of the ongoing slaughters in the world. Enough to
know they exist and until that changes, the lead shields
remain in place.
干杯
Zionism is a social disease
Don't blame you, QMS
I'm pretty much the same way. A lot of things have gotten to me lately, I guess I dropped my guard again. Typically I escape into my translations. This is one of the best performances by So Hyang I've ever heard, probably because of the subject matter:
친구 aka 朋友 aka Friend.
Dear Friend lyrics English
One more:
Wind Song
Both songs originally performed by Jo Yong-pil the master. Wind Song performed as Jo looks on.
Song of the Wind English lyrics
語必忠信 行必正直
Lovely songs...
I appreciate you including links to translations of the lyrics. The music is really good, and being able to understand a bit of what they are singing is really nice. Thank you!
If you're poor now, my friend, then you'll stay poor.
These days, only the rich get given more. -- Martial book 5:81, c. AD 100 or so
Nothing ever changes -- Sima, c. AD 2020 or so
I too can't offer a lot of attention..
to the 'news' about the ME and, most anywhere else. I can't take it emotionally, and I really do feel like this is a world I just don't know anymore. Ok, back to watching the hummingbirds and playing with Nikko. Ohh and weeding the garlic
If you're poor now, my friend, then you'll stay poor.
These days, only the rich get given more. -- Martial book 5:81, c. AD 100 or so
Nothing ever changes -- Sima, c. AD 2020 or so
Go Ms. Rachel!
I have never heard of her before, because I do not have kids or grandkids, but after watching the video you linked to, I really like her. And why anyone would be upset... dang. Just dang. People are so stupid!
If you're poor now, my friend, then you'll stay poor.
These days, only the rich get given more. -- Martial book 5:81, c. AD 100 or so
Nothing ever changes -- Sima, c. AD 2020 or so
And in today's installment
of "How far will he push it before he runs into actual resistance?", we have this gem:
https://archive.ph/PsTGD
Harvard has some pretty deep pockets, in addition to having some alumni in positions of nominal political power. It'll be interesting to see what comes of this, if anything.
Twice bitten, permanently shy.
Wonder why the trumpet has a vendetta against Harvard
.
he graduated UPenn without honors.
Was he turned down for enrollment?
Probably based on lack of merit.
Zionism is a social disease
This is a social perspective
I can't prove any of this. I absorbed it over the years.
From what my parents generation told me over the years, the mainstream ivy league high brow types always looked down on Trump as a dumb narrow minded low class tacky con man. This was his reputation among people who frequented the theatres and performances that NYC was famous for. It was a cultural divide. Most well educated people in NYC thought Trump was ignorant. This was the NYC social ambience.
Trump's attacks on the NEA, also pander to the fundamentalist right and the white replacement theory folks that support him, but underlying all that is his resentment of people better educated and smarter than he is, who typically patronized the art and museum scene. The class of NY elites in this category could care less that many in the NY arts milieu were flamboyantly gay and/or black. What else is new? Tolerance of diversity particularly in arts or politics was still a social marker back then of whether you were enlightened or an ignorant bore. Your family having money wasn't enough to be accepted socially with the right people in the upper class, and Trump never really did get accepted. Politics became his entree.
To me Trump's resentment of these city elites, with their snobby artsy airs is what the great unwashed love in Trump. Trump tower, his mansion and golf clubs are his effort to outdo the elites that despised him. When Trump went into the WWE, reality tv, his fraudulent Trump U scam, it was all an affirmation that he was white trash in the eyes of the traditional elites. Ordinary folks identified with him all the more. Part of it is the traditional city mouse vs. country mouse prejudice coming to the fore.
Trump's attacks on universities, and foundations for the arts, such as the appointment of himself as chair of the JFK Center for the Performing Arts is a poke in the eye of the city snob class and traditional northeast elites. Even the conservatives among the distant relatives in my family who could trace some blue blood roots I'm sure look down on Trump. The man just exudes bad taste, rude manners, and an unprincipled and cheap demeanor. Some of those in my generation with some money gravitated toward positions in the big name universities and attained tenured positions. Of course they think they're smarter than Trump. Now it's time for Trump's revenge for the slights and ridicule over the years. Trump now has power over them and that's what counts.
This is injustice’: inside Trump’s attack on funding for LGBTQ+ arts
語必忠信 行必正直
Makes a healthy amount of sense
Thanks
Zionism is a social disease
In sociology classes in the late 60s/early 70s,
"class" was not about money, but blue blood heritage money. Case in point is Jacqueline Kennedy. She came from a legacy of high education and old money, but by the time she was entering college, her mom was dead broke, and Jackie was at the mercy of her mom's second husband, a non-blue blood rich man.
During her college years, she was in the right clubs, but had to borrow horses, borrow saddles, borrow clothes, because her neuveau riche step-dad could give a shit about her college life.
When I was growing up, high class meant family heritage of money and power. Today, it is "upper class" stratified by wealth only.
"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." ---- William Casey, CIA Director, 1981
UPenn?
As a post-graduate from UPenn (I got my doctorate in Anthropology there) I'm frapping embarrassed. Gotta admit
If you're poor now, my friend, then you'll stay poor.
These days, only the rich get given more. -- Martial book 5:81, c. AD 100 or so
Nothing ever changes -- Sima, c. AD 2020 or so
I’m sure that Gnome can show how the
CCP is funding the pro llamas protests.
Harvard has been persecuting the Palestinian protests long before Trump got elected. Most big colleges have been.
The comments on the article are depressing. ZH has zero sympathy for the crackdowns on speech critical of Israel, but not on this article. And lots of them are against what Israel is doing.
Side note… someone on TAE said that ZH has banned thousands of people from its site.
The replies to the Gnome’s tweet are disappointing too. I don’t understand the hostility towards colleges unless it’s because they think they are lib leaning.
The message echoes from Gaza back to the US. “Starving people is fine.”
Hope Harvard fights this...
And maybe the other Ivy League schools can join in and... all colleges eventually do the same. Heh. Revolution!
If you're poor now, my friend, then you'll stay poor.
These days, only the rich get given more. -- Martial book 5:81, c. AD 100 or so
Nothing ever changes -- Sima, c. AD 2020 or so
It seems as if the public does not benefit from AIPAC $$$
unlike the corrupt politicians.
Yup
I’ve seen more people questioning the holocaust and especially the never again mantra after Israel set out to kill everyone in Gaza. Israel only has itself to blame.
The message echoes from Gaza back to the US. “Starving people is fine.”
You are so right!
'Israel only has itself to blame'. Exactly.
If you're poor now, my friend, then you'll stay poor.
These days, only the rich get given more. -- Martial book 5:81, c. AD 100 or so
Nothing ever changes -- Sima, c. AD 2020 or so
Not exactly sure when this interview took place but it does
see to be accurate in practice.
Moon of Alabama
news of the day on Palestine. The starvation death count begins.
https://www.moonofalabama.org/
"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." ---- William Casey, CIA Director, 1981
I’ve seen lots of comments wondering if the killings
were false flags just to get Gaza starvation off the front pages. Or the Israeli shooting at foreign diplomats. I have only seen the story on the diplomats on RT.
So apparently it’s okay to shoot at foreigners if it was just a mistake. Now imagine the outrage if Russia had done that.
The message echoes from Gaza back to the US. “Starving people is fine.”
I have read about the IDF
firing warning shots at the diplomats on several alt media sites. Lots of coverage about the shootings in DC, nothing in MSM about the continuing genocide.
"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." ---- William Casey, CIA Director, 1981
Starvation dealth count...
I'm sure TPTB are saying, 'what does it matter? They are only little people after all, those Gazans'. Gah.
If you're poor now, my friend, then you'll stay poor.
These days, only the rich get given more. -- Martial book 5:81, c. AD 100 or so
Nothing ever changes -- Sima, c. AD 2020 or so