The iPad: idon’t care, iThink iWillpass

Apple’s Steve Jobs announced the iPad today , the much rumored and anticipated Apple tablet device. And you know what? I could care less. I don’t care that Apple thinks that it could be a rival to the Amazon Kindle, or that it could be good for gaming, or for whatever other things a computer can do. I think the iPad is just another toy made to siphon money out of one’s pocket, in this case, $499 for the iPad.

Seriously now, how many electronic toys can a person use? Some people need to have the latest in anything having to do with Apple, but not me. I guess I am just one of those people that never drank the Apple kool-aid. The iPod is nothing more than a simple MP3 player, and MP3 players are practically given away now and are included with most cell phones. I’m not into gaming, so the iPad doesn't grab me on that feature. I do a lot of typing so I like a full size keyboard. I also like to see what I’m typing, or reading, so a full size screen that I don’t have to hold in my hand works just fine for me. Maybe I am in that demographic that is a little wiser about spending my money and am able to control myself from buying something that I may not really need. But I am sure there are some people out there who are already lining up somewhere to buy an iPad, even though they aren’t actually selling them as yet.

For me, I’m taking a wait and see approach. After all, sometime in the early 1990s I was trying to get the company that I worked for to use the GridPad, a tabled style computer. It’s nice to see that Apple has caught up to a 1990s concept, and is making it into a product that consumers, not businesses, may shell out the money to buy for entertainment purposes. But the question remains – with many people having personal computers or Macs, cell phones, netbooks, laptops, etc., does one really need a tablet too? The size also is a turn off; if I can’t fit it in my purse, I’m not going to carry it with me. And if I’m home, I’d rather be using my full size computer or laptop. I still like to read a book by actually turning the pages, and I love to page through my three daily newspapers. Sure, I still get plenty of news or do a lot of reading off the internet, but there is still something for the relaxing feeling one can get by sitting back and leafing through the newspaper or a book. It’s just not the same experience reading it on a Kindle, and I suspect it would be the same for me using an iPad - a sterile experience.

For me, I think I already have plenty of electronics toys to keep me occupied, entertained, and informed. Sorry Steve, but I think I will pass on the iPad.


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The Haiti Earthquake Disaster: Horrific and Real, Relief Needed

I’m not a big fan of Hollywood disaster movies as they treat big disasters as a vehicle to entertain, often desensitizing people to the reality of the effects of a major catastrophe caused by earthquake, tsunami, flood, weather, etc. When one sees the enormity of the massive earthquake in Haiti, Hollywood disaster movies seem almost sickening in their desire to make money off massive human tragedy, even if it is fictional.

In real disasters, people die, people are seriously injured, food and drinking water are scarce, basic utilities are out of order, and hospitals or medical services are stretched to the limit, if they are even available at all. An earthquake such as Haiti's could happen anywhere in the world, and could happen right in your home town. While one shouldn’t necessarily live as if disaster looms every moment, it is good to be as prepared as you can, realizing that one can’t always prepare for anything. The people in Haiti, however, were already living in serious poverty, and the devastation they are facing now makes it all that much harder to overcome the country’s problems. This is the time where we can all help in the effort by donating to the The American Red Cross and it can be as easy as sending a text message on your cell phone. Complete instructions can be found at this link: The American Red Cross Haiti Donations. Please consider making a donation!


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Roll Over or Get Tough? Time Warner, and Viewers, Should Get Tough

Full page ads from Time Warner appeared in local papers today and asked readers if Time Warner should roll over in the fight with Fox as Fox wants to increase rates for their channels carried on Time Warner cable. If Fox doesn't get the money they want, Fox says that on January 1 they will pull the plug on Fox channels carried by Time Warner. Some markets are more affected than others, likely those who have Fox owned local stations. Those not in those markets only run the risk of losing minor Fox cable channels. For example, the Cleveland Ohio market only stands to lose the following channels: Fuel, Fox Reality Channel, Speed Channel, Fox Soccer Channel, Fox Sports World Espanol, and FX. I don’t watch those channels anyway, and see this as a low risk to lose. Clearly I would rather that Time Warner get tough and not pay the extra money, since I know that if Time Warner has to pay more, I would have to pay more. Why should I pay more for channels that I don’t care about?

I went to Time Warner’s “Roll Over Or Get Tough” website and checked how this would affect a New York City Time Warner customer. I saw this listing of channels: WNYW, WWOR, Fuel, Fox Reality Channel, Speed Channel, Fox Soccer Channel, Fox Sports World Espanol, and FX. I would imagine that the first two channels on the list are the local Fox owned stations which likely carry more of the Fox network programming, something that viewers may miss and would want to pay for. Fine. How about if each market can decide what they want to do? If New Yorkers want to pay a premium for local channels, fine. But I don’t want to have my rates raised because some other city wants to keep their local channels via cable, channels that can likely be obtained by using a simple antenna or an antenna and a digital converter box.

This brings me to my ideal way of paying for television – let me pick and chose which channels I want and I will pay for those channels. When I think of all the TV channels I have available to me right now, I watch maybe less that 30-40 of them regularly. At least 6 of them are local HD channels that I can get over the airwaves without needing cable. Viewers need to get tough with cable companies and the big networks and fight for a change that allows viewers to drop the channels they don’t want and not have to pay for them. Sure, this could hurt those networks who tailor their content to a certain niche. But that’s the way it goes. If networks like Fox want to nickel and dime – or in this case maybe “dollar” - me, then I should have the ability to tell them to stick it. And if the cable or satellite operators will lose revenue because they can’t make up the cost of carrying channels that most people don’t watch, that’s too bad. Maybe it would force them into revising their pricing structure so that viewers who demand niche channels pay more for them to cover the cost of carrying them.

Regardless, I think that people have just about had enough of the rising cost of television, and I sense that Fox trying to demand more is only going to hurt them later on down the road. People are getting tired of paying ever increasing prices for content that is sub par or that they don’t watch. If Time Warner caves in, it will only be a matter of time before other networks try the same thing as Fox is attempting. Comcast, after buying NBC Universal, may have a lot more control over what they decide to charge their own viewers, and maybe even more so to NBCU viewers not on Comcast (such as Time Warner). I certainly hope in this current case of chicken with Fox that Warner doesn’t swerve off its course.

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Happy Holidays – That’s Right, Happy Holidays!

When did saying “Happy Holidays” become so offensive? These days, it seems that if you say “Have a happy holiday,” some people make it sound like you are killing Christmas. I think the true meaning of Christmas for Christians – celebrating the birth of Jesus – was vaporized long ago, and Christmas is more of a secular, commercial holiday where the focus is on giving – and getting – gifts.

I grew up in a very strict Catholic household but have been a lapsed Catholic for many years now. So if someone says “happy holidays” to me I won’t take offense, and if they say Merry Christmas to me I won’t take offense either. In fact, they can say “happy winter” to me and it wouldn’t bother me. If I know the person’s religious beliefs, I make sure that I acknowledge their holiday. But, I encounter so many people on a given day that I don’t know well (like a cashier working in the local supermarket) that “have a great holiday” or something of that nature is probably safest bet. I also have many readers of my blogs that come from all around the world and saying “Have a Merry Christmas” to everyone seems disrespectful to those who are not Christian.

No one is trying to kill Christmas by saying “happy holidays,” they are likely just trying to be respectful of the various beliefs, or maybe even non-beliefs, of others. My advice is that when you know if someone is Christian, feel free to say Merry Christmas. If you know they are Jewish, wish them a Happy Hanukkah.. If you are not sure, wish them a happy holiday, as it at least shows your hope that they enjoy themselves and have good times during whatever holiday they celebrate. And if someone wishes YOU a happy holiday, please accept it as a peaceful gesture.

Here is my wish: whatever you celebrate this time of the year, I hope you have a happy, peaceful time filled with family and friends!

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Leave Tiger Alone!

Poor Tiger Woods. He’s in the middle of a perfect PR tornado. He’s a golf mega-star who is very careful to protect his squeaky clean image, but unfortunately, he also seems to have been exposed as a philanderer. Now the media is literally beating his image to death with it.

Tiger’s perfect PR image began to unravel after a strange car accident in front of his own home, where, in the wee hours, he hit a fire hydrant and then a tree and was injured in the process. It seemed his wife had to use a golf club to get Tiger out of the car, and he appeared to be rendered unconscious from his accident. Police said Tiger was not intoxicated. Question arose immediately. What was he doing leaving the house at such an hour? Why did he seem to be traveling at such a rate of speed pulling out of his own driveway to cause such damage to his car and such injuries to his face? How was it so convenient his wife had a golf club in her hand to be able to use it to get him out of the car? Was there an argument? Did she beat him with the golf club? Was there an argument over an affair? The questions came up and grew exponentially. Unfortunately, Tiger responded in a rather rational way, taking responsibility for the event but saying nothing any substance.

The media of course wasn’t satisfied and continued to dig. Of course, gossip lovers were in heaven as this story just continued to feed on itself and grow bigger with each day. Things got really bad when a voice mail which appeared to be from Tiger left for “another woman” seemed to confirm that he was indeed playing around – no, not playing a round (of golf) – playing around. Despite the fact that the media continues to play the recording, admitting it has not been officially confirmed it was Tiger, Tiger suddenly admits to transgressions and asks for privacy . OK, I will admit, that voice mail message sounds exactly like Tiger, so let the media frenzy begin!

Tiger Woods is an amazing golfer, clearly one of the best ever. But it should be no surprise to anyone that his personal life is not perfect. No one can make that claim. But the media coverage of this matter is getting a little crazy. Everyone is falling over themselves in order to help smear Tiger’s image, almost enjoying the fact that he managed the whole situation very badly. Tiger’s fault here is that he had the nerve – the nerve! – to expect that he can have a private life (note sarcasm). Sadly, in this day and age, there is no such thing as a private life, especially for the famous. But really, I think Tiger has been beaten a little too much over this issue. The media, who was instrumental in building Tiger’s image into a golf god, is now working overtime to damn him to the depths of the hell reserved for famous people who make errors in judgment. I can understand a gossip paper such as the National Inquirer making a big deal over this, but now all the major networks are keeping this story in their leads. It really doesn’t belong there.

Tiger’s big mistake was not by cheating, but by trying to cover up the matter when it was clear that the car accident was going to bring personal matters out into the open. OK, it’s out into the open, now it’s time to leave Tiger alone and let him patch up the mess in private. And it’s time for the media to go back to reporting real news about things that really matter – the economy, the war, politics, etc. and leave the gossip reporting to the National Inquirer.

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This Thanksgiving Season – Be Thankful, Be Giving

For most people, the Thanksgiving holiday means a day off work (for some a 4 day weekend), a roast turkey or some other huge meal, and family gatherings. It also means that the Christmas holiday is right around the corner, and we will soon be consumed with shopping.

The Thanksgiving holiday should be more that just a day off work and a day of eating. While the words “thanks” and “giving” can both be found in the name of the holiday, sometimes those two things are the farthest things from people’s minds. This should be a time where we should reflect on what is really important in our lives – family, friends, good health, for examples. This should also be a time where we should give a little to help others who may not be as fortunate. Find a charity that is meaningful to you, and make a donation. For me, I have a favorite organization that cares for severely disabled and special needs children and adults. I am forever grateful for the support they provide for my nephew, who has severe disabilities.

So for this Thanksgiving holiday, I encourage everyone to put real thanks, and real giving, back in this holiday. Please consider giving thanks by helping your favorite charity and make a donation.


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Swine Flu Vaccine Distribution: A Disorganized Mess

NBC’s Today Show reported this morning that some Wall Street firms (some being described as “influential firms”) have access to the swine flu vaccine, while many hospitals and doctors’ offices are still waiting to receive their supply to treat high-risk people. (The video of the news story is below.) With near panic setting in with people who are either in the high-risk category themselves, or for those who have children in the high-risk category, this is not welcome news.

I know that many businesses make traditional flu shots available to their employees, but this case with the swine flu vaccine highlights the inequality of how crucial vaccines may be doled out. My opinion is that any vaccine – swine flu or not – should be made available to hospitals, doctors’ offices, or other medical organizations and institutions first, and then when that demand is satisfied, the vaccine can be made available to other organizations as needed.

With continued reports of there not being enough vaccine to go around to high risk people, it is appalling that somehow Wall Street firms and banks have found a way to move themselves up the list. It’s bad enough that some of these same companies were partly to blame for the recent economic collapse and needed to be bailed out financially, but now they want to take a vaccine away from a more deserving child or pregnant woman? It’s greed at its worst. Those vaccines should be immediately pulled from their use.

I’ve come to the conclusion that if there ever was a virus that threatened all of humanity, if we respond in this same slow and disorganized manner, we may very well be doomed. It’s time to bring some organization, and some fairness, to the vaccine process. How about something simple – hospitals, doctors, and medical institutions get the supply first, with the highest priority?

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

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