1. So the biggest news in my business is that Qualcomm and Apple settled their giant patent dispute. This case wasn't settled because of patents, it was actually settled because Qualcomm had a 5G modem chip for phones and Apple needed a 5G modem chip for phones and wouldn't be allowed to buy one from Huawei. Qualcomm wouldn't sell them to Apple until their case was resolved. Apple didn't want to pay money to Qualcomm for licenses to their patents. Qualcomm has an interesting and infuriating business model. They sell their chips at super cheap prices, but they license their patents at very expensive numbers and they tie the two to each other. In the smart phone tech world, probably the 2 most hated companies are Qualcomm and Apple. Personally, I am on Qualcomm's side on this. I have seen Apple do everything in their power to screw over companies (vendors) to get their tech. Apple has such dominate market share and they utilize it. For example, several companies we met with in Taiwan were suppliers to Apple. Apple requires those companies to present their financial books to Apple and Apple only allows them to have thin margins on their products. Apple will verify. How does Apple keep this power? They will shop designs to multiple manufactures and then order from 3 or so manufacturers. I can't prove it, but from the outside, it looks like Apple takes Technology from one supplier and gives it to a competitive supplier to put monetary pressure every supplier. The problem is that these suppliers cannot do anything about it. In every meeting, the one common thread was, "we want to make money off of our patents, but please don't make Apple upset." If Apple got pissed, they would cancel orders and that company would go out of business. Apple can basically bend them over the barrel and continually does so. There was an article that Apple has licensed a ton of patents to try and reduce royalty rates for each patent to use that to devalue Qualcomm's patents. I feel confidant in saying that is legit. Qualcomm is lucky that they were the only ones in USA with 5G chips. Otherwise, Apple would have used their resources to bankrupt them and never pay for the tech. If you want to know why newer versions of iPhones haven't improved that much in technology, it is because of this operating procedure by Apple.
2. Sri Lanka churches get bombed on Easter. I actually am surprised this hasn't happened sooner. Churches are groupings of people in tight quarters with few exits and mostly unarmed. Additionally, most do not have security at the entrance. I don't want to go through medal detectors to go to mass. I think the US govt should put more pressure on Sri Lanka's security and intelligence to do a better job. It sucks, it is saddening, it is disappointing, but it is not at all surprising.
3. Mueller Report: Pretty much confirms my thoughts all along. Trump didn't collude with Russia. Trump is an idiot. Trump is also a paranoid narcissist who thinks he knows everything and shouldn't have to bow to anyone. I also don't think Trump knows what is and what is not illegal, because he plays by his own rules. Trump is lucky that his staff saved him from himself. I actually really liked several of the early members of his cabinet. The new cabinet is a cluster. Did Trump commit obstruction of justice? Possibly. I don't think they have enough to show he did though. There is another side to this as well. Trump's campaign, himself, his group, they are corrupt, they lie, they are shady, they do dirty deals. Now back to Obama. This whole report leads me to have much less respect for Obama:
Hear me out. Imagine if Trump conspired with his political party to fund an investigation into his opposition in an upcoming election, then used the results from that investigation to go to Trump's justice department to get FISA warrants to conduct a BS investigation into his oppositions campaign, wire taps, etc.
This effing happened. A sitting POTUS had this happen on his watch and was heavily involved in it. But it was Obama, so we ignore it, because he is a great guy. NO, that is why I often vote GOP. Not because I think Trump or Obama is a worse guy. I think Obama is probably a much better man than Trump. However, I am going to vote for the party who wants the government to have less power, because at the end of the day, someone will eventually get elected who will abuse the hell out of that power. This is why I like Justice Kavanaugh, not because he is anti abortion, but because he is against the creation of agencies to act in the place of our judicial system (see the EPA, SEC, CFPB, DHS, FDA, FCC, etc.). These are agencies controlled by executive appointees.
4. Notre Dame burns. It is sad to see such an iconic landmark with so much history burn. Money has been donated, it will be fixed. It sucks that it happened, but compared to Sri Lanka, it is minor news.
5. POTUS 2020 update: Seth Moulton announces his bid. Who the hell is that? Doesn't matter. This past weekend, 538 put out a tweet about the primary that Biden, Beto, and Buttigieg won't have staying power according to their polls and will flame out. I think they are throwing down their claim that Kamala Harris is the one to beat. Just more confirmation that the media darling will be Kamala and I may be voting for Howard Schultz in the end.
2. Sri Lanka churches get bombed on Easter. I actually am surprised this hasn't happened sooner. Churches are groupings of people in tight quarters with few exits and mostly unarmed. Additionally, most do not have security at the entrance. I don't want to go through medal detectors to go to mass. I think the US govt should put more pressure on Sri Lanka's security and intelligence to do a better job. It sucks, it is saddening, it is disappointing, but it is not at all surprising.
3. Mueller Report: Pretty much confirms my thoughts all along. Trump didn't collude with Russia. Trump is an idiot. Trump is also a paranoid narcissist who thinks he knows everything and shouldn't have to bow to anyone. I also don't think Trump knows what is and what is not illegal, because he plays by his own rules. Trump is lucky that his staff saved him from himself. I actually really liked several of the early members of his cabinet. The new cabinet is a cluster. Did Trump commit obstruction of justice? Possibly. I don't think they have enough to show he did though. There is another side to this as well. Trump's campaign, himself, his group, they are corrupt, they lie, they are shady, they do dirty deals. Now back to Obama. This whole report leads me to have much less respect for Obama:
Hear me out. Imagine if Trump conspired with his political party to fund an investigation into his opposition in an upcoming election, then used the results from that investigation to go to Trump's justice department to get FISA warrants to conduct a BS investigation into his oppositions campaign, wire taps, etc.
This effing happened. A sitting POTUS had this happen on his watch and was heavily involved in it. But it was Obama, so we ignore it, because he is a great guy. NO, that is why I often vote GOP. Not because I think Trump or Obama is a worse guy. I think Obama is probably a much better man than Trump. However, I am going to vote for the party who wants the government to have less power, because at the end of the day, someone will eventually get elected who will abuse the hell out of that power. This is why I like Justice Kavanaugh, not because he is anti abortion, but because he is against the creation of agencies to act in the place of our judicial system (see the EPA, SEC, CFPB, DHS, FDA, FCC, etc.). These are agencies controlled by executive appointees.
4. Notre Dame burns. It is sad to see such an iconic landmark with so much history burn. Money has been donated, it will be fixed. It sucks that it happened, but compared to Sri Lanka, it is minor news.
5. POTUS 2020 update: Seth Moulton announces his bid. Who the hell is that? Doesn't matter. This past weekend, 538 put out a tweet about the primary that Biden, Beto, and Buttigieg won't have staying power according to their polls and will flame out. I think they are throwing down their claim that Kamala Harris is the one to beat. Just more confirmation that the media darling will be Kamala and I may be voting for Howard Schultz in the end.
