How can any CEO keep their job after their stock value was chopped in half in less than a year?

The value of the stock, particularly stocks for companies such as Apple, is often based on sentiment with crystal-ball-esque predictions of future earnings and performance. It can take a long time for reality to set in. Frankly the price was too damn high, it was all based on euphoria of Apple producing a never ending stream of must-have products and the idea that the stock will continue to increase... and it did, for the same reason reason people kept buying houses even when the housing market was clearly over-valued.

A solid company, with a good CEO, management and vision, will not start chopping heads just because the stock price is varying. That's just wanting scapegoats and blood.

You don't throw the captain overboard when the seas get rough unless you are certain they steered you into the storm... this is not that case.

Agreed. I don't want a plumber who is plumbing because he makes a good amount of money at it. I want one that actually enjoys it... the ones who get excited about the idea of troubleshooting a problem, stepping back and looking a the completed job and taking pride in it.

I've met tradesman of both type. You can always tells the ones who are doing the job because of the pay.

I had a rough carpenter whose final result was work of beauty... this is stuff that is getting covered up... but he took so much pride in doing things just right to make easier... from adding bracing for future grab bars in the bathroom, to not wasting space, and minimizing scraps. The plumber who installed the boiler in my last apartment created a veritable work of art in copper, black pipe and PEX.

Everyone needs to pick a job that pays... but I'd take lower pay for doing something I enjoyed over not. I could have been a dentist, or a lawyer, and been paid more... but I simply would not being enjoying my life as much as I do now.

All judgements should provide, at a minimum, restitution for the injured party. In some cases more is needed to benefit the injured and/or act as a deterrent.

However the other side of this is that we're not JUST talking "$10 vs $7500" ... The $10 is what it could have cost these individual people to buy the movie, but there is no way to know how many OTHER people didn't pay $10 to see the movie because they got a copy for free as a result of these people's actions.

I'm not defending the way these studios have been acting, but they do have a point---which is that if piracy is allowed to occur with either no punishment, or under punishment, then it will become rampant. Sure the vast majority would pay a few bucks to see a movie when it's easy to do and legal, but if piracy is just as easy will they still pay it? If your set top box could open a torrent and start playing media as it downloaded? The studios will lose massive amounts of money and they know it which is why they are so aggressive--they recognize the foot in the door, this isn't about protecting something illegal they are doing, it's about protecting a legitimate revenue stream that produces huge excesses--those excesses are what translate into the volume and scope of the titles we see today.

That programmers after 35 or so begin to decline and even lose their jobs, or at least part of their wages

This is FUD spread by people who are covering because they are not (and probably never were) very good at their jobs... or by people who are young and can't really say for sure... or who knows who else. I personally know several guys in their 40s/50s who have been making better strides then myself (20s/30s) ... it comes down to experience, personality and capability.

Employees and careers are not square pegs to be fit only in square holes. Everything is fluid and flexible. Are the IDEAL candidate if you are starting a career in development at age 40? No... but then again, are you literally out there, at age 40, seeking a new college hire position? I'd argue you'd be considered less than ideal for ANY career if that is how you are approaching it.

There is no reason you cannot build your personal portfolio by volunteering, writing your own free/pay apps, working open source, etc...

I'm all for equal rights, and in the case of adoption I think there is absolutely no reason not to have parity between the genders...

However if we're talking about mom's giving birth vs. dad's, then I think there is some legitimacy to the mom getting more time.

Perhaps they can come up with something to make it seem more fair... 8 weeks leave for any new parent + 8 weeks additional granted to ones that physically gave birth? ...actually 4 months seems pretty damn long now that I think about it.

The form factor is perfect for:
- Reading books/blocks of text/PDFs
- Watching media
- Calendar/Scheduling
- Mail Reading (and light replying)
- Light web browsing
- Puzzle/Word games

All of the above can be done on phones or laptops, but the 7-10" screen is pretty much the sweet spot for reading and watching media alone (or for two). It will hold it's place, but I think the market for higher priced versions will decline. I had no problem dropping $200 on a Nexus 7, but when I see $500-700 for an iPad I start to think twice.

“As Attorney General, my job is to defend consumers, ensure truth in advertising, and make sure all businesses are playing by the rules,” Ferguson said in a statement. “My office identified that T-Mobile was failing to disclose a critical component of their new plan to consumers, and we acted quickly to stop this practice and protect consumers across the country from harm.”

Of all the things to harp on... makes you wonder what impact Verizon and AT&T lobbyists might have had on this...

The distinction is fairly clear... the "No Contract" refers to the cell phone service. Of course if you buy the hardware on credit then you are expected to fulfill your agreed payments--all of which is part of a credit contract.

I wonder if all they'll need to do is start saying "No Contract for Service" or something idiotic like that.

Given all the BS we've seen come from VZ and AT&T when it comes to claims of fastest network, most reliable, 4G vs. not, "unlimited", etc... you'd think the AG would have better things to do.

I'd be more impressed if Netflix were doing it.

Some of you people have short memories...

Back in 2005 Roku designed their streaming media box specifically to stream Netflix content... for at least a couple of years Netflix was the only content available on it.

I was part of one of the original focus groups while it was in development and it was plainly clear from the questions and marketing materials that this device was for Netflix only to start... it's only the last several years they've added Amazon Instant Video and other "channels".

As most recent parent you mentioned, it was brilliance on the part of Netflix to avoid having their own branded hardware. This paved the way for many device manufacturers to include support w/o facing competition from Netflix itself. When you buy a TV or Bluray player today and it includes Netflix support you are far more likely to subscribe vs. if you had to buy your own hardware from Netflix.

Amazon is creating a hassle for themselves... just like they have done by not producing an Android app for their streaming video (because it would compete with their Kindle). I don't want Amazon content on my Nexus 7 specifically because of this, and you'd better believe that it does influence my decision to buy Amazon content.

How about we let artificial people decide? ...seriously though, we need a "Sarcastic" mod because there is no way that letting people decide who works and who does what they want will ever be a success long term, it will become corrupted, and even if not it will be filled with jealousy.

oh man, you just reminded of that, one my favorites... he even sang the first few bars of his little song I think?

Haven't you heard? --

- Success is due to leadership (i.e. executives)

- Failure is due to execution (i.e. engineers and to a lesser degree middle managers / marketing / sometimes sales).

Oh! That's it! That's IT! I've had it with this dump! We got no food! We got no jobs! Our pets heads are falling off!

What the hell are we doing here Harry? We gotta get out of this town!

The third group who benefits... anyone who benefits from tax revenue collected by the state of California.

Let's say you got drunk at a bar and were arrested for disorderly conduct. This could have happened years ago, maybe in college and now you're a totally responsible person in your 30s. Would it be right for someone to follow you for your entire life around and every time someone started to say your name this other person would pop out and shout out "...GOT DRUNK AT A BAR AND ARRESTED FOR DISORDERLY CONDUCT!!" ... No it sucks. But that's the technological equivalent of what Google is (probably inadvertently) doing.

Just because it's true doesn't mean Google, or anyone else, has a right to go around repeatedly telling people about it in perpetuity.

Let's say you got drunk at a bar and were arrested for disorderly conduct. This could have happened years ago, maybe in college and now you're a totally responsible person in your 30s. Would it be right for someone to follow you for your entire life around and every time someone started to say your name this other person would pop out and shout out "...GOT DRUNK AT A BAR AND ARRESTED FOR DISORDERLY CONDUCT!!" ... No it sucks. But that's the technological equivalent of what Google is (probably inadvertently) doing.