I don't see more cores as a win...

I do, but then again I happen to use my computer for such odd tasks as computer graphics.

I have never encountered a language that was harder to get things right in. Never.

Doesn't matter. There's enough people who can deal with it to bring unbiased rendering down to production timeframes. Throw in huge speedups to video and photo editing and there's a rather sizable market.

The American Express ads aren't targeted - they know absolutely nothing about me or my shopping habits from my credit rating, only that I have used a credit card in the past.

No different than Amazon offering every X in the world if you buy one. You use a credit card, ergo you are a person interested in having a credit card.

And yeah, I'm not happy that any company can look up my credit rating without my prior authorization either.

That's what you really should be upset about if ads per-se don't bother you. AmEx is not gathering the data and sharing it with god knows who without so much as attempting to verify it, AmEx should really be the least of your worries in this scenario.

Still, AMD needs to get more risky with heavy investment into more advanced design and fab. mediocrity just isn't tolerated in processor design.

Like the investement into the Athlon? That paid off, didn't it?

“I was very surprised when I walked onto the floor at Foxconn, how tranquil it is compared with a garment factory,” Mr. van Heerden said, according to the Reuters report.

You would expect that in a place where things are assembled completely by hand and the employees aren't allowed to talk. Whether that makes it a good environment is a different question.

A 1900x1200 display is widescreen. Not all widescreens are 16:9, but they are all wider than 4:3.

Or American Express checking my credit rating nearly ten times in the space of a few years, and bombarding me with credit card offers. I already have two cards, assholes, and that's at least one more than I need.

Got it, targeted ads you don't want are detestable, targeted ads you do are not. Great reasoning.

And since I have to buy *something*, why wouldn't I buy the cut of meat that's on sale for half off?

Because it might still not be the best deal? Even ignoring alternatives, you don't have to buy that cut of beef, if you have to buy beef the $3.79 cut at full price is the better choice if you value cost over quality. Though I prefer to balance quality meat with beans, lentils, TVP, tofu, seitan etc. It's net cheaper and get to have some really good meat without sacrificing nutritional needs.

The whole economy, not certain parts of it. If people in Cuba only buy second hand cars, they still need to import them from the initial buyers. If they have "enough" second hand cars already they will still need to buy new (or from someone who did) parts. If the people make all the parts for their own cars there is no car economy in Cuba, just a market to swap the cars.

An economy of only second hand cars is not exactly possible. And saying that no one chooses to buy a car second-hand tells more about your own preferences than anyone elses.

Brand recognition is also about trust.