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Apple Grants ABC's 'Nightline' Access to Foxconn Factories in China
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WHO is using China as the working example?
Over the last few years, the government has spent billions and billions of OUR dollars to "invest" in non-viable companies that fit a political agenda. At the same time, they have added hundreds and hundreds of regulations that get in the way of businesses that don't fit their political agenda.
So... there's people that want to reverse that trend. You can disagree with them and that would be fine. But... what does ANY of that have to do with China? Some Republicans are using China as the working example of what we should strive to be more like? Who are they? I'm sure you've got very specific examples of who these people are, right?
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Finally... some sanity.
Just look at all the pointless hoopla over the EPA, the unions, and industrial regulations in general. No one has come right out and said "we should be more like China", but it's obvious by their actions that they'd love nothing more than to shrug off what they consider unnecessary restraints so they can compete on more even footing.
And to compete on more even footing, we have to be more like China. As few regulations as possible. All out industrialism. It'll come around to bite us in the ass in the end. Just like what I'm expecting to happen to China in 20 odd years.
Yes, but your facts conflict with his agenda. Clearly, they are to be ignored outright.
Bloomberg
By Peter Burrows - Feb 17, 2012 8:00 PM PT
The Fair Labor Association, a watchdog monitoring working conditions at makers of Apple Inc. products, has uncovered "tons of issues" that need to be addressed at a Foxconn Technology Group plant in Shenzhen, China, FLA Chief Executive Officer Auret van Heerden said.
"We"re finding tons of issues," van Heerden said en route to a meeting where FLA inspectors were scheduled to present preliminary findings to Foxconn management. "I believe we're going to see some very significant announcements in the near future."
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-02-17/foxconn-auditor-finds-tons-of-issues-.html
Not exactly the clean bill of health that some fanboys are touting.
By Peter Burrows - Feb 17, 2012 8:00 PM PT
The Fair Labor Association, a watchdog monitoring working conditions at makers of Apple Inc. products, has uncovered "tons of issues" that need to be addressed at a Foxconn Technology Group plant in Shenzhen, China, FLA Chief Executive Officer Auret van Heerden said.
"We"re finding tons of issues," van Heerden said en route to a meeting where FLA inspectors were scheduled to present preliminary findings to Foxconn management. "I believe we're going to see some very significant announcements in the near future."
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-02-17/foxconn-auditor-finds-tons-of-issues-.html
Not exactly the clean bill of health that some fanboys are touting.
You made up things and suggested that I (a fanboy by your definition I guess)... don't care at all about anything but a cheap iPhone.
A key basis of your point was the number of suicides at Foxconn... which we know are significantly less than China or even the United States as a whole. You completely mischaracterized Apple's responsiveness.
AND... you used these obvious distortions to say that those of us that disagree with you care more about iPhones than people.
When someone responds to this, you complain about THAT being a personal attack?
Seriously...
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STRAWMAN ALERT!
Nobody is calling it a clean bill of health.
Nor are we making up things.
That's the difference here that you clearly are failing to see (more like willfully ignoring).
Of course it was reported. Under the headline "workers at Apple factory threaten mass suicide".
However, the most important thing about this was that these workers didn't protest about working conditions. They were protesting about losing their jobs.
_If_ that was what happened. The actual line in the article is "Apple has given "Nightline" anchor Bill Weir exclusive access to their suppliers' factories in China". Which is quite obviously factually wrong, because right now there are audits going on at Foxconn, so whatever access Bill Weir has is not exclusive. If one part of the sentence is wrong, then we cannot trust the second part. It is an unfortunate fact today that reporters cannot string a single sentence together anymore without making factual errors and misleading statements.
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I'm actually kinda excited to see this... I feel like if they show some of the other factories in china you'll see the crazy difference... no, it's not an amazing place to work I'm sure; I mean, its a factory ... but I've seen discovery china and some of the places and conditions that are visited and they looked a lost worse in my opinion from what little glimpses of foxxconn that have come out...
Obama sparred with Steve Jobs over outsourcing
Comments (195) By BYRON TAU | 1/21/12 2:38 PM EST
The New York Times reports on a terse exchange that President Obama had with the late Steve Jobs last February over why Apple couldn't produce its products in America:
But as Steven P. Jobs of Apple spoke, President Obama interrupted with an inquiry of his own: what would it take to make iPhones in the United States?
Not long ago, Apple boasted that its products were made in America. Today, few are. Almost all of the 70 million iPhones, 30 million iPads and 59 million other products Apple sold last year were manufactured overseas.
Why cant that work come home? Mr. Obama asked.
Mr. Jobss reply was unambiguous. Those jobs arent coming back, he said, according to another dinner guest.
It's not the first run-in between the blunt Apple cofounder and the president Jobs' biography reported that he told Obama that he's "headed for a one-term presidency," partially because of his administration's business policies. According to Walter Isaacson's biography of Jobs, he expressed admiration for Chinese business practices and decried U.S. regulations and labor rules.
Comments (195) By BYRON TAU | 1/21/12 2:38 PM EST
The New York Times reports on a terse exchange that President Obama had with the late Steve Jobs last February over why Apple couldn't produce its products in America:
But as Steven P. Jobs of Apple spoke, President Obama interrupted with an inquiry of his own: what would it take to make iPhones in the United States?
Not long ago, Apple boasted that its products were made in America. Today, few are. Almost all of the 70 million iPhones, 30 million iPads and 59 million other products Apple sold last year were manufactured overseas.
Why cant that work come home? Mr. Obama asked.
Mr. Jobss reply was unambiguous. Those jobs arent coming back, he said, according to another dinner guest.
It's not the first run-in between the blunt Apple cofounder and the president Jobs' biography reported that he told Obama that he's "headed for a one-term presidency," partially because of his administration's business policies. According to Walter Isaacson's biography of Jobs, he expressed admiration for Chinese business practices and decried U.S. regulations and labor rules.
interesting...
My first impressions reading this headline were 1) ABC is trying to capitalize off the popularity of the Apple brand to increase viewership for one of their shows and 2) use the topical opportunity to highlight a big problem in the manufacturing industry at-large while 3) subtly drumming more distracting anti-China rhetoric that is so fashionable as of late.
Now, don't misunderstand, I actually think it's good that a mainstream media outlet is bringing this issue of Chinese factory conditions to light for the masses to better understand and be aware of (long overdue mind you), and using the Apple brand as a "hook" to draw people into the program is a smart publicity tactic, however I'm still a little skeptical about the actual quality of the investigative journalism they'll offer in this piece when it's all said and done. I guess the most I'm expecting of ABC is confirmation of the key facts & elements of the problem, and if they offer any additional insights to curtailing the problem then I'd be pleasantly surprised.
My first impressions reading this headline were 1) ABC is trying to capitalize off the popularity of the Apple brand to increase viewership for one of their shows and 2) use the topical opportunity to highlight a big problem in the manufacturing industry at-large while 3) subtly drumming more distracting anti-China rhetoric that is so fashionable as of late.
Now, don't misunderstand, I actually think it's good that a mainstream media outlet is bringing this issue of Chinese factory conditions to light for the masses to better understand and be aware of (long overdue mind you), and using the Apple brand as a "hook" to draw people into the program is a smart publicity tactic, however I'm still a little skeptical about the actual quality of the investigative journalism they'll offer in this piece when it's all said and done. I guess the most I'm expecting of ABC is confirmation of the key facts & elements of the problem, and if they offer any additional insights to curtailing the problem then I'd be pleasantly surprised.
In case anybody was wondering... NOW it's clear to me. I forgot what I had learned back in my Logic class while working on my comp sci degree.
If: Once or twice, Obama and Steve Jobs disagreed
Therefore: Apple Fanboys care more about their iPhones than people.
Ok, got it... now I completely understand.
If: Once or twice, Obama and Steve Jobs disagreed
Therefore: Apple Fanboys care more about their iPhones than people.
Ok, got it... now I completely understand.
No, they were _not_ protesting about working conditions. They were protesting about losing their jobs.
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Oh, for God's sake, quit it with the apocalyptic melodrama. This has been the US policy for 30 years; it's called free trade. The American establishment has wanted this deeply.
I'm sure a camera crew will not be able to get all the facts, because there's a day they go in and there's lots of time for Foxconn to clean things up for the camera. But if they're good reporters, they'll be able to see a glimpse of the reality -- and it's an ambiguous one, of course. China is acquiring advanced industrial techniques. Young people from the country are making more money than was ever possible before. So for the Chinese, this is undoubtedly a very good thing. For Americans, not so much. Apple pays workers better, and is now insisting on some changes, though they may be in the nature of PR.
This whole exercise is largely an attempt to challenge our national economic policies by blaming Apple for them instead of the real perpetrators: the 1% and the political leaders who got us in this box canyon of a dilemma.
That's a politico link to the NYT article, along with Mr. Tau's comments.
Better the original NYT article:
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/22/business/apple-america-and-a-squeezed-middle-class.html?_r=1
Jobs had 7.7% of Disney. That does not equal a controlling interest. Your assertion of Job's widow's "deeply vested" interest is laughable, as she has more money outside Disney than she can ever spend.
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You're all off base. Apple is working with the DOD. This is the beginning of the Chinese Spring. As Apple receives more "bad boy" articles they will continue to open access. China will not be able to prevent this.
As Foxconn workers continue to slowly earn more, and receive better living, and working conditions word will spread. Soon other workers will rise up and ask to be treated the same. China can only move assembly plants so far out in the country.
Eventually the masses will rise, and once destabilized enough will be invaded by Russia. Apple production will then move to Vladivostok where conditions will be determined by Bribes, and Kickbacks.
The Chinese will begin a new calendar, and raising hogs.
As Foxconn workers continue to slowly earn more, and receive better living, and working conditions word will spread. Soon other workers will rise up and ask to be treated the same. China can only move assembly plants so far out in the country.
Eventually the masses will rise, and once destabilized enough will be invaded by Russia. Apple production will then move to Vladivostok where conditions will be determined by Bribes, and Kickbacks.
The Chinese will begin a new calendar, and raising hogs.
Nobody is touting anything. In fact this is what most expect, and unlike you, we'll wait for the audit report before engaging the Hyperbole Machine.