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That's the Ford Pinto memo, eh? I doubt if anybody is going to leak Apple's modern equivalent.

Not that anybody is gonna die like with the Pinto, but the pangs of Mac withdrawal could be debilitating.

What you said is why most governments run like hell from microsoft et. al. Why? Because they can't audit, line for line, exactly what is going on. This really isn't all that hard. When the US government tries to sell other countries aircraft with software, but no source code to the software, the other countries usually either start to demand the software, or look elsewhere to buy aircraft. The truth is, if you can't see what's really going on, you are buying a box with a big question mark on it. I've seen these in 5 and dime stores, and that's all they are worth, about 5 cents. When I buy something, I want to see what I'm getting. I'm not very happy when I'm handed something wrapped in an opaque wrapper and told I can't open it even though they want hundreds of dollars for it. People who buy Apple and Microsoft do this every day. In name brand we trust. And like the Ford Pinto, they should expect gas to explode every once in a while, with the company more willing to pay out death benefits than re-engineer the car. See here.

... did humanity a favor by removing large sums of money from the scammed (fools) who can't then use that money for other foolish purposes ...

Err, if you get right down to the bottom of it, this is in fact the core principle of Capitalism, i.e. impoverishment of "fools" (i.e. people unable or unwilling to adjust to become sufficiently effective savages towards all around them) and rewarding of "smart" people (i.e. those who are all too willing to take advantage of everyone else around them) by whatever means they can get away with. The difference between a "criminal" and a "successful businessman" is largely a very subjective one.

For example, while most "legitimate" businesses produce a product, say a car, they also engage in advantage taking of all around them in order to survive, they pay as little as they can get away with to their employees, they studiously ignore social and environmental impact of their products, they go to extreme measures to "manage cost versus risk" by deliberately exposing their dupes ... I mean "customers" to possibility of flaming death in order to increase loot etc and so on.

Lee Iacocca, is that you?? http://www.calbaptist.edu/dskubik/pinto.htm/

That's exactly it. Just to give you reference: I was thinking of the Ford Pinto Memo when I thought of the word.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ford_Pinto#Safety_problems

Through early production of the model, it became a focus of a major scandal when it was alleged that the car's design allowed its fuel tank to be easily damaged in the event of a rear-end collision which sometimes resulted in deadly fires and explosions. Critics argued that the vehicle's lack of a true rear bumper as well as any reinforcing structure between the rear panel and the tank, meant that in certain collisions, the tank would be thrust forward into the differential, which had a number of protruding bolts that could puncture the tank. This, and the fact that the doors could potentially jam during an accident (due to poor reinforcing) made the car a potential deathtrap.

Ford was aware of this design flaw but allegedly refused to pay what was characterized as the minimal expense of a redesign. Instead, it was argued, Ford decided it would be cheaper to pay off possible lawsuits for resulting deaths. Mother Jones magazine obtained the cost-benefit analysis that it said Ford had used to compare the cost of an $11 repair against the cost of paying off potential law suits, in what became known as the Ford Pinto Memo.

This page says "the costs for fixing the Pinto was $121 million, while settling cases where injuries occur was only $50 million".

Money came before human life.

Amoral.

If I recall correctly they had a little problem a while back.

Maybe that's why they're diversifying, and I would presume they'll continue to work with Ford - they're in good company then :-)

The Japanese have had a word for this for a long time. They're called "sokaiya". Yakuza (Japanese mafia) racketeers who dig up dirt about the company (or the executive's private lives) and then buy stock, so that they can blackmail the company at shareholder meetings.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sokaiya
http://www.calbaptist.edu/dskubik/scandal.htm

My name is John Perkins. I'm an actual, genuine education major, currently attending California Baptist University. I've got a survey where people comment about why their good teachers were good, their bad teachers were bad, classes were fun, classes sucked, etc.. I'd really appreciate it if any of you ladies and gentlemen would be willing to fill out my survey about your experiences in the classroom. I want to be able to say what makes a good and engaging teacher and what makes a boring teacher that no one listens to.

I appreciate anyone's help.

School Survey

I know it's a link to my own site and I apologize for that. I figured, what with Slashdot and all, it would be a unique opportunity to get some great anecdotal data. Thanks everyone.