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Apple Issues $1 Billion Green Bond After Trump's Paris Climate Exit (reuters.com)

An anonymous reader shares a report: Apple offered a $1 billion bond dedicated to financing clean energy and environmental projects on Tuesday, the first corporate green bond offered since President Donald Trump withdrew the United States from the Paris climate agreement. The offering comes over a year after Apple issued its first green bond of $1.5 billion -- the largest issued by a U.S. corporation -- as a response to the 2015 Paris agreement. Apple said its second green bond is meant to show that businesses are still committed to the goals of the 194-nation accord. "Leadership from the business community is essential to address the threat of climate change and protect our shared planet," said Lisa Jackson, Apple's vice president of environment, policy and social initiatives.

168 comments

  1. YES! by DigiShaman · · Score: 0, Troll

    As one that agreed with Trump in pulling the US out of this stupid Paris accord, I AGREE WITH APPLE on this! Let business that can, and are willing to afford it, do so. I can't wait till the cost of solar and wind drops so I can retrofit my house with them too. I love green energy. I HATE STATIST fucks that wish to ram it down my throat half-way around the world.

    --
    Life is not for the lazy.
    1. Re:YES! by MightyMartian · · Score: 4, Insightful

      Sooner or later it's all going to get rammed down your throat. How much do you want to pay for house insurance? How much do you think your taxes will go up to pay for remediation or repair of damaged infrastructure? You're not immune from the costs of AGW, and actuaries are already pricing it into insurance.

      There are things that nation states are supposed to do; things that private organizations or sub-national jurisdictions can't expect to do or could never afford to do. Your ideology is getting in the way of seeing the big picture. The physical laws of the universe don't give a flying fuck about your ideology. It is utterly meaningless. CO2 has the properties it has, and shouting "STATIST FUCKS" is simply the cry of stupidity and impotence.

      --
      The world's burning. Moped Jesus spotted on I50. Details at 11.
    2. Re:YES! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      It almost looks like Trump pulling out of the accord has led to more investment than if he had stayed in it.

    3. Re:YES! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      No matter where you are, you're breathing Chinese smog. We don't have the right to make them stop poisoning the air we breath? I think we should bomb their coal fired power plants, and India's too. We have the power. We should do it!

    4. Re:YES! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      That's right, because this is about the costs and you don't want to pay right? You are already paying in the increase in cost of living expenses like, oh, I dunno, energy, water, fuel, FOOD.

      I mean, it would be funny if it wasn't so horrific that people like you have made it to the highest levels of offices all over the world. The fact that you think getting out of Paris is "fighting the statists" literally proves you are a conservative fuckwit that's too dumb to understand even the basic sciences you were taught in school. Oh let me guess "fake science, fake schools something something email"

      The only good thing is, you'll fucking die off like the rest of us. Bury that head real deep.

    5. Re:YES! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Just hope your local power companies don't lobby your government to "regulate" private power generation...regulate it right into unprofitability. They aren't going to go quietly. And it's already happening in a few places.

    6. Re:YES! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      If you really believe carbon dioxide is bad, please, unironically kill yourself.

    7. Re:YES! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Bullshit! American jobs have absolute priority over this chicken-little environmental crap. Besides, we have clean coal®

    8. Re:YES! by pastafazou · · Score: 0

      "CO2 has the properties it has"
      Indeed it does. Unfortunately, the scientific community hasn't actually quantified these properties. Does CO2 absorb infrared radiation? Yes it does. But so does water vapor, and methane gas. I have yet to see the experiments where they quantify CO2's absorption at different concentrations and in the presence of different concentrations of other gasses. There's also the issue of how thunder storm cells and hurricanes move massive amounts of heat from the surface to the top of the troposphere, and how, if at all, CO2 interacts with this mechanism.

    9. Re:YES! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Quit talking with my cock in your mouth!

    10. Re:YES! by lactose99 · · Score: 1

      Try living on Venus and tell me how CO2 is working out there.

      --
      Fully licensed blockchain psychiatrist
    11. Re:YES! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      As a Canadian with no love for America i still think this was just some assholes in Europe trying to fuck over America very unfairly and all i have to say is well done Trump.
      A lot of Canadians would love to have a prime minister that had the guts to stand up for the country and not just for virtue signaling bs that ruins our country.

    12. Re:YES! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      In reasonable amounts CO2 isn't bad, then there is the close to 40 BILLION TONS we're dumping into the atmosphere per year. We need water to survive as well, and we're roughly 60% water, but people have and do die from drinking too much of it. The same goes for CO2, only the damage is less obvious due to the way it causes our troubles. Also CO2 from human breath only accounts for about 2.5 Billion tones, or about 6% the smallest pie slice of our CO2 source chart behind power generation, transportation, industrial and other sources.

    13. Re:YES! by WrongMonkey · · Score: 2

      I have yet to see the experiments where they quantify CO2's absorption at different concentrations and in the presence of different concentrations of other gasses.

      Did you go to college? Did you study any STEM field? The experiments that you describe are routine first year undergraduate chemistry that should be a prerequisite for any STEM degree.

    14. Re:YES! by MightyMartian · · Score: 2, Informative

      Seriously? Are you a fucking retard? The absorption and emission properties of CO2 have been known for over a century. I have to assume you are indeed a complete fucking moron.

      http://irina.eas.gatech.edu/EA...

      --
      The world's burning. Moped Jesus spotted on I50. Details at 11.
    15. Re:YES! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      issuing a bond = borrowing money. Apple is borrowing money and promising they will spend it on "green tech". considering they already have billions in offshore accounts, this is an obvious scam that liberals will swallow up and even offer to shower Apple with corporate welfare.

    16. Re:YES! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      US has 2x... thats right 2x the emissions per capita of China. But I guess we can feel better about ourselves by ignoring the fact that China also supports at least 5x the population of the US.

    17. Re:YES! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Sooner or later it's all going to get rammed down your throat...shouting "STATIST FUCKS" is simply the cry of stupidity and impotence.

      The saddest part is that you think they are on your side. What is "get[ting] ramed down your throat" will always be what you want just because it currently is what you want.

      Have some empathy and forethought.

    18. Re:YES! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Take a look at Venus.

    19. Re: YES! by KGIII · · Score: 1

      ...

      I suppose someone reading down through the thread may be confused by this response. See, above, I supported pulling out of the accord.

      Now, down here, I am telling you that I encourage everyone to learn some basic science. No, AGW is real and CO2 is one of the causes of this. The planet is pretty good at regulating itself, until you knock it so far out of balance that it can't correct itself quickly. And yeah, AGW is pretty much the definition of a self-correcting problem. The planet will fix itself. We may not survive, as a species, but ol' Mr. Earth is gonna be just fine, given enough time.

      And yes, I still fully support pulling out of the accord.

      --
      "So long and thanks for all the fish."
    20. Re: YES! by KGIII · · Score: 1

      If the interest on their current assets is greater than the interest charged for a loan, it makes sense to borrow the money. This is like rule #7, if you want to be in the 1%. You're welcome.

      --
      "So long and thanks for all the fish."
    21. Re:YES! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      If CO2 is so great, then we do we exhale the stuff? It's a waste product of metabolism. Do you think you breathing in human waste is a good idea?

    22. Re: YES! by Obfuscant · · Score: 1

      Screaming doom and blathering spittle-flecked hyperbole is why we got Trump.

      I quoted that from a previous post for context.

      The planet will fix itself. We may not survive, as a species,

      Given the adaptability of the human species, and the huge variation of climates in which we already survive quite well, I would call the claim that AGW will lead to the extinction of the human species to be a bit hyperbolic. Don't you?

      For example, I think the human species can survive quite well even if Florida is three feet under water (Schipol Airport has a reported elevation of between 9.8 and 11 feet below MSL; Amsterdam is close to 7 feet below). This applies to every coastal area.

      People already live where is it ungodly hot. They already survive hurricanes and tornados. None of those would be mass extinction events.

      Will we need to adapt to GW (whether you believe it is A or N)? Sure. Can we adapt to GW? Of course. Can we adapt to GC? Of course. The common thread to all of those questions is "can we adapt?", and the answer is always "yes".

    23. Re:YES! by Obfuscant · · Score: 1

      Try living on Venus and tell me how CO2 is working out there.

      So you would force Goldilocks to eat the bowl of porridge that is too hot because she thinks one of the bowls is just right? If she says she thinks porridge is good, she should eat the "too hot" to prove it to you?

    24. Re:YES! by OrangeTide · · Score: 1

      According to the ORNL data from 2013, the US doesn't make it into the top 10 of per capita CO2 emissions.

      Even Eurostat's 2012 data lists Luxembourg as higher CO2 emissions per capita than the US.

      The US can and should improve, but we're not the worst by the metric you've selected. And the numbers I found imply that there are some real hypocrites over in Europe.

      --
      “Common sense is not so common.” — Voltaire
    25. Re:YES! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I have yet to see the experiments where they quantify CO2's absorption at different concentrations and in the presence of different concentrations of other gasses.

      I bet you're still trying to figure out how to go to the bathroom too.

    26. Re:YES! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I believe that you are the one not seeing the bigger picture. You talk of what nation states are "supposed to do" witless to the reality of what they actually do. You call for the throat ramming as though it were desirable and inevitable. GP is shouting "STATIST FUCKS" at this point because he's long since exhausted his patience in trying to break the propoganda-hardened Stockholm syndrome so many of you have.

      I echo his sentiment. I don't like murder, theft, and brainwashing, especially not on a global scale. The most evil and destructive people in the world are those in global politics and apologists like you are only serving to impoverish humanity.

    27. Re: YES! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I was a chemical engineering graduate. This absorbtion rate of energy by a gas in a mixture was not taught. Not even close.

    28. Re:YES! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      There are things that nation states are supposed to do; things that private organizations or sub-national jurisdictions can't expect to do or could never afford to do. Your ideology is getting in the way of seeing the big picture. The physical laws of the universe don't give a flying fuck about your ideology. It is utterly meaningless. CO2 has the properties it has, and shouting "STATIST FUCKS" is simply the cry of stupidity and impotence.

      You're wrongly assuming that paying for carbon credits actually does any of these things. This system, which is a scam, does nothing more than prevent competition (in the form of start ups) from being created in western countries by raising entry level costs, all the while paying rich land owners in underdeveloped countries money just for owning land instead of actually doing something with that land (building a factory, farming it, etc.). I lived in Mexico for a few years and heard it directly from people involved. Furthermore, the Asian polluting powerhouses, India and China, are not a part of this agreement either, so any changes to overall CO2 output are pretty much negligible anyway.

      The Paris Agreement is an economic scam wrapped in a feel-good package designed to favor mega corporations while solving none of the problems it aims to.

      That being said, climate change is still an issue we need to address, but it's one that I believe must be resolved by investing in clean energy and carbon sequestration technologies (or maybe just planting billions of trees). Unfortunately, the political climate is so bad now that even saying that the Paris Agreement is a scam draws so much vitriol that I can scarcely express this opinion out in public without fear of being ostracized. And I can't help but notice that climate change is, at least from a political standpoint, functionally no different than the end of the world prophecies from history, only now our priests, bought and paid for by the kings of yore, have become scientists that either get private funding from corporations (with vested interests) or public funding from the government (that also have vested interests that depend on political trends) because he who hold the money won't give it to someone that disagrees with him.

    29. Re:YES! by pastafazou · · Score: 0

      No, I didn't go to college, I went to University. I majored in Computer Science. I took chemistry, geology, and physics courses in addition to my major. There were no experiments in any of my chemistry courses that measured CO2 absorption at different concentrations and with different variables (presence of other gasses). So now that you've gone and opened your mouth and spouted your opinion, please provide the data that you are so sure has been calculated numerous times in all these college chemistry courses. Go ahead, I'm waiting....

    30. Re:YES! by pastafazou · · Score: 1

      Great, way to link to a paper that doesn't actually provide what I stated was needed. I know CO2 absorbs infrared radiation. I stated that already. Nice attempt at deflection though.

    31. Re:YES! by WrongMonkey · · Score: 1
      Then your either a liar or your university should have its accreditation suspended. If you tell me which university you went to, I can probably look up the the exact lab that you should have performed this experiment for yourself. Its standard first year material. But in the mean time:

      https://www.google.com/search?...

    32. Re:YES! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      What a lovely straw man you've constructed there! Shitty metaphor, but a lovely straw man.

    33. Re:YES! by slashdotwannabe · · Score: 1

      Unfortunately, the scientific community hasn't actually quantified these properties.

      Well HELL son, why don't we just run that experiment! We can dump, say 50 billion tons a year into the planet that we all live on and see what happens! What could POSSIBLY go wrong?

      --
      This comment is my opinion and does not represent an official position of Donald Trump or others I do not work for
    34. Re:YES! by pastafazou · · Score: 1

      LMAO, you're fucking stupid. Please refer to my above post where I clearly state CO2 absorbs infrared radiation. I'm not asking for verification of that fact. We know that. However, our atmosphere is not 100% CO2. So do you want to take another stab at finding the info I said was needed, or are you just going to continue being an obtuse moron?

    35. Re:YES! by WrongMonkey · · Score: 1
      You didn't follow the link. You didn't read the results. The whole point of IR spectroscopy is that you can measure the absorption in a mixture of chemicals, liquid or gas. It wouldn't be useful otherwise.

      You are right about one thing, I am kind of stupid for continue this conversation. You are at the level of a flat-earther. I should let you go about your ignorance, because your arguments are actually your own side look worse.

    36. Re:YES! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      How about they try paying their taxes instead of sheltering them in low tax countries... do you think if the government had that tax money they would invest in higher quality of life for everyone?

  2. Second that by SuperKendall · · Score: 2, Insightful

    I thought the Paris accord was the worst of virtue signaling pointless politics, but will happily buy into this green fund bond which is actually something real to support.

    Widespread use of solar power especially is inevitable, so supporting it makes a great deal of sense.

    --
    "There is more worth loving than we have strength to love." - Brian Jay Stanley
    1. Re:Second that by randomErr · · Score: 0, Troll

      The idea of the accord is good: use renewable energy. The implementation of not applying the same standard to all members of the accord was what is wrong. The standards are based at specific point in time, China, India, and Russia come to mind. Their economies have since picked and so has their pollution output. There was no solid way to re-assess a country's progress/regress.

      Also detestable dictatorships were getting million from rich countries to pay for 'green credits.' I don;t like the idea of paying people to think about planting tree while they use our money to oppress their people.

      If a private company is willing to fund green energy without paying a dictatorship to harm their own people I'm all for it. I'm just tired of the US, one of the cleanest countries, funding countries that are not even trying to reduce pollution.

      --
      You say things that offend me and I can deal with it. Can you?
    2. Re:Second that by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      No, the idea of the accord was to aim to reduce CO2 emission by a larger percentage than the current trend. In an effort to reduce economic and social damages that the current trend would produce.

      Also, the accord itself is different from the climate fund contributions. Something that people for some reason have a really really hard time wrapping their head around.

      In addition to that, the climate fund contribution doesn't mean the US is literally give money away... What happens (just like the recent Saudi Arabia Arms Deal), is the US says "Hey we'll 'give' you this money if you buy these fancy wind turbines from GE with that money!". Which would be a boost for US economy...

      But alas, it's not OK because boosting the US economy through green initiatives that'll benefit everyone is a stupid liberal idea and we should do it through weapons so we can keep our short term special interests in the middle east in place instead.

    3. Re:Second that by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      So whats the difference between this green fund bond and the US contribution to the NATO climate fund?

      Because you do know that money 'sent' to other countries through the NATO climate fund ends up getting spent on US based companies and thus increases US economy...

      Oh right, you'll be able to directly benefit from the green fund bond yourself, it's not a dirty stupid idea by the "other" party, and it's done by a corporation which is much more trust-worthy with it's short term quarterly thinking. Is this typical Republican logic?

    4. Re:Second that by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Please provide the excerpts of the accord that you read. I would love wafting through hundreds of pages of bureaucratic mumbo jumbo, but since you seem so gung ho about how great this accord is for me and my family, please share.

    5. Re: Second that by KGIII · · Score: 1

      We can still do that, and more.

      I've said it before, I'll say it again. Trump got this one right, and the attempts to spin it are mind bogglingly crazy. Not being a signatory doesn't actually mean we can't do this and more. We can even do with a combination of public and private resources.

      Screaming doom and blathering spittle-flecked hyperbole is why we got Trump.

      --
      "So long and thanks for all the fish."
    6. Re: Second that by KGIII · · Score: 1

      The difference is choice. You remember that idea, don't you?

      --
      "So long and thanks for all the fish."
    7. Re: Second that by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      The difference is choice.

      Choice! Just like the fucking Paris accords, in which compliance is entirely voluntary!

    8. Re: Second that by KGIII · · Score: 1

      Right, and we chose not to remain a part of the accord. I'm actually okay with that.

      Don't read this to mean I'm okay with doing nothing. I'd like to hope that we do *better* than that. From the looks of the way people are coming together, we might just do it. Even better, we'll be doing it by choice. I'm kinda fond of choices. Maybe that's just me?

      --
      "So long and thanks for all the fish."
  3. The dumbest financial move in a while by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    They have over two hundred billion dollars just lying around. What's a measly one billion to them?

  4. So Apple gets another $1B cash? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    So they're, umm, cashing on on Trump being President?

    1. Re:So Apple gets another $1B cash? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      they are brilliant!

  5. Re:Ah, the famed "idiot tax" by MightyMartian · · Score: 2

    So you think the "Right" isn't paying for climate change? Ever heard of the insurance industry?

    --
    The world's burning. Moped Jesus spotted on I50. Details at 11.
  6. apple has more money than god by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Why do they need a bond to be environmentally ... They are asking for lenders to give money rather than dip into the profit margin ... The rich always seem to need at hand out - especially when it involves doing the right thing.

    BTW better strategy to save the environment stop producing millions of pieces of crap with a useful life of 2 years.

    1. Re:apple has more money than god by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      > BTW better strategy to save the environment stop producing millions of pieces of crap with a useful life of 2 years.

      So... stop producing Android smartphones, then? Because you're lucky if you get 2 years of support. Most of them have their support ended before they leave the store.

    2. Re:apple has more money than god by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I would mostly agree with this. We would be better served from an environmental perspective at least if things were made to last longer. I'm not sure what this has to do with IOS vs Android though. It seems like more Android devices hang on longer that IOS devices but I doubt its enough to sway the overall effect.

      More important was that Apple created the business model of bundling the phone with the plan which made it seem like it would cost little or nothing to get a new phone every two years. That got people's expectations a certain way and probably has created a lot of less environmentally friendly behavior.

    3. Re: apple has more money than god by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      No. Learn some history. That 2 year contract has been around in cell phone industry before Apple even became a player.

      So nice try; try again.

  7. Brilliant! by ArhcAngel · · Score: 1, Insightful

    Call him all the names you want. He's uniting people left and right on a common goal. And companies are spending their own money on things the taxpayers were before.

    --
    "A person is smart. People are dumb, panicky dangerous animals and you know it." - K
    1. Re:Brilliant! by mrun4982 · · Score: 0

      He's not uniting anyone. It's mostly just the people on the left that are still in favor of fighting climate change and trying to do something about it. The folks that voted for Trump are waiting for all those coal jobs to come back.

    2. Re:Brilliant! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      He's uniting people with health problems. My asthma is much worse after he stomped on the Accords.

    3. Re:Brilliant! by XxtraLarGe · · Score: 1, Insightful

      Call him all the names you want. He's uniting people left and right on a common goal. And companies are spending their own money on things the taxpayers were before.

      You could probably thank Trump too. Not only is he making companies pay for their own green initiatives, he's also made Democrats embrace the concept of federalism.

      --
      Taking guns away from the 99% gives the 1% 100% of the power.
    4. Re: Brilliant! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0, Insightful

      How would you know anything at all about the people who support what the President is doing? You live in a shrunken world where you play with parody dolls of anybody you disagree with. Granted it's a rich cultural world, but it's made up of imagined fluff and if you sniffing closely it smells funny. Like a big overpopulated City tends to.

    5. Re:Brilliant! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Because not joining a non binding agreement instantly made the air quality worse. I call bullshit.

    6. Re:Brilliant! by cbeaudry · · Score: 1

      Or the fact that CO2 has nothing to do with asthma.

    7. Re:Brilliant! by pastafazou · · Score: 1

      Coal jobs: http://www.mining.com/new-met-...

      US Mining sees first profits in years: http://www.cnsnews.com/news/ar...

    8. Re:Brilliant! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Seventy fucking jobs doesn't mean shit for the USA you vatnik moron.

    9. Re:Brilliant! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Like saving the environment with private jets?
      The left is saving us by flying 8000 miles in a private jet to pick up an award for environmental virtue signaling.
      International virtue signaling will save us.

    10. Re:Brilliant! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Oh, fuck you. I'm a conservative and I know that my carbon footprint is less than the average Americans, by quiet a bit, fuckyouvery much.

      If these companies and these local/city/state governments had the power to do this without the blessing of Big Government then why the fuck haven't they been doing it all along? If anything, if you're a real environmentalists, you should be pissed off that these entities have used climate as a bargaining token instead of something that needs immediate action.

      But I highly doubt you're a true environmentalist.

    11. Re: Brilliant! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Let us know when you die. One less enviroweenie in the world is always a good cause to celebrate.

    12. Re:Brilliant! by drinkypoo · · Score: 1, Insightful

      He's uniting people left and right on a common goal.

      Get rid of him? That's like how my thumb and forefinger unite to squeeze a pimple.

      And companies are spending their own money on things the taxpayers were before.

      A tiny minority of companies. How many companies are taking advantage of the foot Trump has stuck up in the EPA to pollute more?

      --
      "You're right," Fisheye says. "I should have set it on 'whip' or 'chop.'"
    13. Re: Brilliant! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      "I think I got the black lung pop!" **cough cough** *blue Steele facial expression*

    14. Re:Brilliant! by rtb61 · · Score: 1

      The exact same thing could be said about starting a war on purpose. Generates a lot of profits for some but a monumental expense for others. Coal is pretty much dying as an energy resource, why bother, one great big banker con. Here, buy these coal stocks, the profits are way up and the price is low relative to the profit. Guess what, as they sell those coal stocks they are or were stuck with they are betting mightily that they will collapse in price, bad luck for the suckers who bought them. Pension funds are about to be raped with shit coal stocks.

      --
      Chaos - everything, everywhere, everywhen
  8. F Apple by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    They currently have $260 Billion in cash sitting in off shore banks. $1 Billion is nothing.

    1. Re:F Apple by ThomasBHardy · · Score: 1

      YEAH! Better that they should do NOTHING instead of something!

      And you sir, you dedicated what fraction of your wealth to green projects?

      --
      Warning: Teh poster of this messaeg is lysdexic
    2. Re:F Apple by mspohr · · Score: 2

      I'm thinking that this might be a scam to repatriate some of the money without paying taxes.
      1. Apple can use their overseas money to buy their Green bond.
      2. The then get to use the money in the US and they can pay themselves interest which will go back to the overseas account.
      3. Profit (for Apple, not so much for US taxpayers).

      --
      I don't read your sig. Why are you reading mine?
    3. Re:F Apple by DontBeAMoran · · Score: 1

      And you sir, you dedicated what fraction of your wealth to green projects?

      Well, I bought lettuce and celery this morning to make a salad for dinner. Does that count?

      --
      #DeleteFacebook
    4. Re: F Apple by that+this+is+not+und · · Score: 2

      Apple is soliciting other peoples' wealth, rather than spend any of the gold in their money bin that they like to roll in.

    5. Re:F Apple by ThomasBHardy · · Score: 1

      Mmmmmm Saaaaalaaaaddd!

      --
      Warning: Teh poster of this messaeg is lysdexic
    6. Re:F Apple by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      To be fair, they are not donating anything. They are issuing a bond. Borrowing money from people. It will still do some good though.

  9. Apple should bash trump and Republicans indirectly by kfh227 · · Score: 2

    I would be more impressed if apple gave a portion of their profits to green initiatives and in each product sold provided a small factoid book about climate change and the environment by stating facts. Then all the people that don't believe that it is "real" that buy Apple products will be inundated with facts. What would be better is if all tech giants did this together. Apple, Google, Samsung, Microsoft, Dell, etc.

  10. Got any spare change? said apple by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Apple is begging for money? wtf, bizarro world and you all are cheering it.

  11. Re: Better than taxes. by stinkyjak · · Score: 2

    Brilliant.

  12. The US hasn't exited the Paris Accords yet... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    ...the process has just been started and won't actually be completed until 2020.

    Many of the other signatories are just pissed because a large source of their blackmail money is going away - they won't cut back unless they are paid. Even if they are paid, they are still raising their pollution caps instead of freezing or reducing them.

  13. Trump will issue $1 Trillion Dark Coal by cuthead · · Score: 1

    So what?poor apple.

  14. Buying this by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    ... is like setting your money on fire.

    1. Re:Buying this by mspohr · · Score: 1

      Why?

      --
      I don't read your sig. Why are you reading mine?
    2. Re:Buying this by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Why? Ok Einstein, you figure it out.

    3. Re: Buying this by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      LOL and this folks is the alt right way of doing things.

      1) Say something completely false and/or not based on any reasoning.

      2) Then when asked why? Or how?

      3) Reply with "learn it yourself, we know, since you don't, you are an idiot"

      4) $$$$$

  15. Why didn't they do this 10 years ago? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    What, let the earth die, hoping that the government will pick up that tab? That is so EBT of you. You should be ashamed and relinquish your Section 8 housing. You've had the money all along!

    Those of us who believe in global warming must act now. Do not wait for someone else to pick up the tab or hope your senator will vote the right way. It's your job.

    The way for all of us "global warmists" to show our suppport is to send 1/3 of our gross salary to Apple with the stipulation that they will redistribute our money to fight global warming.

    Please join me by mailing 1/3 of your gross salary (cash preferred) to:

    Tim Cook c/o Apple
    1 Infinite Loop
    Cupertino, California 95014

    Thank you, and have a (hopefully) cool day!

    1. Re:Why didn't they do this 10 years ago? by DontBeAMoran · · Score: 1

      I'll help Apple fight global warming! I'm sending them a 12-pack of ice cubes right away!

      --
      #DeleteFacebook
  16. Re:Apple should bash trump and Republicans indirec by __aaclcg7560 · · Score: 1

    Perhaps you missed this incident a few years where Tim Cook defended Apple's use of renewable energy?

    For the better part of the last decade, Apple has taken on a number of sustainability projects and adopted practices to reduce waste and carbon emissions. In 2012, it broke ground on a data center in Oregon in order to take advantage of low-cost renewable energy and has plans to make all of its facilities reliant on green energy. It generally scores highly with EPEAT, a federal environmental group that keeps a registry of "green" digital devices. And in May 2013, it hired Lisa Jackson, who formerly ran the Environmental Protection Agency, to help Apple with sustainability.

    https://arstechnica.com/apple/2014/03/at-apple-shareholders-meeting-tim-cook-tells-off-climate-change-deniers/

  17. Re:Better than taxes. by pastafazou · · Score: 5, Insightful

    They're not coughing up money. They're borrowing 1 billion dollars by issuing bonds on the promise of spending it on green tech. And I can't find anywhere in the article where it mentions what rate of return the bond is paying.

  18. Re:Better than taxes. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Hey you! You with a basic understanding of the topic! Delete and ban yourself now!

  19. Peanuts by OYAHHH · · Score: 3, Interesting

    A company that willingly manufactures the VAST majority of it's products using Chinese coal and slave labor decides to cough up a billion dollars to do what?

    Undo what it has wrought?

    If Apple was sincere it would move its manufacturing to the USA where we actually have clean air standards.

    --
    Caution: Contents under pressure
    1. Re:Peanuts by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      China is cancelling many planned and under construction coal plants, and it will become a alternate energy leader, leaving the US in the dust on alternate energy tech and infrastructure. Heck, China is even offering to train US coal miners to become wind farmers (using chinese turbines). Thanks Trump!

    2. Re:Peanuts by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      http://vid.pr0gramm.com/2017/06/10/2d75f10d051b081f.mp4

    3. Re:Peanuts by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      They could also just pay taxes in the US. Or any country. That could go a long way.

    4. Re:Peanuts by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      A company that willingly manufactures the VAST majority of it's products using Chinese coal and slave labor decides to cough up a billion dollars to do what?

      Undo what it has wrought?

      If Apple was sincere it would move its manufacturing to the USA where we actually have clean air standards.

      I completely agree, so much evil here. Screw Apple and all of Apple's customers.

  20. Re:Apple should bash trump and Republicans indirec by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Chris, this is Jimmy in marketing? We were just wondering when you're returning our 3 foot LEGO Imperial Star Destroyer that you took from the ceiling?
    We also found the five ladders you broke.

  21. At apple we're so enviroconscious by Dunbal · · Score: 4, Funny

    We're so environmentally friendly! Now quick, throw out your year old iPhone 7 because YOU MUST buy the iPhone 8! It's almost exactly the same, but it's the latest model! You don't want to be seen at Starbucks with a phone that's over a YEAR OLD do you?

    --
    Seven puppies were harmed during the making of this post.
    1. Re:At apple we're so enviroconscious by Dunbal · · Score: 1

      I have a Nokia 3310 you insensitive clod. It's something called a "joke".

      --
      Seven puppies were harmed during the making of this post.
    2. Re:At apple we're so enviroconscious by Black.Shuck · · Score: 3, Interesting

      Jokes are funny because they say something about reality.

      Apple release 1 new phone per year in 2 sizes.

      Samsung released more than 30 phones in 2016, and have released around 15 already in 2017.

      On top of this, Apple have a recycling program, a refurbishing program, years-long hardware and software support, and their devices have astonishingly high resale prices considering they're, well, computers. They're great "hand-me-down" phones in families because of how easy it is to backup/restore/upgrade the software across generations of devices.

      So I dunno man. I'm not saying you're wrong about many Apple users, but the news is about Apple itself increasing its environment efforts, perhaps with the eventual goal of being able to sell phones every year and for that to be cool ecologically as well as fashionably.

    3. Re:At apple we're so enviroconscious by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Or, you know, sell it for 90% of what you paid for it.

    4. Re:At apple we're so enviroconscious by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I have a Nokia 3310 [wikimedia.org] you insensitive clod. It's something called a "joke".

      No it isn't called a joke, it's called a lie.

      You literally JUST said you had to get the iPhone 8 to replace your iPhone 7, and now you're attempting to claim you own neither but a Nokia instead.
      Which claim is true? which is false? Why should I believe either?

      It was also you who just claimed you must get the latest phone despite feeling it is identical, and you who claimed you don't want to be seen at starbucks with a year old phone.
      Which claim is true this time?

      Jokes are meant to be funny, so even if you meant that to be a joke, it certainly was not in the end.

      Besides, just for comparison, how many billions of dollars have you spent this year on the environment?

    5. Re:At apple we're so enviroconscious by Dunbal · · Score: 1

      We're so environmentally friendly! Now quick, throw out your year old iPhone 7 because YOU MUST buy the iPhone 8! It's almost exactly the same, but it's the latest model! You don't want to be seen at Starbucks with a phone that's over a YEAR OLD do you?

      Here is my original post, copied verbatim. Please enlighten me as to where exactly I said I ever had an iPhone? I know there's left brain vs right brain. Please try to use at least one side or the other.

      --
      Seven puppies were harmed during the making of this post.
    6. Re:At apple we're so enviroconscious by Black.Shuck · · Score: 0

      You having an iPhone or not doesn't factor into my reply.

    7. Re:At apple we're so enviroconscious by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Be prepared for being being called out on your joke. It's already a proven fact that Apple supports their products longer than the average Android producer does. Take that shit log out of your mouth and blame the people who are creating the most ewaste... or doesn't that fit your fanboy agenda?

    8. Re:At apple we're so enviroconscious by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      haha busted replying both as anon coward and logged-in sock-puppet

    9. Re:At apple we're so enviroconscious by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      You joke, but Apple is actually taking steps to develop technology so that every piece of a phone can be disassembled and reused in a newer model phone. They won't stop with the new model every year, but they'll offer a convenient turn-in option so that it's more environmentally friendly at least. According to some recycling documentary I saw they are pretty close to perfecting the technology.

    10. Re:At apple we're so enviroconscious by MMC+Monster · · Score: 1

      Just because you personally have no sense of self control and can't avoid buying the latest shiny, in no way transfers that blame to Apple.

      Try not buying the latest and greatest just because you somehow thing it matters, and try choosing a tool that covers your needs instead of is only there to impress your friends.

      Then the waste you cause will be significantly reduced.

      Agree 100%.

      What I don't understand is why the GP doesn't see the Catch-22.

      Either Apple creates a new phone every year and gets blamed because people 'feel forced' to buy them (generally due to a lack of self control), or Apple doesn't create a new phone every year and gets blamed for not having the newest technology in their latest phones (see the complaints about the Apple laptops and desktops not being refreshed often enough).

      --
      Help! I'm a slashdot refugee.
    11. Re:At apple we're so enviroconscious by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      To be fair, Samsung also covers a wider range of the market, including the low end, so you'd expect a wider range. Also, some of the Samsung phones are just minor feature differences from others in the range. Just numbers of SKU is thus not the best metric.

  22. Re:Apple should bash trump and Republicans indirec by mysidia · · Score: 1

    I would be more impressed if apple gave a portion of their profits to green initiatives and in each product sold provided a small factoid book

    What would this action cause to increase Apple's profits? I expect management to fulfill their obligation to maximize Apple shareholders' investment returns, otherwise offenders are subject to getting sued and ejected.

  23. Dune, Arrakis. Global warming planet. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Call him all the names you want. He's uniting people left and right on a common goal. And companies are spending their own money on things the taxpayers were before.

    All hail the God Emperor Leto Atreides II!

    His wormy orange appearance and Golden Path will unite us by subjugating us.

    1. Re:Dune, Arrakis. Global warming planet. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      The Spicer must flow.

  24. A win for Adam Smith and America by gachunt · · Score: 1, Insightful

    Let's give a high 5 to the Invisible Hand!

    Citation: Wikipedia

  25. Nope by hackel · · Score: 1

    Let's remember that Apple is legally obligated only to do things which are in the interest of its shareholders. This is not some altruistic act. I bet a good deal of the money they're borrowing will be spent on their own automated vehicle efforts (which, in theory, could *also* be good for the environment), improvements in data centre cooling efficiency, power savings, etc. I imagine the bulk of the benefit to shareholders is simply as a marketing ploy, to keep their customer base happy and coming back for more, tricking them into believing that Apple is a "good" corporation and shares their values.

    Honestly, this is disgusting. The last thing we need is the business community trying to steer environmental efforts in order to benefit them. We need fucking deplorables to pull their heads out of their asses. That's it.

    1. Re:Nope by mean+pun · · Score: 1

      Let's remember that Apple is legally obligated only to do things which are in the interest of its shareholders.

      Mitigating global warning is in the interest of its shareholders. There, sorted. No need for complicated CT.

    2. Re:Nope by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Honestly, this is disgusting. The last thing we need is the business community trying to steer environmental efforts in order to benefit them.

      As opposed to political parties and politicians trying to steer environmental efforts to benefit them? How about a corrupt and unethical government doing the same in an attempt to hide all the illegal stuff that's going on?

      Then what about the environmental fanatics who have been repeatedly caught misrepresenting facts? Aren't they trying to steer things to benefit their agenda? All fanatics are mentally ill - shouldn't we be disgusted at these people (if we assume they choose to be mentally ill)? Or perhaps we should pity them, then see if we can arrange treatment (if we assume they don't)?

      The last thing we need? Really? I can think of plenty of worse things - an asteroid wiping out all human life, a nuclear incident, world war 3 ... Actually, this will be helpful. Many of the better corporations do quite a lot to benefit society, but that's something the socialists never want to acknowledge, leading to some pretty disgusting 1 dimensional anti-capitalism propaganda. There's another group of fanatics that could use some professional help.

  26. Think I'll buy a few hundred K of these by WillAffleckUW · · Score: 1

    Unlike the inefficient red states, we blue cities are investing in more efficient cheaper energy.

    Like this.

    Have fun being left in the dust!

    --
    -- Tigger warning: This post may contain tiggers! --
    1. Re:Think I'll buy a few hundred K of these by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      You're kidding right, how many wind farms are their in NYC? Boston, LA, San Fran. Out here in Indiana we have hundreds of turbines, and acres of solar next to the airport. The land available in those red states seems to generate a lot of this clean energy.

    2. Re:Think I'll buy a few hundred K of these by WillAffleckUW · · Score: 1

      Of course it does, I'm part of why it's being placed there. It help keeps the kids from going off to the big city since they can get good jobs installing and maintaining and designing wind and solar and micro- and mini-hydro power systems.

      See, becoming more efficient and investing in cheaper renewables creates more jobs for everyone.

      --
      -- Tigger warning: This post may contain tiggers! --
  27. Re:Apple should bash trump and Republicans indirec by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Hey, Jimmy, this is Bill in accounting. We had to repossessed the Star Destroyer for non-payment on the Krispy Kreme tab. It was my mother who broke all those ladders. Replacement ladders will be coming out of the marketing budget.

  28. Re:Better than taxes. by PolygamousRanchKid+ · · Score: 1, Interesting

    They're not coughing up money.

    If Apple and their artistic tax attorneys brewed up this scheme, you can be guaranteed that there is a financial advantage for them. This reminds me of Mark "Sugar Mountain" announcing that he was donating all of his fortune to charity.

    Oh, wait, he's not donating it to charity . . . he's donating it to an investment vehicle that he completely controls. If an investment fails . . . he gets to write it off on taxes. If an investment turns a profit . . . well, he keeps that, tax-free.

    Privatize profits, socialize losses.

    If I tried shenanigans like this on my tax return for my ranch, the IRS would char-broil my balls. Not that my vast herds of armadillos and rattlesnakes are worth much to anyone anyway.

    Oh, but I did implement a fix for the socket layer "Thundering Herd" problem ages ago . . . that's another story, but the IRS would tax me for that if they could . . .

    --
    Schroedinger's Brexit: The UK is both in and out of the EU at the same time!
  29. Re:Apple should bash trump and Republicans indirec by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Hey guys, this is Bob over in facilities? I just got a trouble ticket for 15 toilets in 3 men's rooms completely blocked with LEGO. You know anything about this? Ii called Chris in the basement 20 times already but I guess he's on lunch?

  30. Re:Ah, the famed "idiot tax" by Ichijo · · Score: 1, Flamebait

    Let the idiotic left pay for this worthless garbage while allowing the right to prosper.

    That's funny because for the most part (Texas being the exception), red states are financially supported by the blue ones.

    But you're right about the "idiotic left." The left are idiots for giving welfare to the red states. It's time to cut the red states off and let them try to support themselves financially. Self-reliance is still a conservative value, isn't it?

    --
    Any sufficiently unpopular but cohesive argument is indistinguishable from trolling.
  31. You're All Fucking Retarded by sexconker · · Score: 4, Informative

    Only 2 people so far have understood what the fuck this means.

    They're ISSUING A BOND. That means someone can GIVE APPLE MONEY and get a BOND which will, in theory, earn interest over time.
    Someone could then CASH THAT BOND and Apple would have to pay them the face value of the bond plus any accrued interest.

    What is the interest rate?
    When does it fully mature?
    What is the money going toward?
    Are there guarantees? (Typically there are with a bond.)
    What will Apple do with the money?
    What other little gotchas are there?

    1. Re:You're All Fucking Retarded by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      More interesting is that they have 250 BILLION in cash on hand, now we should clarify that this is tied up in Ireland because they don't want to pay taxes they owe on it. But yes, exactly this, they are issuing a bond for something they could spend 0.4% of their cash reserves and finance for themselves. I see a green colored iPhone in the works perhaps that will be what is "issued" for this bond.

      Profiteering at its best.

    2. Re:You're All Fucking Retarded by gazelam · · Score: 1

      Exactly! As an investment, I'd like a lot more information in a prospectus than some feel-good California sensibilities. Has the prior green bond had a good return, or is it even stable value? I fault the news media (not Apple so much) in not asking the proper questions for these kinds of stories. Typical headline grabbing eyeballs with no substance for the actual story.

    3. Re:You're All Fucking Retarded by JBMcB · · Score: 1

      Someone could then CASH THAT BOND and Apple would have to pay them the face value of the bond plus any accrued interest.

      .... after it matures.

      --
      My Other Computer Is A Data General Nova III.
  32. I'd rather see Apple pledge to conform to... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Industry standard battery/data connections and get out of the proprietary cable /adapter business. Now, this would be a true gesture of Apples' willingness to "save the planet".

  33. That 1bn isn't going to evade taxes on its own... by CaptnCrud · · Score: 1

    Lets look at the 2016 eligibility:

    We selected projects that represent the breadth of environmental work we are
    undertaking at Apple. A broad range of teams submitted projects for an allocation
    of Green Bond proceeds. The Green Bond Project Review team selected projects
    based on the following criteria:
      Alignment with eligibility criteria
      Refection of our three environmental priorities
      Measurability of environmental benefts
      Magnitude of environmental benefts
      Feasibility to track and audit project expenditure

    Sounds great! is this available to any global team deemed worthy?

    Nope, this money goes to apple and its own internal green projects. I.E. Apple just gave themselves 1 bn to develop money saving and "green" tech that mostly just applies to them.

    I have no problem with them developing what they want with their own money....but let's call a spade a spade....this is tax evasion, pure and simple.

  34. Kind of a waste, but whatever .... by King_TJ · · Score: 1

    Unless a switch to "Green energy" makes economic sense, it doesn't make any sense. I could decide to heat and cool my home and power everything in it without any fossil fuels being burned at all if I got funding for a mini nuclear power plant in my back yard. But it'd NEVER make any real economic sense to do it (even if you assume all the safety issues are handled far better than today's reactors handle them).

    I'd be better served by Apple cutting prices on its products, rather than financing the latest politically-correct or trendy Green energy initiative that wasn't able to justify its existence to any traditional lenders. But no ... Instead, we're supposed to pay $129.99 each for the new Apple wireless keyboards (with non-replaceable rechargeable batteries inside them). What a value, right?

    1. Re:Kind of a waste, but whatever .... by mean+pun · · Score: 1

      Unless a switch to "Green energy" makes economic sense, it doesn't make any sense.

      What? 'What you're doing damages the environment' is now not an argument at all?

    2. Re:Kind of a waste, but whatever .... by King_TJ · · Score: 1

      "What you're doing damages the environment." is an argument, but not one that just means everybody should start forking out money left and right, in some kind of foolish notion that the problem will vanish if only enough dollars are thrown at it.

    3. Re:Kind of a waste, but whatever .... by mean+pun · · Score: 1

      "What you're doing damages the environment." is an argument, but not one that just means everybody should start forking out money left and right, in some kind of foolish notion that the problem will vanish if only enough dollars are thrown at it.

      No, of course not, but sometimes forking out money does help solve the problem. Talking in generalities doesn't help very much.

  35. Re:Better than taxes. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    So, we all know that it's just a clever tax dodge for them and now Apple is bad, but when they support everyone else paying through taxes, it's good? Yeah, right.
    Slashtard liberal idiots.

  36. Re:Apple should bash trump and Republicans indirec by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Jimmy, Bob and Bill, this is Carol in HR. Chris will be conducting a sensitivity training class at 3PM today. Be there or be fired.

  37. Re:Ah, the famed "idiot tax" by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    By todays "Republican" standards, the idiotic left also paid for the foundations of what just allowed you to type out that idiotic message on a magical box and send it through the magical intertubes:

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_the_transistor
    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ENIAC
    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ARPANET

    All paid for under guberment contracts which paved the way for the private industry to develop tools and expertise to build what we have today.

    Talking to Republicans is like talking to a day trader...

    Day trader: "Hahaha I just took my profit for 10%!"
    10 years later, company is worth 30x more...

  38. Re:Ah, the famed "idiot tax" by RoccamOccam · · Score: 0
    http://wallstreetpit.com/89671.... From the article:

    "Hardly surprising, we see that in a two-party split, 60-80% of welfare recipients are Democrats, while full time Workers are evenly divided between parties.

    "You have similar results in this recent NPR-Poll. Among the Long Term Unemployed, 72% of the two-party support goes to Democrats.

    "It appears that once more common sense is right and the impression left by the New York Times wrong. Indeed, people who live off the government disproportionally support Democrats.

    "Given that Krugman is aware of the Gellman-Paradox, he should have reported the individual level data first instead of wasting everyone’s time with state-level aggregation that we already know is wrong. Instead he acknowledged that state level data is probably wrong (to get cover), then goes ahead and relies on the wrong method anyway, since it produces the results he wants. The false impression that Republicans use more welfare is already spread around the internet by liberals who still trust Krugman."

  39. Re:Apple should bash trump and Republicans indirec by kfh227 · · Score: 1

    That of course would mean that Apple nees to violate their mission statement:

    "Apple designs Macs, the best personal computers in the world, along with OS X, iLife, iWork and professional software. Apple leads the digital music revolution with its iPods and iTunes online store. Apple has reinvented the mobile phone with its revolutionary iPhone and App Store, and has recently introduced iPad 2 which is defining the future of mobile media and computing devices."

    "Apple is committed to bringing the best personal computing experience to students, educators, creative professionals and consumers around the world through its innovative hardware, software and Internet offerings."

  40. Re:Apple should bash trump and Republicans indirec by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    OK, but tell him to wash first this time, and to eat his toenails before the class. The last time he grabbed his foot to his mouth he was wearing short shorts, and I'm still working that image out of my mind...

  41. Re:Wow by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    The mental gymnastics of Trump supporters are amazing...

    1. Paris accord and the NATO green fund (i.e. you're precious tax dollars) are two separate things.
    2. Contributions to the NATO green fund would benefit the US because those funds which are 'sent' to other countries are used to 'buy' production from US companies. But it's not OK because environmentalism is a dirty left idea, and deals like the Saudi Arabia Arms deal are genius and bestest thing ever! YUGE!
    3. These corporations aren't using their own money... you do understand what a bond is right?

    I'm honestly thinking that this is the long term effects seen before the EPA was established... Pollutants must be cause some sort of mental retardation with a significant portion of the population... Either that or the US education system.

  42. Re:Ah, the famed "idiot tax" by Ichijo · · Score: 2

    Nice try, but the idea of Red State Socialism (Republican states get more federal spending than they pay in federal taxes) is well supported.

    --
    Any sufficiently unpopular but cohesive argument is indistinguishable from trolling.
  43. Paris Accord by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    A fool and his money are soon parted

  44. Climate change? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Can someone point to a time in the history of our big blue ball of fun when the climate has not changed?

    1. Re:Climate change? by mean+pun · · Score: 2

      How about the last 10000 year? See https://xkcd.com/1732/.

  45. Re:Ah, the famed "idiot tax" by RoccamOccam · · Score: 1

    Also, a nice try, but read the article. "Red states" may get more federal funding, but not all of the people in each state are "red" or "blue". In fact, in most states the difference between Democrat and Republican voters is less than 10%. So, if the Democrats in a state are disproportionately receiving a large share of federal largesse, it says nothing about the Republicans in that state.

  46. Re:Ah, the famed "idiot tax" by RoccamOccam · · Score: 1

    All part of the defense of the country. That's a tenet of conservatives - defense of the country is one of the most legitimate responsibilities of the federal government.

    From your articles:

    Although ENIAC was designed and primarily used to calculate artillery firing tables for the United States Army's Ballistic Research Laboratory,[5][6] its first programs included a study of the feasibility of the thermonuclear weapon.[7]

    The Bell Labs work on the transistor emerged from war-time efforts to produce extremely pure germanium "crystal" mixer diodes, used in radar units as a frequency mixer element in microwave radar receivers.

    ARPANET was initially funded by the Advanced Research Projects Agency (ARPA) of the United States Department of Defense.

    By today's "Democrat" standards, the idiotic right set the foundations of what just allowed you to type out that idiotic message on a magical box and send it through the magical intertubes.

    Hoist by your own petard, it would seem.

  47. Re:Apple should bash trump and Republicans indirec by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    I would be more impressed if so-called environmentalists actually cleaned up their own backyard first. This includes having less children, smaller homes, smaller cars and being vegetarian. My experience is that a lot of these folks talk a good game but do fuck all when it comes down to their personal lives. They must be living on the idea that buying a Tesla and having a government accord that has no measure of real accountability is somehow going to fix things. Of course, the vast majority of them have a million excuses as to why they don't own an EV.... but don't let that stop them from running their mouths.

    I would be more impressed if people wanted to promote a better way of life instead of using science like a club to bash others while not really living the life they're talking about.

    I would be more impressed if the so-called "Science!" crowd actually got out and active in their science community. I do community outreach with an astronomy club and out average donations for a star party night is about as much as what it would cost a family of four to go to the theater to see the latest sci-fi movie. For us, a dollar per visitor is doing very very well. Hollywood is (very literally) going to make more money from their first 10 dim-minded consumers than a nonprofit organization promoting science makes with the work of a couple dozen volunteers, hundreds of thousands of privately owned telescopes and countless hours of knowledge and effort. Stop acting like you're all "Science!" and actually work with those of us who are really trying to promote the idea of science.

    I would be more impressed if people stopped flogging what is a dead horse in the minds of many and went for the low hanging fruit instead. Instead of attacking people why not raise up those who are already on board but don't know how to go about producing results? Does a bit of positive energy really mindfuck people like you so badly?

    I would be more impressed if people who find favor for what some of these smaller governments and companies like Apple doing would start holding their feet to the fire and ask "Why the fuck haven't you been doing this all along?" Why did it take a token move by Trump to spur these "concerned" people into action? If they had the money and power to do it all along they should have been doing it all along. Instead they let it go and turned it into politics... by doing this they fucked you and only did The Right Thing(tm) when it was in the form of political capital. How the fuck doesn't that piss off a real environmentalist?

  48. Libertarians Glad You Finally Get It by Rockoon · · Score: 1

    Thanks for finally coming back to the same conclusion liberalism had 150 years ago.

    Signed, -Libertarians.

    --
    "His name was James Damore."
  49. Re:Apple should bash trump and Republicans indirec by mysidia · · Score: 1

    That of course would mean that Apple nees to violate their mission statement:

    Maximizing profit is not in conflict with their mission statement.
    Doing all of those things listed in their mission statement have proven extremely profitable.

  50. Re:Ah, the famed "idiot tax" by Ichijo · · Score: 1

    Let's not get into hypotheticals. The important point is that red states tend to get more federal funding than they pay in federal taxes, while blue states tend to pay more in federal taxes than they receive in federal funding. So the Democratic states subsidize the Republican ones.

    --
    Any sufficiently unpopular but cohesive argument is indistinguishable from trolling.
  51. Re:Ah, the famed "idiot tax" by RoccamOccam · · Score: 0

    But, the Democratic voters get more federal funding than they pay in federal taxes, while Republican voters tend to pay more in federal taxes than they receive in federal funding. So, the Republican voters subsidize the Democratic ones. That's a much more important distinction.

  52. Good job Timmy! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Now can you make your own products without slave labor, make them upgradable and recyclable?

    Or are you just giving slush money to slush funds?

    Hmmm....let's see....I'll bet there's never any report where it all goes.

    Time to switch back to Windows.

  53. Re:Ah, the famed "idiot tax" by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Most major military bases are located in red states, hence more federal money.

  54. AHAHA Anonymous Coward by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Yeah 1 billion dollar for them is like a bar of chocolate for us xD. It's just bothering them... By the way if you are interested How to build iOS apps and how to get real profit I recommend this link http://bit.ly/2tooQge It helped me a lot, I have an app with already 30.000 downloads and it really works.

  55. Prorect the planet by manu0601 · · Score: 1

    Apple's Lisa Jackson says they are working to "protect our shared planet".

    This is a common misconception. Our goal should be to maintain the planet's ecosystem compatible with human life. The planet will perfectly cope with our removal because we do not fit anymore.

  56. Phonies! by MoarSauce123 · · Score: 1

    Apple should make their products repairable, provide replacement parts, publish maintenance manuals, and stop releasing new models every year. That would do way more for the environment and drastically lower carbon footprint and e-waste than a billion dollar PR stunt does.

  57. Nonsense post by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Complete nonsense linking a private company's "green bond" offering to the President's pulling out of wasting billions of dollars of taxpayers money on a slush fund for bureaucrats in Europe. More trolling by the media.

  58. Re:Ah, the famed "idiot tax" by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Cite Please

  59. Really Apple? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    ....And yet all of Apple's manufacturing and money is overseas avoiding taxes and supporting the USA. Really Apple?

  60. Re:Ah, the famed "idiot tax" by RoccamOccam · · Score: 1
    https://books.google.com/books...

    "... in 2003, the average Republican man paid about 48 percent ($5,100) more than his Democratic counterpart in total Federal taxes, including FICA contributions. The average Republican woman paid about 34 percent ($3,400) more than her counterpart."

    http://wallstreetpit.com/89671... [wallstreetpit.com]. From the article:

    "Hardly surprising, we see that in a two-party split, 60-80% of welfare recipients are Democrats, while full time Workers are evenly divided between parties.

    "You have similar results in this recent NPR-Poll. Among the Long Term Unemployed, 72% of the two-party support goes to Democrats.

  61. Re:Better than taxes. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    And WTF do they need to issue a bond for?!? They are sitting on a pile of cash that would make Scrooge McDuck jealous.

  62. Why do they need to borrow? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    I don't know much about economics of a corporation, but why do Apple need to borrow when they sit on a shit load of cash?
    Or is it more of a marketing strategy saying "look, we're a great company, we try to invest and improve environment protection"?