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Apple's New iPhone Built With Illegal Overtime Teen Labor (bloomberg.com)

Apple's main supplier in Asia has been employing high-school students working illegal overtime to assemble the iPhone X in an effort to catch up with demand after facing production delays, the Financial Times reported on Tuesday, citing several teenagers involved. From a report: A group of 3,000 students from the Zhengzhou Urban Rail Transit School were sent to work at the local facility run by Taiwan-based Hon Hai Precision Industry, known as Foxconn, as part of a three-month stint that was billed as "work experience," and required to graduate, the Financial Times reported. Six of the students told the FT they routinely worked 11-hour days assembling Apple's flagship smartphone, which constitutes illegal overtime for student interns under Chinese law. Apple said an audit did find instances of student interns working overtime, adding that they were employed voluntarily, were compensated and provided benefits, but that they shouldn't have been allowed to work overtime.

157 comments

  1. As long as it is voluntary by scourfish · · Score: 2, Insightful

    That could very well not be true.

    However, if it was voluntary, then I see no reason why they should have the government tell them that they can't make more money if they don't wanted to. Their body, their choice.

    1. Re:As long as it is voluntary by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      We are ordering you to volunteer for this. Not saying you have to, but it would be a shame if something were to "happen" to your parents.

    2. Re:As long as it is voluntary by evolutionary · · Score: 2

      This was true in Japan (it was voluntary meaning, if you didn't do the "voluntary" overtime, you were unofficially blacklisted with virtually every other major corporation in Japan), at least until the public scandals got so bad, it was an embarrassment that the Japanese government decided maybe it wasn't such a good idea. (there was hospital footage on news media that wasn't helping Japan's image). Are you saying, government's should allow results like these? It can be very expensive in countries that have effective national health care.

      --
      "Imagination is more important than knowledge" - Einstein
    3. Re:As long as it is voluntary by gnick · · Score: 2

      Tiny: Volunteer duty!
      Cole: I didn't volunteer.
      Tiny: You making trouble again?
      Cole: No; no trouble.

      --
      He's getting rather old, but he's a good mouse.
    4. Re:As long as it is voluntary by magarity · · Score: 2

      However, if it was voluntary, then I see no reason why they should have the government tell them that they can't make more money if they don't wanted to. Their body, their choice.

      Did you miss the part about how working there in the first place was a requirement to graduate their high school? That throws a bucket of cold water on any theories about how overtime was voluntary. And as for getting paid, they almost certainly are billed for housing and food until there is no actual take away pay.

    5. Re:As long as it is voluntary by Tablizer · · Score: 2

      Their body, their choice.

      At least in US law, one is under the supervision of parents until 18. Thus, it may be the parent's choice. But poor parents may wear their kids out to merely make ends-meet, and the students' education could suffer. When freedom meets starvation and illness, the philosophy of "freedom" gets messy and ugly.

    6. Re:As long as it is voluntary by GameboyRMH · · Score: 1

      Or, you know, you were to become homeless and possibly starve to death. Your body, your choice!

      --
      "When information is power, privacy is freedom" - Jah-Wren Ryel
    7. Re:As long as it is voluntary by ShanghaiBill · · Score: 5, Informative

      I doubt if any of this is voluntary. The job itself is not voluntary. All students in all schools are required to work 3 months in a factory (or on a farm) to instill solidarity with the proletariat. The only other option is a 3 month military training stint. They are paid the same wages as an entry level full time worker/farmer/soldier.

      I doubt if the overtime is voluntary either. You can't run an assembly line with half the assemblers missing.

      Mandatory overtime is legal in America, and is fairly common, so I don't see what the big deal is here. 11 hours of work isn't going to kill anyone, and the majority likely appreciated the extra pay.

    8. Re:As long as it is voluntary by DontBeAMoran · · Score: 2

      You think 11 hours of work every day for three months is not going to kill anyone?

      --
      #DeleteFacebook
    9. Re:As long as it is voluntary by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      How is it 'voluntary' for a student if it's required to graduate?

    10. Re:As long as it is voluntary by AK+Marc · · Score: 0

      Mandatory overtime is legal in America

      Define "mandatory".

    11. Re: As long as it is voluntary by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      >i throw shade over a repressive human-rights violating country because I like the shiny things the produce

      what a faggot!

    12. Re:As long as it is voluntary by scourfish · · Score: 1

      Did the schools require overtime to graduate, or just normal working hours?

    13. Re:As long as it is voluntary by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      they almost certainly are billed for housing and food until there is no actual take away pay.

      Almost certainly? How about almost certainly not? You think there wouldn't be stories in every clickbait rag if that were the case?

    14. Re:As long as it is voluntary by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Way to not read. Routinely (as quoted in TFA) is not the same thing as every day. Every work day? You might be able to get away with that, but then there isn't even an indication that that would be true either.

    15. Re:As long as it is voluntary by tsqr · · Score: 1

      Mandatory overtime is legal in America

      Define "mandatory".

      OK.
      mandatory: authoritatively ordered; obligatory; compulsory

      Any other questions?

    16. Re:As long as it is voluntary by pr0fessor · · Score: 1

      Mandatory overtime is legal in America, and is fairly common

      Only to a certain extent some jobs that require certification, a license, or fall under OSHA regulations also have rules about the number of hours someone can perform a task. A trucker get's 14 hours where he is only allowed to drive 11 hours in a 24 hour period then must have 10 hours of down time.

      It may be mandatory overtime but even if the job isn't one of the exceptions a companies liability increases as the person works longer. If someone is injured because of fatigue from working to much mandatory overtime the company is then liable for the medical cost and loss of wages and other possible legal liabilities.

    17. Re:As long as it is voluntary by clovis · · Score: 3, Interesting

      You think 11 hours of work every day for three months is not going to kill anyone?

      It might if you were a patient of these people: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/...
      But unlikely if you're a young person.

      The article did not say they were working 7-day weeks, nor was it every day, but if it were so, that's only a 77 hour week.
      Many of us here on Slashdot have worked projects that called for putting in those kind of hours for months, and I'll bet some are working like that right now. The difference us and the Foxconn kids? They get paid for the overtime and we don't.

    18. Re:As long as it is voluntary by ShanghaiBill · · Score: 3, Informative

      Define "mandatory".

      If the boss says "We have a big order coming in, so everyone has to work 10 extra hours next week so we can ship on time", and you refuse, then you can be fired.

      Of course, if you have a valid reason for refusing the extra work, then you can explain that to your boss, and he would likely accommodate your needs. But that is between you and the boss, and not up to the government.

      This may not be true in all states, but there is no federal restriction on firing someone for refusing overtime work, nor do most states prohibit it.

    19. Re:As long as it is voluntary by LynnwoodRooster · · Score: 2

      Mandatory overtime is legal in America, and is fairly common, so I don't see what the big deal is here. 11 hours of work isn't going to kill anyone, and the majority likely appreciated the extra pay.

      Except for minors and teens. Sorry about that...

      --
      Browsing at +1 - no ACs, I ignore their posts. So refreshing!
    20. Re:As long as it is voluntary by magarity · · Score: 1

      Did the schools require overtime to graduate, or just normal working hours?

      The schools require the kids to be sent to the factory so the administrators can get a sweet payoff. Once the kids are at the factory it's comically naive to think the school administrators care.

    21. Re:As long as it is voluntary by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      They get paid for the overtime and we don't.

      If you don't get paid for overtime, your company is in legal trouble.

    22. Re: As long as it is voluntary by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      You forgot to mention the other difference: compensation.

      What's the value of being paid overtime if instead of a handful of peanuts they got two handfuls. It is still peanuts.

    23. Re:As long as it is voluntary by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      > but if it were so, that's only a 77 hour week.

      77 hours at a factory is different than 77 hours at a desk. There might even be quite a bit of down time (waiting for code to compile, test results to come back, etc.). I know some people play games in that time.

    24. Re:As long as it is voluntary by ShanghaiBill · · Score: 1

      Except for minors and teens. Sorry about that...

      You should read your own citation. The restrictions it describes only apply to teenagers 15 yo and younger. The Chinese students in TFA are older than that, and what happened to them would have been legal in America.

    25. Re:As long as it is voluntary by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      They get paid for the overtime and we don't.

      If you don't get paid for overtime, your company is in legal trouble.

      Not if you work in IT.
      Exemption for Employees in Computer-Related Occupations Under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA)
      https://www.dol.gov/whd/overtime/fs17e_computer.pdf

    26. Re:As long as it is voluntary by n329619 · · Score: 1

      If the boss says "We have a big order coming in, so everyone has to work 10 extra hours next week so we can ship on time", and you refuse, then you can be fired.

      I thought between a civilized employer and employee is an employment 'contract', not a 'slave trade'.

      If the contract said yes, then yes you work the extra hours as "mandatory". If the contract said no, then f*ck no don't work the extra hours unless there's a new agreement.

    27. Re:As long as it is voluntary by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      oh yes... Apple... as always.. you are a shiny beacon of hope and morality!
      oh Apple... how may we serve you today? I have before me, the holy statue of Steve Jobs, in a pose where he is refusing charity!

    28. Re:As long as it is voluntary by evolutionary · · Score: 1

      In Canada you are required to pay 1.5 times the standard pay (if worker makes a claim) if you work more than 44 hours/week in the province in Ontario and a max of 48 hours per week.

      http://quickbooks.intuit.ca/r/...

      --
      "Imagination is more important than knowledge" - Einstein
    29. Re:As long as it is voluntary by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      The USA really is a third-world country.

    30. Re: As long as it is voluntary by DontBeAMoran · · Score: 1

      The lower your pay check, the more important each dollar becomes.

      --
      #DeleteFacebook
    31. Re:As long as it is voluntary by painandgreed · · Score: 1

      Mandatory overtime is legal in America, and is fairly common, so I don't see what the big deal is here. 11 hours of work isn't going to kill anyone, and the majority likely appreciated the extra pay.

      Breach of contract most likely. Because of the scrutiny that Apple's labor practices get, I bet they have it in their contract with Foxconn to not pull stuff like this because it would be bad publicity. Theoretically, Foxconn has a similar contract with the factory. Now that these breach of contracts have been revealed, Apple is forced to see those contracts upheld or the breach punished or face bad PR (resulting in lost sales) for something they didn't even want to happen.

    32. Re:As long as it is voluntary by painandgreed · · Score: 1

      You think 11 hours of work every day for three months is not going to kill anyone?

      Sounds like a light grad student load.

    33. Re: As long as it is voluntary by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Yep. Programmers get screwed.

    34. Re:As long as it is voluntary by clovis · · Score: 1

      > but if it were so, that's only a 77 hour week.

      77 hours at a factory is different than 77 hours at a desk. There might even be quite a bit of down time (waiting for code to compile, test results to come back, etc.). I know some people play games in that time.

      Good point - those hours are not the same at all.
      Many assembly line jobs are bad for the health in ways that are much worse than sitting all day is bad for you.

    35. Re:As long as it is voluntary by easyTree · · Score: 1

      The USA really is a third-world country.

      Sure, talk yourself up the league table.

  2. Apple has used this company, no matter what by evolutionary · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Okay, Foxconn, had a rep for inhumane human labor practices, including making people stand for 12 hours assembling iphones. Foxconn doesn't change it's stripes because of a little embarrassment, and Apple know it. Much like the Gap, Joe Fresh, Blue Navy (owned by the Gap), continue to use manufacturers that quietly hire child labor no matter how many times similar scandals come up. If Apple really cared, they would stop using Foxconn whose reputation for what we consider basic human decency let alone laws relating to it, is very poor. If WE really cared about any of these issues, we would stop buying iphones (we can always get used ones if it MUST be an iphone), or better yet get a phone with an open source android derivative (Replicant, Cyanogen, LinageOS), but as people with eager faces prepare to sign either a free phone for a 3 year contract or plot $700 USD for the newest iphone, it seems pretty clear where our priorities are. And no matter how many times we see stories like this, we'll keep buying iphones. So Apple will keep using Foxconnm, who will repeat profitable inhuman labor practices.

    --
    "Imagination is more important than knowledge" - Einstein
    1. Re:Apple has used this company, no matter what by tlhIngan · · Score: 4, Interesting

      Okay, Foxconn, had a rep for inhumane human labor practices, including making people stand for 12 hours assembling iphones. Foxconn doesn't change it's stripes because of a little embarrassment, and Apple know it. Much like the Gap, Joe Fresh, Blue Navy (owned by the Gap), continue to use manufacturers that quietly hire child labor no matter how many times similar scandals come up. If Apple really cared, they would stop using Foxconn whose reputation for what we consider basic human decency let alone laws relating to it, is very poor. If WE really cared about any of these issues, we would stop buying iphones (we can always get used ones if it MUST be an iphone), or better yet get a phone with an open source android derivative (Replicant, Cyanogen, LinageOS), but as people with eager faces prepare to sign either a free phone for a 3 year contract or plot $700 USD for the newest iphone, it seems pretty clear where our priorities are. And no matter how many times we see stories like this, we'll keep buying iphones. So Apple will keep using Foxconnm, who will repeat profitable inhuman labor practices.

      And who do you suggest Apple uses? All the other CMs are exactly the same - or worse. In fact, the Apple lines at Foxconn are generally the lines that are the most humane - Apple has forced changes in the way its products are build such that Foxconn's Apple lines really do behave quite ethically. Now, you might ask why Samsung, etc., aren't demanding the same of their CMs (who also include Foxconn), because every criticism of Apple's labour certainly applies to them.

      You could ask Apple force Foxconn to clean things up, and I'm sure Apple would actually love to. Except well, it might not be so great if Apple finds problems with the lines making competitor's products just around launch time. Imagine Apple forcing Samsung to halt Galaxy S/Note production before launch because of bad labour practices.

      And your "open source android" phone really just shows you're an android fanboy ranting, because like I said, except for very few phones out there, all the big ones have exactly the same problem. Even worse, because only Apple decided to clean house, much to the annoyance of a lot of workers (who wanted to work overtime for more money, but Apple's overtime limits prevent that).

    2. Re:Apple has used this company, no matter what by oh_my_080980980 · · Score: 0

      Oh look some ass-hole defending Apple using slave labor....

    3. Re:Apple has used this company, no matter what by evolutionary · · Score: 2

      I'm a "fanboy" of freedom, privacy and choice. And the reasons I specifically mentioned android VARIANTS and not Android is because I KNOW android has spy hooks in the OS (and in iOS as well). Yes most do have issues, but we do the best we can with the best knowledge we have, which I try to add on Slashdot. I'm sceptical in general and to my sadness have been proven invariably right.

      If you are actually interested in a phone that is supposedly made for public benefit (rather than government/corporate interests) as this company claims to be one. (time will tell)

      https://puri.sm/shop/librem-5/

      It's supposedly an open source PHONE, not just an OS. It's the same price as a new iPhone or Android upper end phone but hopefully will empower YOU, the one who pays for it. Your welcome.

      --
      "Imagination is more important than knowledge" - Einstein
    4. Re:Apple has used this company, no matter what by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Interesting

      You know that APL has 200 billion in it's bank, right? It could literally build it's own manufacturing plant with overpaid unionized workers with stupidly good benefits anywhere in the world and have enough to stop selling anything and survive for at least a decade. Bringing other phones into the argument is unecessary because no other company has the liquidity and the hyper-loyal fanbase.

      No other company is in this unique position, but time and again, has proven bottom line > all. Not surprising really.

    5. Re:Apple has used this company, no matter what by eth1 · · Score: 1, Interesting

      And who do you suggest Apple uses? All the other CMs are exactly the same - or worse.

      (speaking from a US perspective) I suggest that when we discover some company operating anywhere in such a way that would violate US labor or environmental laws if they were operating domestically, that the US totally ban imports of any products of that company, as well as other products incorporating those products, for a period matching the length of the violation plus 12 months. That means they need to be paid at least the US min. wage, etc. ("That company" to include anything in the corporate ownership "tree" such that you can't just transfer stuff to another subsidiary)

      That should make it sufficiently risky that anyone wanting to sell their crap here should shape up a a bit. Yes, prices would go up, but I'm fine with that.

    6. Re:Apple has used this company, no matter what by datavirtue · · Score: 1

      Apple has the power to change this. They just don't find it convenient to do so.

      --
      I object to power without constructive purpose. --Spock
    7. Re:Apple has used this company, no matter what by Waccoon · · Score: 1

      And who do you suggest Apple uses?

      Themselves? For being nearly a trillion dollar company, I find it amusing that Apple is a hardware manufacturer and yet doesn't own any of their own factories because it would cost them a few extra bucks.

      Lots of companies subcontract though Foxconn and other Chinese companies, but Apple gets most of the blame because they're big and popular. That's unfair. However, Apple is in a position where they could do something if they want to, and they choose not to because they're addicted to making money (and funneling taxes) just like everyone else. You make it sound like Apple has no options and is just a victim of the market. They are the market.

    8. Re:Apple has used this company, no matter what by evolutionary · · Score: 1

      Imagine...phones with better quality release cycles, at least from reports I'm reading on the iPhone X release.

      https://www.macworld.co.uk/new...
      http://www.techradar.com/news/...
      https://www.engadget.com/2017/...

      --
      "Imagination is more important than knowledge" - Einstein
  3. made in red china now if they need an unlock by Joe_Dragon · · Score: 0

    made in red china now if they need an unlock on some phone how fast will get done?? faster then it takes to file paper work to fight the FBI in court?

  4. Iphone X by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    But can it run Crysis?

  5. You don't seem to understand by rsilvergun · · Score: 5, Insightful

    the definition of 'voluntary'. It's no longer voluntary if you've set up a society where you have no other viable options. This is why we don't let people sell themselves into slavery. Because if you're at the point where you're selling yourself into slavery then you're no longer at the point where anything is truly voluntary.

    Said it before, I'll say it again, you're not a free man (or woman) so long as somebody else controls your access to food, shelter and medicine. Until then you're one step away from being made to do whatever the person in charge of those things wants.

    --
    Hi! I make Firefox Plug-ins. Check 'em out @ https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/youtube-mp3-podcaster/
  6. Come on by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    Who really believes that this isn't the case for all smart phones, of all brands? Come on, let's not be too naive. This is the sad truth of the tech world.

    1. Re:Come on by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Informative

      The bit that's crazy about this story is actually the source for the FT - It was Apple. This wasn't a bunch of journalists doing investigatory journalism and uncovering something. This was Apple did its own internal audit, discovered abuses, and punished the company carrying them out.

      I bet you won't find the other phone manufacturers busy auditing their suppliers for abuses like that.

    2. Re:Come on by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Who really believes that this isn't the case for all smart phones, of all brands? Come on, let's not be too naive. This is the sad truth of the tech world.

      Apple is the Walmart of the online/hardware world as far as suppliers are concerned. So no surprise shit is happening. Of course if Apple REALLY cared it would bring back production into the US or any advanced country that doesn't condone child labour.
      But then it wouldn't be able to make AS MUCH PROFIT AS IT DOES NOW. Mind you Apple would still be profitable selling iphone/ipads/etc... made in the US and/or EU. It's all about the green god and fuck everybody else. Late stage unbrindled capitalism.

    3. Re:Come on by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Apple was forced to due to all their competitors routinely trying to dig up dirt on them.

    4. Re:Come on by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Poor poor persecuted apple. Make me so sad.

    5. Re:Come on by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      Didn't read the article, but the summary specifically states that their own audit **found nothing wrong**. The article in question is the journalists claiming that the employees were forced to.

      So I'm not sure what you're talking about.

  7. what will happen in scott walker's non union WI! by Joe_Dragon · · Score: 1

    what will happen in scott walker's non union WI!

    When the new plant opens?? at least they will the have brat stop and mars cheese castle to pay give free stuff to help you on your 12 hour shift.

  8. Zhengzhou on Reddit! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Hah, I lived in Zhengzhou for a year. What a dump, even by Chinese standards. Fun fact: Henan (the province ZZ is in) is the AIDs capital in China because they had a vaccine program and the morons didn't change out the needles regularly because of some ancient superstition. Now, Luoyang. That's a beautiful city, and somewhere I want to get back to someday.

    Do you think your Wu Tang style can defeat me?

  9. Happens every time Apple launches a new product by rsilvergun · · Score: 1

    This is hardly news anymore. At a certain point we either start demanding parity in how workers are treated or just admit that an iPhone is more important. For a lot of folks for whom the iPhone gets them access to a robust social network (in the form of iMessage) the answer is the latter.

    --
    Hi! I make Firefox Plug-ins. Check 'em out @ https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/youtube-mp3-podcaster/
    1. Re:Happens every time Apple launches a new product by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      What phone do you use, and where was it made? Go ahead, google until you find one not made in China or Brazil or some other third world country and then tell the lie that that's your phone.

    2. Re:Happens every time Apple launches a new product by datavirtue · · Score: 1

      "At a certain point we either start demanding parity in how workers are treated or just admit that an iPhone is more important"

      I second that.

      --
      I object to power without constructive purpose. --Spock
  10. is it the same kids, now in high school... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    that assembled previous versions as grade schoolers?

    1. Re:is it the same kids, now in high school... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      that assembled previous versions as grade schoolers?

      A tax evading child labour friendly company. That's Apple for you. And fuck all the retards that buy their products.

  11. People are hypocrites by zippo01 · · Score: 1

    I giggle when I see posts list this as you see so many people who act like they give a damn use/sponsor IPhone or other apple products. knowing the conditions they are built in and the use of child labor.... I don't really care, just dont act holier than thou

    1. Re:People are hypocrites by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I giggle when I see posts list this as you see so many people who act like they give a damn use/sponsor IPhone or other apple products. knowing the conditions they are built in and the use of child labor....

      I don't really care, just dont act holier than thou

      You'd be hard pressed to find an Apple product in my home or on my person. Apple is a despicable company and since the kind of products they make are also made by many other brands I have no qualms buying elsewhere.

      I can't support a company that hoards half a billion dollars in cash and compains about repatriating that money to the US because of "taxes".

    2. Re:People are hypocrites by DontBeAMoran · · Score: 1

      Like it or not, you have something in your house that was made, in whole or in part, by Foxconn.

      --
      #DeleteFacebook
    3. Re:People are hypocrites by zippo01 · · Score: 1

      The difference is I don't speak out against it on hand and buy an apple product with the other. I'm an asshole and don't care.

  12. Meanwhile on Android... by SuperKendall · · Score: 1, Troll

    A few teens worked overtime on Apple phones - meanwhile on Android phone assemblers were literally abused and child labor is routine instead of irregular.

    But who cares right, because Not Apple.

    --
    "There is more worth loving than we have strength to love." - Brian Jay Stanley
    1. Re:Meanwhile on Android... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Citation needed.

    2. Re:Meanwhile on Android... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I like to spew unfounded fanboy stuff too, it's fun.

    3. Re:Meanwhile on Android... by oh_my_080980980 · · Score: 0

      Another ass-hole defending Apple using slave labor....

    4. Re:Meanwhile on Android... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      SuperKendall is a Trump disciple; you can't expect citations or substantiations from those people, all they're good at is deflection and whataboutism.

    5. Re:Meanwhile on Android... by PmanAce · · Score: 2

      Deflection is not a valid defense strategy.

      --
      Tired of my customary (Score:1)
    6. Re:Meanwhile on Android... by Khyber · · Score: 1

      Spoken like a pacifist fuckwit that's never held a blade in their life.

      --
      Still waiting on Serviscope_minor to wake up to fucking reality and realize that Jessica Price isn't going to fuck him.
  13. Re: Kids these days... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Isnâ(TM)t there some kind of court order keeping you from talking about kids on the internet?

  14. So what? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Deadlines are important.

  15. he's a moron...for not using balloons by slashmydots · · Score: 2

    If that Felix guy got practically into orbit with balloons and that juts sounds easier, safer, and cheaper, then why doesn't this guy use them? Whatever, I hope he dies.

    1. Re:he's a moron...for not using balloons by slashmydots · · Score: 1

      You know, I have this strange feeling that I left this comment on the wrong story lol.

    2. Re:he's a moron...for not using balloons by DontBeAMoran · · Score: 1

      My question is, how do people end up doing this by mistake?

      --
      #DeleteFacebook
    3. Re:he's a moron...for not using balloons by slashmydots · · Score: 2

      Index shift on 0-based transaction in the database...just kidding, I had 2 tabs open.

  16. Meanwhile by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    $1k phone

  17. Child labor for Fun and Profit by WCMI92 · · Score: 1

    Of course Apple has to keep those 2000% profit margins...

    --
    Corporatism != Free Market
  18. "illegal overtime to assemble the iPhone X" by Tablizer · · Score: 1

    So, these students are "generation X"?

  19. Re:Kids these days... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Remember when you said going to mexico and marrying an "underage" girl would be "getting the most bang for your retirement dollars"
    For the sake of full disclosure you said someone you heard of did this. Not you. But you did use all the words I've enclosed in quotes and another time you said that you could liquidate your assets and retire to mexico and marry a "chica".
    And you seem passionate about your incorrect belief that underage marriage is legal in much of the usa.
    I'd personally ruin rather ruin my adolescence with 11 hours of apple than 24 hours of creimer.

    If you think that's bad, come over to the U.S. and do 12-hour days.

    What the hell are you talking about. You have repeatedly said you don't do anything at your taxpayer funded workplace and you have years of extensive shitposting to support this claim.

  20. Apple doesnt care because customers dont care by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Well as long as Apple is ok with it, then the rest of us should be too. Right? Now go run and pick up that new iphone.

  21. Re:Kids these days... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Which in your case is 11 hours shitposting on Slashdot, 30 minutes eating power bars, and 30 minutes doing whatever it is you're actually supposed to do?

  22. Re: As someone that had a full time job... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Kids are lazy these days. Where I work, the employees in their twenties take about three times as much vacation time as the ones in their forties. They are lazy.

  23. Updates by TopSpin · · Score: 4, Insightful

    It's been a while since we've seen one of these stories and it appears that some new and refined rationalizations have developed. New entries checked at the end of the list. Props to scourfish, cdreimer, zippo01, SuperKendall and several ACs for your contributions.

    Apple/Foxconn worker and environmental exploitation rationalization worksheet

    Check all that apply

    [_] Making iPhones in a Chinese factory is better than being a Chinese peasant
    [_] iPhones/Pads would cost too much if I had to pay my fellow citizens to make them
    [_] iPhones/Pads would cost too much given environmental regulations I vehemently insist on for myself
    [_] All the other manufacturers are doing it too
    [_] Some/Many/Most Chinese workers appreciate 70 hour weeks and breathing my aluminum dust
    [_] It's not Apple, it's Foxconn
    [_] It's not Apple, it's the Chinese government
    [_] They should quit if they don't like it
    [_] It's just capitalism at work
    [_] It's just communism at work
    [_] Apple's disposable workers are paid better than non-Apple disposable workers
    [_] Apple's auditors didn't find any serious issues
    [_] Some day the Chinese will be too wealthy to exploit
    [_] Your Android is Foxconn too
    [_] You're an Apple hater using Apple as a scapegoat
    [_] I also work 60/80/100/120 hour weeks at my IT job
    [_] Apple designers are in the US
    [_] The US did the same thing to the British
    [_] The US had slaves once too
    [_] The US has prison labor today
    [_] It's up to the Chinese to stand up to their oppressive government
    [_] There are lines of eager workers outside Foxconn factories
    [_] If any company were to stop the exploitation, I really think it'll be Apple
    [_] Your free Linux runs on Chinese hardware too
    [_] Foxconn workers think they have it great, so it's ok!
    [_] Foxconn worker suicide rate is lower than Chicago's murder rate
    [_] Foxconn worker suicide rate is lower than China's suicide rate
    [_] We can't pollute the whole world!
    [_] Half of all US households have an Apple product
    [_] If we don't exploit them they'll never develop
    [_] The suicide's families get the insurance money
    [_] You're posting from a macbook/iphone/ipad right now
    [_] There are suicide nets on American bridges
    [_] Interns in the US don't get paid
    [_] They don't beat the workers, apparently.
    [_] Why is this news? We expect this from China.
    [_] It's their country; we have no right to judge.
    [X] If it's voluntary it's ok; their body, their choice.
    [X] Only 11 hours/day? Come over to the U.S. and do 12-hour days!
    [X] Things are tough all over; I had a job in high school.
    [X] Isn't this the case for all smart phones, of all brands?
    [X] Android phone assemblers were abused worse

    --
    Lurking at the bottom of the gravity well, getting old
    1. Re:Updates by Baron_Yam · · Score: 1

      >Making iPhones in a Chinese factory is better than being a Chinese peasant

      Actually, option one should be taken seriously.

      Maybe you get some nice warm fuzzies if you stop child labor (even child prostitution in some areas of the world), but you're probably not thinking about the fact that without that work they're probably starving beggars on the road side. Not for long though, if they're really starving.

      It's important where that could be true to worry more about providing better opportunities than attempting to ban the current unpleasant practices.

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

      America has more starving / homeless people than China.
      China has plenty of food.

  24. Wait - Wired Was Right??? by filesiteguy · · Score: 3, Informative

    There was an article discussing the mandatory overtime and sometimes low pay for these mega factories. I am not at all surprised things haven't changed.

    https://www.wired.com/2010/11/thomas-lee-foxconn/all/1/?viewall=true

  25. Re: Kids these days... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Lame.

  26. You're training is now complete.... by oh_my_080980980 · · Score: 1

    Welcome to the dark side Apple. Your destination was never in doubt. Just ask the citizens of Cupertino or Ireland...

  27. Making Apple great again by ChunderDownunder · · Score: 3, Interesting

    I guess this is what Tim Cook meant about conquering the Chinese education market. To the victor go the spoils but surely there are UN conventions about child labour in POW camps.

    Although hopefully these Chinese students are learning to Think Different and that this will be the generation of young people that finally overthrows the one party state of their great grandparents, tired of being worker slaves for tax-avoiding California-based multinationals.

    With Trump promising to bring home manufacturing, high school students across the USA will be demanding equal opportunity. Every child will get a free iPhone as part of their education, provided they do the appropriate number of shifts at their local Apple Inc factory.

    1. Re:Making Apple great again by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Although hopefully these Chinese students are learning to Think Different

      Learning to think that after 3 months of 11hrs/day a boring old low paying 9-5 job is a dream come true! Viva the party state!

    2. Re:Making Apple great again by datavirtue · · Score: 1

      Totally forgot about Think Different....the reminder is chilling seeing how far removed they are from that.

      --
      I object to power without constructive purpose. --Spock
  28. Re:Kids these days... by DontBeAMoran · · Score: 2

    Bob Porter: Looks like you've been missing a lot of work lately.

    Peter Gibbons: Well, I wouldn't exactly say I've been missing it, Bob.

    Bob Slydell: You see, what we're trying to do is get a feeling for how people spend their time at work so if you would, would you walk us through a typical day, for you?

    Peter Gibbons: Yeah.

    Bob Slydell: Great.

    Peter Gibbons: Well, I generally come in at least fifteen minutes late, ah, I use the side door - that way Lumbergh can't see me, heh - after that I sorta space out for an hour.

    Bob Porter: Da-uh? Space out?

    Peter Gibbons: Yeah, I just stare at my desk, but it looks like I'm working. I do that for probably another hour after lunch too, I'd say in a given week I probably only do about fifteen minutes of real, actual, work.

    Peter Gibbons: You see, Bob, it's not that I'm lazy, it's that I just don't even care.

    Bob Porter: Don't- don't care?

    Peter Gibbons: It's a problem of motivation, all right? Now if I work my ass off and Initech ships a few extra units, I don't see another dime, so where's the motivation? And here's another thing, I have eight different bosses right now.

    Bob Porter: Eight?

    Peter Gibbons: Eight, Bob. So that means when I make a mistake, I have eight different people coming by to tell me about it. That's my only real motivation is not to be hassled, that, and the fear of losing my job. But you know, Bob, that will only make someone work just hard enough not to get fired.

    --
    #DeleteFacebook
  29. Re: As someone that had a full time job... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Or perhaps they have other values and arent enslaved by studentloans and a mortgage?

    Naaaaaw.. better to just shit on entire generations like an outoftouch old fart.

  30. Re: Kids these days... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Yea back in creimers day you could marry a 12 year old wild thing and get away with it. Stupid laws.

  31. Re:Kids these days... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    It's funny in concept. The reality is that when you're a temp worker who isn't really working and isn't building up skills, you enjoy the slack time in the short term but you're pretty much fucked when you go out to find your next job. This is particularly true when you're an older worker. Creimer doesn't have savings and recently declared bankruptcy and doesn't have family to help support him. He doesn't even have a car to live in. I fully expect that the next downturn in the economy will leave him homeless.

    Sad part is, Creimer is using this slack off time not to build up skills, not to enjoy himself, but to communicate with a bunch of people on the internet who dislike him and make fun of him (for some masochistic reason probably related to a childhood of being hated). If he's committed to fiddling away while the winter's coming, at least he should be doing something actually enjoyable.

  32. Required to graduate by HalAtWork · · Score: 2

    "A group of 3,000 students from the Zhengzhou Urban Rail Transit School were sent to work at the local facility run by Taiwan-based Hon Hai Precision Industry, known as Foxconn, as part of a three-month stint that was billed as "work experience," and required to graduate"

    How is that voluntary? In that they volunteer to have the desire to graduate high school?

  33. Voluntary how? by ilsaloving · · Score: 1

    If they are required to do that work in order to graduate, how exactly is it voluntary?

    They keep using that word, but I do not think it means what they think it means.

  34. Apple runs sweatshops by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    How's that for a clickbait-y title, folks?

  35. I wish I was paid for overtime by eggstasy · · Score: 1

    Presenteeism ftw. I am 38 years old and do the same fucking stupid shit as I did 16 years ago. I get paid more, for absolutely no reason, as I fully expect younger people to have more energy and motivation, as well as the copious spare time to learn this week's popular brand of bullshit tech.

  36. Re: Kids these days... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    There are 27 states don't have a minimum age for marriage. Under the "right" circumstances, you can marry a 12-year-old girl. Out of 50 states, only New Jersey is trying to eliminate child marriages entrely.

  37. Bad headline again by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    The headline says illegal labor. According to Chinese law there was nothing illegal about the labor they used. The labor Foxcon used was against Apple's policies.

  38. Re:Kids these days... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    A fat man works just hard enough not to get fired
    everyone around him is quite tired
    I guess they got C.D. Reimered

  39. Re:Kids these days... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    So you weren't even mad when you suggested that one of your trolls was molesting his children and you would call CPS on them? Were you mad when you took a legal gamble by abusing DMCA claims and then admitted doing so on your public blog. Were you not mad when you made a 3000 word blog post about deleting slashdot? Were you not mad when you made a "Slashdot FAQ" for your trolls and then reposted it in 2016? Were you not mad when you said that your trolls had made slashdot into a hell for you? Were you not mad when you dox'd lilly ayako?

    Anyhow if you were using your downtime to add information security credentials to your resume your security clearance and FBI work history would have you making at least 30k more every year. Why don't you use your insurance to get a life coach/therapist and have them help you concentrate on low risk/high return goals instead of wandering around looking for lotto scratchers, risky investment schemes, and low return internet grifting schemes.

    Even though you're not making good money for silicon valley you're in a great spot to develop your career. "Cyber" is so hot right now and even the stupidest motherfuckers manage to make bank with a few cheesy certs. This opportunity won't last forever. At the very least you could find an even better position with no other qualified applicants just like you're doing now, and then resume fucking off once your health and welfare are secured beyond the next economic downturn. Sure sure you have some stock scheme, yeah those are famous last words.

  40. Re:Kids these days... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Posting two comments per day is hardly communicating. The dumpster fires from those two comments per day are very amusing.

    That's not true. You were posting as AC until we refused to discuss anything with you except for your mexican child bride incident and other choice lows from your posting history.

  41. Re:Kids these days... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    You sound bitter, sweet tits.

  42. Re:Kids these days... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Have you stopped raping your 12 roommates yet?

  43. The reason why it is so cheap by Gabest · · Score: 1

    Or do you want to pay $2000?

  44. Re:Kids these days... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Have you stopped raping your neighbors' goats?

  45. meh by Hugh+Jorgen · · Score: 0

    if it was Elon Musk whipping them to make government subsidized vehicles the media would be applauding him for instilling work ethic. They're not Apple and employees and Apple's due diligence does have a point of demarcation. The story is as slanted as the eyes of these kids.

  46. Motorola had factories in the states by rsilvergun · · Score: 2

    that treated workers just fine (and with the sorts of protections we expect American workers to have). They only did it because they thought being able to have a phone to market 6 months sooner (because no ocean shipping) was worth it. When those benefits didn't materialize they moved right back to China. But at no time where they ever unprofitable due to high labor costs. The labor barely factored in. But why leave money on the table when you don't have to. Indeed, if you do your shareholders will oust you first chance they get. Or else you'll get Bained in a leveraged buyout when somebody notices the money left on the table and gets a loan from the bank to buy your company out in a hostile takeover.

    The world works the way it does because we let it. We let it because we're greedy, short sighted and lack worker solidarity. It's got nothing to do with actual economics and everything to do with people being generally awful.

    --
    Hi! I make Firefox Plug-ins. Check 'em out @ https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/youtube-mp3-podcaster/
    1. Re: Motorola had factories in the states by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      You know that ocean shipping don't take 6 months right? Maybe in the beginning of the 1900s. Nowadays it takes less than 40 days even counting ports paperwork. I call BS as the reason for Motorola having factories in the USA.

    2. Re:Motorola had factories in the states by evolutionary · · Score: 1

      Just an interesting FYI, was recently told that prices of labor in China are going up. At least in renovating condos, which are typically sold to first buyers unrenovated (meaning bare concrete floors and walls), probably to lower initial purchase cost, but not really liveable unless you like living in a high altitude cave. It's pushing people who were waiting for renovation labor costs to drop, to move forward as they costs are currently going up instead. If that trend continues in other labor sectors, maybe these companies will move to Vietnam. (have to build plants but it's been happening with clothing and footwear, why not tech...)

      --
      "Imagination is more important than knowledge" - Einstein
  47. Re:Kids these days... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    There once was a fat man
    who lived in a tiny apartment
    his neighbors watched in wonderment
    as he screamed "yes I can"
    running towards the goat farm

  48. Re:Kids these days... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    You did have to declare bankruptcy after making $30,000 (you're still paying off debt consolidation). $30,000 is a nice enough amount of money, but it's certainly nothing to retire on. If you currently really have only $6,000 in savings, as an aging IT worker with no support network and a higher chance of large medical bills...you have pretty much proven the point that you are a likely candidate for future homelessness.

    A quality percent of dividends is 4%. $30K with 4% dividends is like...$100/month. You could turn that $6K into $30K, and then turn it again into $150K, and you'd still be lucky to make dividends of $500/month.

    Posting two comments per day is hardly communicating.
    Somewhere between 30-50% of the comments in creimer threads are you posting as AC, obviously.

  49. Re:Kids these days... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Either you suck as a stock picker or you're lowballing the numbers for creimer. I prefer stocks and bonds that pay 5% to 10% in dividends.

  50. Apple users enable human exploitation by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    When you buy Apple products, please stop to consider the exploited masses being preyed on by Apple. When you claim to want a living wage for workers and claim you don't mind paying extra in defense of increasing labor costs, then you are a hypocrite if you continue to buy Apple products. /sincerely, Android user

  51. Re:Kids these days... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    10% dividends & bonds, are you kidding? LOL. If that was really reliably possible, why would anybody invest in anything else? You have no idea what you're talking about.

    The S&P 500 average for dividends is 2.5%, and sure you can do better, but in a down economy 5% payback would be unrealistic. And as for bonds, currently the junkiest of junk bonds are paying 6%, and of course you have to worry about defaults (which happen more often in a down economy).

    Anyway, who cares. Even if Creimer gets magical consistent 10% returns, $6K would be lucky to last him two months, and even the hypothetical $150K would yield him not enough dividend money to even cover a studio apartment.

  52. You've got the headline wrong by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    It should read

    "Apple does what it does every time there is a new model of iphone released"

  53. Re:Kids these days... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    You're not going to get 10% dividends during a downturn and come out of the recession quintuple the value of the same horde, especially if you've been laid off as your office's LVP and have to use your dividends to live on. Not to mention if you did manage to pull all that off you're going to be complicating your ability to ride out the recession on welfare.

    You know what would be a great plan to avoid a recession? Spending your entire bus ride studying for a security certification. You would have the trifecta: Security Clearance, FBI on your resume, and a foot in the door riding on your security cert. They're constantly hiring absolute tools to work in infosec because they have no choice (same way you got your current job) except the pay is much higher.

    In another 5 years though, maybe there will be no more cyber shortage, the economy will be recovering from the impending recession, you'll have lost your job as a result and subsequently your security clearance will get revoked as your finances will be in such a mess you'll be lucky to stretch your nestegg far enough to keep a roof over your head and food on the table.

    Don't forget every time there is a recession all the unemployed people go to community college and re-enter the workforce into IT closet cleaning jobs. So that won't be an option for you this time, even in silicon valley. As you've said many times it's possible to live on 55k there and that will sound absolutely rad to some guy who just finished his IT cert after getting replaced by robots from some previous menial job.

    Tick tock creimer will you continue on your self destructive path of lotto tickets, monetized youtube videos, and shitposting or pursue goals with a low risk/high payoff?

    Really all you need to do to pursue them is slightly modify part of your already well established routine.

  54. This is exactly... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    ...what has slowly screwed America over. American companies that outsource to other countries to make larger profits because those countries have no ethical values. The American government needs to charge an "Outsource Tax" that is just a smidgen higher than it would cost Apple to higher skilled workers here in the US to make their phones. Fuckin' socialist asshats need their clocks cleaned!

  55. Re:Kids these days... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    If you want to talk to creimer, why don't you reply directly to him? Not every AC is named Chris and not every AC is a shitty stock picker.

  56. It's all abut the Hypocrisy by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    It's interesting that you think he was defending Apple instead of simply pointing out you are a bunch of fucking hypocrites.

    Where is your post complaining about Android assembly practices which are, by any measure, worse?

    And yet you and others harp on Apple while using products made with far less accountability. If you all actually cared you'd all be using Apple stuff because at least they try - but obviously you are not. Therefore you do not really care about child labor issues; you just hate Apple. Fair enough but why do you have to fuck over children in the process, you heartless monster?

  57. U SOUND BITTER BLUBBER TITS by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Because keeping all creimer-related posts deeply nested is important:
    1) It reduced the amount of clutter your two measley -1 posts a day can generate for the 98% of slashdot users who never want to see you again and don't care to troll or laugh at you
    2) It practically guarantees that anyone down here is one of your trolls or you. This strips you of your ability to sockpuppet AC

    The only thing anyone will ever see is maybe your first -1 post and if they see that they'll see a few ACs reminding everyone that you think marrying underage girls is about getting the most for your retirement dollar. Nobody but you, me, and lilly ever sees what goes on down here fatty.

    1. Re:U SOUND BITTER BLUBBER TITS by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      A fat man is ironically invisible
      kicking and screaming into obscurity
      His name is Chris

    2. Re:U SOUND BITTER BLUBBER TITS by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      So Lilly is the last troll. Good to know.

    3. Re: U SOUND BITTER BLUBBER TITS by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Chris you have at least 2 trolls, I don't even know if Lilly is a real person. What makes you think that a tokyo Cafe maid would be interested in trolling a fat retard on a dying English language website?

      Does that really make sense to you? Where did you even come up with this shit? It's so retarded that sometimes I think about it and spontaneously start laughing out loud.

    4. Re: U SOUND BITTER BLUBBER TITS by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I'm the dummy that originally signed up cdreimer sometime in June. I did it for the same reason you start laughing out loud; here was this colossal idiot rambling on and on about his content and his "author blog" and his dozens of ebooks and he has to "protect his copyrights or risk losing them"... and he didn't even sign up the "cdreimer" user name to protect his precious copyright!!

      Of course, being a total newb to the whole on-line insult busines (creimer is so obnoxious that in over 30 years online, I've never felt the need to mock another user, and I've lived through Tim Rue on the Amiga boards!), I signed up cdreimer, promptly made fun of creimer and got my karma nuked to terrible because of my gauche trolling attempts.

      Sometimes I also just laugh at the silliness of an obese 50 year old virgin kicking up a fuss about an imaginary copyright on his abysmal ebooks.

      Just too much.

    5. Re: U SOUND BITTER BLUBBER TITS by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Shut up, Lilly!

    6. Re: U SOUND BITTER BLUBBER TITS by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Sometimes I also just laugh at the silliness of an obese 50 year old virgin kicking up a fuss about an imaginary copyright on his abysmal ebooks.

      I like imagining being in the creimer-world where a dastardly decora girl in tokyo teams up with FakeFuck1986 (Known bad husband and father) to pirate his valuable intellectual property, make russian schoolboy dating profiles with his telephone number, and most of all steal his title as #3 most famous highly respected moderator and commentator on Slashdot.

    7. Re: U SOUND BITTER BLUBBER TITS by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      ...or you can just sign up here and see if we can figure out creimer

      https://groups.yahoo.com/neo/g...

    8. Re: U SOUND BITTER BLUBBER TITS by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I really dislike yahoo groups. Try this one: http://cdreimer.freeforums.net/

    9. Re: U SOUND BITTER BLUBBER TITS by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      You did read the TOS?

      ProBoards imposes certain restrictions on Your use of the Website and the Services. You represent and warrant that you will not: (a) "stalk" or otherwise harass any person, or contact any person who has requested not to be contacted;

    10. Re: U SOUND BITTER BLUBBER TITS by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Well we're not really stalking him but I know if I ran a free forum host I'd have a no drama policy for booting people.
      The proper place to meet is on a lolcow imageboard but I don't really have the heart to expose creimer to a bunch of chantards.

    11. Re: U SOUND BITTER BLUBBER TITS by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Well we're not really stalking him but I know if I ran a free forum host I'd have a no drama policy for booting people.
      The proper place to meet is on a lolcow imageboard but I don't really have the heart to expose creimer to a bunch of chantards.

      You don't consider keeping every comment by creimer at -1 and then shitposting 25+ comments for every comment is stalking? This has been going on for nearly three months.

    12. Re: U SOUND BITTER BLUBBER TITS by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Awww you sound bitter sweet tits!

    13. Re: U SOUND BITTER BLUBBER TITS by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      This isn't stalking it's community moderation. You were deliberately antagonistic and disruptive to the community on a community moderated website. Now the community is moderating you. You have circumvented the standard moderation system with an endless stream of sockpuppets, including sockpuppets who do nothing except spam story submissions because you know user interaction would destroy your karma. Even with a fresh new name we'd soon dislike your new identity just as much as your old one.

      So we have little choice but to watch you like a hawk and explain why we dislike you. Go away!

    14. Re: U SOUND BITTER BLUBBER TITS by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      This isn't stalking it's community moderation.

      Shitposting 25+ comments per comment. False narratives about child brides. Setting up forums outside of Slashdot. Dick pics with personal information.

      No wonder Slashdot is failing as a community.

    15. Re: U SOUND BITTER BLUBBER TITS by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I really dislike yahoo groups. Try this one: http://cdreimer.freeforums.net/

      Link broken. TOS violation.

    16. Re: U SOUND BITTER BLUBBER TITS by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Shitposting
      LOL, you're the last one to talk.

      False narratives about child brides.
      People are quoting what you said. Nobody is saying you went to Thailand and married a child bride. They said you're creepy for talking about it frequently with co-workers and on a technology board. Which is a fair point.

      Setting up forums
      While I agree that is kind of lame, who cares, why is that a bad thing?

      Dick pics with personal information.
      Yeah that was going too far, but I doubt more than a handful of people clicked on the links. I know I've never seen any such thing, and I follow you enough to make fun of you.

      No wonder Slashdot is failing as a community.
      I think allowing a person who intentionally says stupid inane things under both his own name and under sockpuppets to build up karma and who spams Amazon links to make $2/day is a larger problem. Now that you're moderated at -1, the people who don't specifically look for you will likely never even see your posts or any of the replies to them. Which is as it should be.

    17. Re: U SOUND BITTER BLUBBER TITS by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Looks like Team Creimer is ignoring the trolls to his recent comments. That must hurt.

  58. Re:Kids these days... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Everything is tied to the stock market via index funds. When the market falls, everything will drop like a rock when everyone and their AI sells their index fund at the same time. The best way to weather the storm is to buy stocks and bonds that ARE NOT in an index fund. Those usually pay higher dividends.

  59. Re:what will happen in scott walker's non union WI by unrtst · · Score: 2

    at least they will the have brat stop and mars cheese castle to pay give free stuff to help you on your 12 hour shift.

    What that hell happened to that sentence? Did you mean to type, "Dear aunt, let's set so double the killer delete select all"?

  60. Sorry I Had To by n329619 · · Score: 1

    Where's the 'All of the above' check box?

  61. Audit by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Apple does audits and puts policies in place to fix this. Most organization call this continuous improvement and it only happens in an environment of transparency. Apple should get kudos for getting on this first. Their track record will never be perfect, but what is important is that they care enough to try to make things better.

  62. Robots are coming for all factory jobs by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Just wait maybe a few years more to see how robots end these problems, for better or worse.

  63. Re: U SOUND BITTER RUBBER NIPS by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    "You don't consider keeping every comment by creimer at -1"

    Huh? *YOU* managed that all by yourself by being an obnoxious, unlikable PEST at every turn.

    " and then shitposting 25+ comments for every comment"

    Your entire posting history here is one long bowel movement, Chris.

    " stalking?"

    Stalking? Really?

  64. Re: Kids these days... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Huh? Every stock is in an index fund of some sort. Donâ(TM)t know if youâ(TM)re the same person, but again you have no idea what youâ(TM)re talking about. Like you donâ(TM)t even understand high school level fundamentals.

  65. Comment removed by account_deleted · · Score: 0

    Comment removed based on user account deletion