I write about Technology, Philosophy and Economics
Some of my OneZero, Marker and Featured stories:
And please use these links to find my other stories:
It’s criminal how we waste the time and potential of millions of people. And it’s crippling our economy.
It’s time to face up to the simple, obvious problem that stands like a devouring colossus over our economy, smothering progress and thus blighting our future: the massive and nonsensical waste of millions of people.
Am I talking about unemployment? Alas, no. Unemployment is indeed a very serious waste of resources. When millions are unemployed, the main problem is not, as many people see it, the welfare money that has to be paid to the unemployed. This is trivial compared to the real cost; the appalling waste of resources that unemployment represents. When people want to be working, want to…
But will Tim Cook be bold enough to go for it?
Apple makes some bold claims about the capabilities of its M1 processor — the new “Apple Silicon” system on a chip that powers its latest MacBook Air, MacBook Pro, and Mac mini.
World’s fastest CPU core in low-power silicon
World’s best CPU performance per watt
World’s fastest integrated graphics in a personal computer
…a quantum leap in performance at a fraction of the power.
Apple claims the MacBook Air, for example, has an “up to 3.5x faster CPU” and “up to 5x faster graphics” than its Intel-powered predecessor, despite no longer requiring a fan.
Obviously the use of the phrase…
Basic Income
And that stigma arises out of thoughtlessness.
Suppose you have a choice:
Option 1: You could take up a career that would earn you a lot of money, but would involve doing something which might actually be harmful to society as a whole. An obvious example would be a job that involves marketing very sugary drinks to kids — thus potentially causing all sorts of health problems.
Option 2: You could take up a career which pays very badly, but which would at least be making a very positive contribution to society — such as promoting a good cause of some kind.
You might think that people…
The naffest graphics this side of the Nineties
Medium has had a makeover. It’s got new graphics. And we have a wonderful word in British English to aptly describe them. And that word is, “naff.”
In case you’re not familiar with the term, “naff” means they’re severely lacking in style and good taste. They’re lame. They’re tacky. They’re…. naff!
The simple “M” logo, for example, has been replaced. The new logo (or “symbol,” as Medium calls it) consists of a circle and two ellipses.
What’s changed? What’s new? What’s back?
13th October 2020: Apple announces its new iPhone 12 range.
Have we already met?
From the iPhone 6 onwards, Apple has opted for variations on essentially the same rounded edge overall shape. There was nothing especially wrong with this shape and all these iPhones were good-looking phones.
But many people couldn’t help but miss the flat-sided design introduced with the iPhone 4 and continued with the 4S, 5 and 5S.
That Jony Ive design is widely acknowledged, even by Android fans, as an absolute classic of industrial design.
It was resurrected for the first-generation iPhone SE and somehow did not seem to have aged…
Or will the new system be even worse?
A writer’s existence, here on Medium, has long been dominated by the curation system. You wrote a story. It may have taken hours. It may have taken days. And then you had to submit it to the curators, who would accept it or reject it for reasons which were not always entirely clear.
If your story was curated, it got shown to people and had a chance to find an audience and perhaps earn you a little money.
But if your story was rejected, Medium wouldn’t show it to anyone. It disappeared into obscurity. …
Here’s why Apple stopped using Intel processors for Mac computers in favor of its own chips based on ARM designs
After 14 years of collaboration, Apple announced last month that it will no longer be using Intel’s processors for its Mac laptops and desktops. It will rely instead on Apple’s own processor designs, which, just like the chips it uses in its iPhones and iPads, are based on the ARM architecture developed by ARM Holdings, a British chip design firm.
It’s a move that has been long anticipated, driving feverish speculation in online forums for the last 10 years or so. …
Your statement is welcome — but your central argument is weak.
To: J.K. Rowling
From: Robert (or, if I choose, Roberta) Jameson
Dear JK,
Your statement on your “Reasons for Speaking out on Sex and Gender Issues,” is most welcome. As you recognise, Twitter is not the best platform for trying to conduct a nuanced conversation on any topic. It’s so much better that you have now explained your position in more detail on your own website. Thank you.
Let me start, in my reply, by saying that whilst we disagree on some issues, I am perfectly willing to believe that you are a thoughtful, kind person who is speaking out…
Coronavirus
When governments deprive us of fundamental freedoms, we should always question their right to do so.
Like many millions of other people around the globe during this coronavirus pandemic, I’m currently in lockdown.
I’m concerned about the coronavirus. It is clearly very dangerous. But as a fierce defender of freedom, I’m even more concerned about the loss of liberty we’re experiencing as governments impose lockdowns on their populations.
Don’t misunderstand me. I’m a very reasonable person. I’m broadly supportive of social distancing, if scientists say that will save lives. I would have happily cooperated with ‘stay at home’ advice if requested to do so. …
