rob2809
Mar 12, 04:22 AM
I am done! I have been waiting for ever.. Cannot wait any longer! I really need this new machine! It's essential in my job. This ************ is going to go on forever! I'm gonna... wait a little longer I guess.. :D
Lol :) Big �!! ...unfortunately
Lol :) Big �!! ...unfortunately
woxel1
Nov 27, 09:43 AM
It's true! All you need is cash.
jwa276
Sep 6, 09:58 AM
UGH why haven't they updated the MBP's yet?? Apple has totally dropped the ball on this year's college students for sure (at least those looking for apple laptops). My girlfriend is required to buy a MacBook Pro for interior design, and I keep telling her to wait because Merom has got to be right around the corner.
What about the laptops???? MBP's haven't been updated once and iMacs have been getting all the love. Count it!
What about the laptops???? MBP's haven't been updated once and iMacs have been getting all the love. Count it!
AndroidfoLife
Apr 15, 02:16 PM
You are aware that this is a Mac enthusist website.
Doesn't mean facts are not alowed here. I simply stated facts. Apple does not have the best hardware you can not say they do. They make great computers but there are always companies who will make a better product then them. Unlike software witch is a mater of Opinion hardware is a mater of Fact and Fact is apple does not have the best hardware. They purchase their hardware from the same places as everyone else.
Doesn't mean facts are not alowed here. I simply stated facts. Apple does not have the best hardware you can not say they do. They make great computers but there are always companies who will make a better product then them. Unlike software witch is a mater of Opinion hardware is a mater of Fact and Fact is apple does not have the best hardware. They purchase their hardware from the same places as everyone else.
elgruga
Nov 27, 11:25 AM
I find it hard to believe that anyone doesnt already have any Beatles tunes they want already.
Still if its good PR for Apple and further marginalises the zoon, thats OK by me.
Still if its good PR for Apple and further marginalises the zoon, thats OK by me.
BRLawyer
Apr 12, 02:52 PM
This is exactly what pisses me off about ordinary Brazilians: they are awfully unable to see the positives - instead, it seems like Brazil is a living hell, and this ever since the country was "discovered" in 1500.
For people like you the country will never be good enough, especially since you're neither patriot nor a believer in turning something for the better.
I think we live in different countries, because what you see here is:
through taxes, we pay the State for education. But if we want good education, we must buy back the private sector. We pay twice for the same service.
Brazil's best Universities are public; as for primary public schools, it's clear that the uniformization of our educational system has brought improvements, even though regional differences exist. But to generalize this is to forget how crappy the same public schools are in some regions of the US and Europe.
through taxes, we pay the state for health. But if we want good health, we need to buy again from private enterprise. We pay twice for the same service.
Again, speak for yourself. My parents haven't had private insurance for ages and the service they get is actually quite good where they live. You may suffer from long waits in bigger towns, but this is not AT ALL the same difficulty found in other places. Besides, the same doctors working in private hospitals may normally be found in public places.
through taxes, we pay the state for safekeeping. But if you want good security, we must buy back the private sector. We pay twice for the same service.
Another example of panic behavior by Brazilians; places like S�o Paulo have battled urban crime with clear results, with a homicide rate that is almost 3x lower than in places like DC, Detroit or New Orleans. If people stopped reading tabloids and watching cop shows, perhaps this myth could be busted more easily.
You DON'T need armored cars, you DON'T need bodyguards and you DON'T need private helicopters. Unless you are one of those scared mama's boys, of course.
through property taxes, we pay the State for good roads. But if you want good road, we need to pay tolls. We pay twice for the same service.
Property taxes are, by definition, NOT bound to road conservation only; besides, I'd rather pay for a great road (as we have now in many places) than expect potholes. Tolls are a fact of life in many countries, although I agree that they could be more reasonable in S�o Paulo and other states - whose fault is it? Perhaps our own for not pushing for collective transportation, instead of prioritizing cars for everything. And as society continues to protest, toll prices will surely go down - just don't expect things to change when you don't even contact your representative about that.
social security is a joke. Even if we pay the maximum amount for retirement, when we receive, we receive less than a third of the amount paid to social security.
Agreed, but this comes much more from public servants unwilling to let go of their privileges than anything else. The lobby is strong, you know...
no tools for punishing politicians who carry out crimes against the public budget. The politicians protect themselves. There is no transparency in public accounts.
Never in the history of Brazil have so many politicians and crooks been punished for their crimes, both in terms of electoral defeats and jail time. Another point that you seem to forget: in the past we didn't see anything and corruption continued unabated; now we see a LOT of stuff going on exactly because the police and judiciary are working more than ever before.
The weight tributary to the Brazilian state suffocates the taxpayers more and more.
Sure; but with the nation increasing its international participation, things will have to come down to more reasonable terms - but don't forget that the State NEVER wants to lower taxes, and this is true for any country out there.
we have the highest interest rates in the world. And there is no control over the banking spread.
There is no project for the country. Whether or not the government is PT or PSDB, little changes.
Again, too much pessimism for nothing; interest rates are high because our government still spends too much and needs to finance inefficiency as well as attract foreign capital. Everyone knows that and pressure is mounting to reduce this charge, which was MUCH higher some 8 years ago...just don't expect this to happen overnight.
As for projects, the growth of the country and its huge infrastructure initiatives speak for themselves. To deny this fact is to perpetuate this sickly negativity that only pushes Brazil down. Start looking at the half-full side of the glass, please.
For people like you the country will never be good enough, especially since you're neither patriot nor a believer in turning something for the better.
I think we live in different countries, because what you see here is:
through taxes, we pay the State for education. But if we want good education, we must buy back the private sector. We pay twice for the same service.
Brazil's best Universities are public; as for primary public schools, it's clear that the uniformization of our educational system has brought improvements, even though regional differences exist. But to generalize this is to forget how crappy the same public schools are in some regions of the US and Europe.
through taxes, we pay the state for health. But if we want good health, we need to buy again from private enterprise. We pay twice for the same service.
Again, speak for yourself. My parents haven't had private insurance for ages and the service they get is actually quite good where they live. You may suffer from long waits in bigger towns, but this is not AT ALL the same difficulty found in other places. Besides, the same doctors working in private hospitals may normally be found in public places.
through taxes, we pay the state for safekeeping. But if you want good security, we must buy back the private sector. We pay twice for the same service.
Another example of panic behavior by Brazilians; places like S�o Paulo have battled urban crime with clear results, with a homicide rate that is almost 3x lower than in places like DC, Detroit or New Orleans. If people stopped reading tabloids and watching cop shows, perhaps this myth could be busted more easily.
You DON'T need armored cars, you DON'T need bodyguards and you DON'T need private helicopters. Unless you are one of those scared mama's boys, of course.
through property taxes, we pay the State for good roads. But if you want good road, we need to pay tolls. We pay twice for the same service.
Property taxes are, by definition, NOT bound to road conservation only; besides, I'd rather pay for a great road (as we have now in many places) than expect potholes. Tolls are a fact of life in many countries, although I agree that they could be more reasonable in S�o Paulo and other states - whose fault is it? Perhaps our own for not pushing for collective transportation, instead of prioritizing cars for everything. And as society continues to protest, toll prices will surely go down - just don't expect things to change when you don't even contact your representative about that.
social security is a joke. Even if we pay the maximum amount for retirement, when we receive, we receive less than a third of the amount paid to social security.
Agreed, but this comes much more from public servants unwilling to let go of their privileges than anything else. The lobby is strong, you know...
no tools for punishing politicians who carry out crimes against the public budget. The politicians protect themselves. There is no transparency in public accounts.
Never in the history of Brazil have so many politicians and crooks been punished for their crimes, both in terms of electoral defeats and jail time. Another point that you seem to forget: in the past we didn't see anything and corruption continued unabated; now we see a LOT of stuff going on exactly because the police and judiciary are working more than ever before.
The weight tributary to the Brazilian state suffocates the taxpayers more and more.
Sure; but with the nation increasing its international participation, things will have to come down to more reasonable terms - but don't forget that the State NEVER wants to lower taxes, and this is true for any country out there.
we have the highest interest rates in the world. And there is no control over the banking spread.
There is no project for the country. Whether or not the government is PT or PSDB, little changes.
Again, too much pessimism for nothing; interest rates are high because our government still spends too much and needs to finance inefficiency as well as attract foreign capital. Everyone knows that and pressure is mounting to reduce this charge, which was MUCH higher some 8 years ago...just don't expect this to happen overnight.
As for projects, the growth of the country and its huge infrastructure initiatives speak for themselves. To deny this fact is to perpetuate this sickly negativity that only pushes Brazil down. Start looking at the half-full side of the glass, please.
Edge100
Nov 27, 01:20 PM
I also think that whoever has the remaining rights to this material realise that its shelf-life is almost up. In 5-10 years time, the broad appeal of much of this material may have less relevance to the average consumer and its perceived market-value may be far less.
That's not a comment on the merits of The Beatles' music; just my view based on many of the comments I read by what I am assuming are younger music listeners.
I'm 43, many of these songs are ingrained into my memory from childhood, but the only Beatles albums I would possibly be interested in are maybe 2-4 remastered CDs; I'm not interested in downloads at all. But to be honest, I don't feel that by not currently owning them that my music collection is lacking at all.
I disagree.
There will be Beatles songs that are removed from the public conciousness in the way you describe, but there will be others that live on. Likewise, the image of the Beatles is long-lasting. I think the time will come that Apple (Corps) will not be able to think up new ways of presenting the music, or people will tire of new ways of hearing the music. In that respect, the revenue stream might dry up.
But the image of the Beatles as the greatest pop/rock band, the music and social innovators, is enduring.
That's not a comment on the merits of The Beatles' music; just my view based on many of the comments I read by what I am assuming are younger music listeners.
I'm 43, many of these songs are ingrained into my memory from childhood, but the only Beatles albums I would possibly be interested in are maybe 2-4 remastered CDs; I'm not interested in downloads at all. But to be honest, I don't feel that by not currently owning them that my music collection is lacking at all.
I disagree.
There will be Beatles songs that are removed from the public conciousness in the way you describe, but there will be others that live on. Likewise, the image of the Beatles is long-lasting. I think the time will come that Apple (Corps) will not be able to think up new ways of presenting the music, or people will tire of new ways of hearing the music. In that respect, the revenue stream might dry up.
But the image of the Beatles as the greatest pop/rock band, the music and social innovators, is enduring.
Cougarcat
May 4, 11:37 PM
and waste data? i dont know...how useful is this...really?
You'd be able to update over Wifi too, of course.
others may find it useful, but why would one need to update on the go?
If you are away from your Mac that you sync with for an extended period of time.
I can't wait for this. Call me lazy, but I'm two small updates behind because I can't be bothered to sync my iPhone for fixes that don't affect me.
I'm hoping for wireless syncing with iTunes as well. The less I have to connect via a cable, the better.
You'd be able to update over Wifi too, of course.
others may find it useful, but why would one need to update on the go?
If you are away from your Mac that you sync with for an extended period of time.
I can't wait for this. Call me lazy, but I'm two small updates behind because I can't be bothered to sync my iPhone for fixes that don't affect me.
I'm hoping for wireless syncing with iTunes as well. The less I have to connect via a cable, the better.
willybNL
Oct 27, 07:31 AM
Oh dang, these firmware updates make me nervous... so im going to wait and let others be the guinea pig.
PS: This should save apple a ton of cash
The update solved some other problems too here... finally i got a good working and fast macbook! (whoh! damn it's fast now)
PS: This should save apple a ton of cash
The update solved some other problems too here... finally i got a good working and fast macbook! (whoh! damn it's fast now)
JAT
May 5, 10:15 AM
well considering the CFO of verizon said the unlimited data plans were not a long term solution, yeah it's pretty feasible to think that they won't keep it around forever.
http://reviews.cnet.com/8301-19512_7-20037878-233.html#ixzz1LUNQ3O00
So...are you on VZW? Do you actually have a care in this matter, or is it just another way to rant on others?
AT&T still has people on $30 unlimited because they are grandfathered in. So will VZW, if they actually change the plans.
http://reviews.cnet.com/8301-19512_7-20037878-233.html#ixzz1LUNQ3O00
So...are you on VZW? Do you actually have a care in this matter, or is it just another way to rant on others?
AT&T still has people on $30 unlimited because they are grandfathered in. So will VZW, if they actually change the plans.
BWhaler
Sep 4, 02:19 PM
What I need is a new MBP refresh with 160gig hard drive and no quality issues. A better GPU would be nice also.
But a new iPod nano sound great since my current one is scratched beyond recognition.
My wish list, which given it's been forever since Apple has updated the nano, shouldn't be too pie-in-the-sky:
1. 12 gigs
2. 20+ hour battery life
3. Scratch resistent
But a new iPod nano sound great since my current one is scratched beyond recognition.
My wish list, which given it's been forever since Apple has updated the nano, shouldn't be too pie-in-the-sky:
1. 12 gigs
2. 20+ hour battery life
3. Scratch resistent
Chris Bangle
Oct 16, 01:22 PM
So is there a possibility of a touchscreen ipod in the next two weeks or not.
bmsamson
Nov 7, 11:02 AM
Slap a Core 2 Duo in it, bump it up to a 15 or 15.4 inch screen and watch it become Apples best selling notebook ever.
:)
NOOOOO. not unless they come out with a 12" model in this new line of yours. some of us want our laptops truly portable!
impatiently waiting for my c2d macbook........
:)
NOOOOO. not unless they come out with a 12" model in this new line of yours. some of us want our laptops truly portable!
impatiently waiting for my c2d macbook........
eawmp1
Mar 28, 12:02 PM
Man, Apple keeps getting lower and lower. First Walmart, now this?
Uh, they've sold the iPhone 4. Who care WHERE you get it, it's still an iPad.
Uh, they've sold the iPhone 4. Who care WHERE you get it, it's still an iPad.
megapopular
Nov 12, 01:12 PM
Couldn't all Facebook apps also be approved by default, and only be given access to a user's personal information by explicit consent of that user?
Like the world has done such a bang up job of being trustworthy, lol. Apple has to do what they believe they have to do to survive and thrive. They haven't done it by the conventional/popular ways of thinking. I never said that Apple is perfect or that their approval process is just right. But it is what it is. People aren't all trustworthy, that's probably a reason why they clamp down (whether right or wrong in certain instances) on app approval.
Like the world has done such a bang up job of being trustworthy, lol. Apple has to do what they believe they have to do to survive and thrive. They haven't done it by the conventional/popular ways of thinking. I never said that Apple is perfect or that their approval process is just right. But it is what it is. People aren't all trustworthy, that's probably a reason why they clamp down (whether right or wrong in certain instances) on app approval.
MacinDoc
Sep 4, 09:20 AM
No, You can run OS X on non Macs but not legally under the EULA because currently Apple only sells OS X as an OEM with it's hardware or as an upgrade for systems that already come with a Mac OS.
So what. You can buy an upgrade package of winXP and install it on any computer well over 5 years old that had win98 installed on it. You didn't need to install WinMe, Win NT, or Win2000.
You are legally only allowed to install the stand alone OS X 10.4 software on systems that originally came with the Mac OS. It's an upgrade.
Yes, the point is that Apple is trying to prevent people from running OS X on non-Mac computers. End of story.
So what. You can buy an upgrade package of winXP and install it on any computer well over 5 years old that had win98 installed on it. You didn't need to install WinMe, Win NT, or Win2000.
You are legally only allowed to install the stand alone OS X 10.4 software on systems that originally came with the Mac OS. It's an upgrade.
Yes, the point is that Apple is trying to prevent people from running OS X on non-Mac computers. End of story.
mackarone
Jan 11, 12:53 PM
Maybe an inflatable Mac?
quigleybc
Sep 22, 01:15 PM
How could Wal Mart feel threatened by anything.
They are more powerful than most countries.
the ITMS has been kickin in full swing for years now, and Wal Mart still leads in CD sales, and music distribution by a long shot.
I hope this goes really public and gets exposed through the media, so everyone knows what WM is trying to do.
I would have loved to hear the phone call between Jobs and Lee.
They are more powerful than most countries.
the ITMS has been kickin in full swing for years now, and Wal Mart still leads in CD sales, and music distribution by a long shot.
I hope this goes really public and gets exposed through the media, so everyone knows what WM is trying to do.
I would have loved to hear the phone call between Jobs and Lee.
Chupa Chupa
Sep 12, 03:44 PM
I'm stopping at the Apple Store after work to (hopefully) get the 8GB. I wish it came in other colors. I really like the pink and the green.
They are in stock there already?
They are in stock there already?
Hastings101
May 5, 09:16 AM
Why so many negatives, I love 3D stuff when it's done correctly. Lots of fun in my opinion. Though I really doubt Apple would put a 3D screen on the iPad.
QuarterSwede
Apr 2, 08:53 AM
Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/5.0 (iPhone; U; CPU iPhone OS 4_3 like Mac OS X; en-us) AppleWebKit/533.17.9 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/5.0.2 Mobile/8F190 Safari/6533.18.5)
Hmm, a better camera? Well I never...
Seriously though, I just hope this megapixel bump comes with improvements to the sensor...that's why the iP4 camera looks better than the 8MP Evo
I would guess that if they bump the iPhone's camera there is some other benefit since Apple generally doesn't play the specs game. Is 8MP enough for decent 1080p video?
Hmm, a better camera? Well I never...
Seriously though, I just hope this megapixel bump comes with improvements to the sensor...that's why the iP4 camera looks better than the 8MP Evo
I would guess that if they bump the iPhone's camera there is some other benefit since Apple generally doesn't play the specs game. Is 8MP enough for decent 1080p video?
Mr Lizard
Nov 7, 12:19 PM
Dude, that's the specs for the current Macbook.
Well, yes and no. The title of the page reads 'Core 2 Duo'. The page also states it's available to pre order, with a release date of the 13th.
Granted, the body of the page refers to the original Core Duo chip, but it's safe to assume that at least Play.com believes they have a new product to sell from the 13th onward.
Well, yes and no. The title of the page reads 'Core 2 Duo'. The page also states it's available to pre order, with a release date of the 13th.
Granted, the body of the page refers to the original Core Duo chip, but it's safe to assume that at least Play.com believes they have a new product to sell from the 13th onward.
Full of Win
Apr 2, 12:03 AM
I hope this is true!!!
How is Sony's track record with sensors though?
Let's go Fall! (Not even WWDC ;))
They make all of Nikons sensors, even the high end D3S and D3X dSLRs ones. They also made (or make?) Canon point and shoot sensors; at least as of a few years ago. Sony was one of the first with backlit CMOS as well.
Oh, and I think Pentax, if you want to consider them a camera compay, uses Sony sensors.
How is Sony's track record with sensors though?
Let's go Fall! (Not even WWDC ;))
They make all of Nikons sensors, even the high end D3S and D3X dSLRs ones. They also made (or make?) Canon point and shoot sensors; at least as of a few years ago. Sony was one of the first with backlit CMOS as well.
Oh, and I think Pentax, if you want to consider them a camera compay, uses Sony sensors.
citizenzen
Mar 15, 02:08 PM
Top 10 defense contractors employ over 1 million people. If you cut their federal contracts by 40%, how many people will they have to lay off, 40%? 30% 20%. Do the math. Defense cuts need to be slow and steady over many years so we can absorb these workers.
Excerpts (http://mondediplo.com/2008/02/05military) from Le Monde Diplomatique, february 2008 ...
Why the US has really gone broke
Global confidence in the US economy has reached zero, as was proved by last month’s stock market meltdown. But there is an enormous anomaly in the US economy above and beyond the subprime mortgage crisis, the housing bubble and the prospect of recession: 60 years of misallocation of resources, and borrowings, to the establishment and maintenance of a military-industrial complex as the basis of the nation’s economic life.
There are three broad aspects to the US debt crisis. First, in the current fiscal year (2008) we are spending insane amounts of money on “defence” projects that bear no relation to the national security of the US. We are also keeping the income tax burdens on the richest segment of the population at strikingly low levels.
Second, we continue to believe that we can compensate for the accelerating erosion of our base and our loss of jobs to foreign countries through massive military expenditures — “military Keynesianism” (which I discuss in detail in my book Nemesis: The Last Days of the American Republic). By that, I mean the mistaken belief that public policies focused on frequent wars, huge expenditures on weapons and munitions, and large standing armies can indefinitely sustain a wealthy capitalist economy. The opposite is actually true.
Third, in our devotion to militarism (despite our limited resources), we are failing to invest in our social infrastructure and other requirements for the long-term health of the US. These are what economists call opportunity costs, things not done because we spent our money on something else. Our public education system has deteriorated alarmingly. We have failed to provide health care to all our citizens and neglected our responsibilities as the world’s number one polluter. Most important, we have lost our competitiveness as a manufacturer for civilian needs, an infinitely more efficient use of scarce resources than arms manufacturing.
Fiscal disaster
It is virtually impossible to overstate the profligacy of what our government spends on the military. The Department of Defense’s planned expenditures for the fiscal year 2008 are larger than all other nations’ military budgets combined. The supplementary budget to pay for the current wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, not part of the official defence budget, is itself larger than the combined military budgets of Russia and China. Defence-related spending for fiscal 2008 will exceed $1 trillion for the first time in history. The US has become the largest single seller of arms and munitions to other nations on Earth. Leaving out President Bush’s two on-going wars, defence spending has doubled since the mid-1990s. The defence budget for fiscal 2008 is the largest since the second world war.
But there is much more. In an attempt to disguise the true size of the US military empire, the government has long hidden major military-related expenditures in departments other than Defense. For example, $23.4bn for the Department of Energy goes towards developing and maintaining nuclear warheads; and $25.3bn in the Department of State budget is spent on foreign military assistance (primarily for Israel, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, the United Arab Republic, Egypt and Pakistan). Another $1.03bn outside the official Department of Defense budget is now needed for recruitment and re-enlistment incentives for the overstretched US military, up from a mere $174m in when the war in Iraq began. The Department of Veterans Affairs currently gets at least $75.7bn, 50% of it for the long-term care of the most seriously injured among the 28,870 soldiers so far wounded in Iraq and 1,708 in Afghanistan. The amount is universally derided as inadequate. Another $46.4bn goes to the Department of Homeland Security.
Missing from this compilation is $1.9bn to the Department of Justice for the paramilitary activities of the FBI; $38.5bn to the Department of the Treasury for the Military Retirement Fund; $7.6bn for the military-related activities of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration; and well over $200bn in interest for past debt-financed defence outlays. This brings US spending for its military establishment during the current fiscal year, conservatively calculated, to at least $1.1 trillion.
More to follow.
Excerpts (http://mondediplo.com/2008/02/05military) from Le Monde Diplomatique, february 2008 ...
Why the US has really gone broke
Global confidence in the US economy has reached zero, as was proved by last month’s stock market meltdown. But there is an enormous anomaly in the US economy above and beyond the subprime mortgage crisis, the housing bubble and the prospect of recession: 60 years of misallocation of resources, and borrowings, to the establishment and maintenance of a military-industrial complex as the basis of the nation’s economic life.
There are three broad aspects to the US debt crisis. First, in the current fiscal year (2008) we are spending insane amounts of money on “defence” projects that bear no relation to the national security of the US. We are also keeping the income tax burdens on the richest segment of the population at strikingly low levels.
Second, we continue to believe that we can compensate for the accelerating erosion of our base and our loss of jobs to foreign countries through massive military expenditures — “military Keynesianism” (which I discuss in detail in my book Nemesis: The Last Days of the American Republic). By that, I mean the mistaken belief that public policies focused on frequent wars, huge expenditures on weapons and munitions, and large standing armies can indefinitely sustain a wealthy capitalist economy. The opposite is actually true.
Third, in our devotion to militarism (despite our limited resources), we are failing to invest in our social infrastructure and other requirements for the long-term health of the US. These are what economists call opportunity costs, things not done because we spent our money on something else. Our public education system has deteriorated alarmingly. We have failed to provide health care to all our citizens and neglected our responsibilities as the world’s number one polluter. Most important, we have lost our competitiveness as a manufacturer for civilian needs, an infinitely more efficient use of scarce resources than arms manufacturing.
Fiscal disaster
It is virtually impossible to overstate the profligacy of what our government spends on the military. The Department of Defense’s planned expenditures for the fiscal year 2008 are larger than all other nations’ military budgets combined. The supplementary budget to pay for the current wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, not part of the official defence budget, is itself larger than the combined military budgets of Russia and China. Defence-related spending for fiscal 2008 will exceed $1 trillion for the first time in history. The US has become the largest single seller of arms and munitions to other nations on Earth. Leaving out President Bush’s two on-going wars, defence spending has doubled since the mid-1990s. The defence budget for fiscal 2008 is the largest since the second world war.
But there is much more. In an attempt to disguise the true size of the US military empire, the government has long hidden major military-related expenditures in departments other than Defense. For example, $23.4bn for the Department of Energy goes towards developing and maintaining nuclear warheads; and $25.3bn in the Department of State budget is spent on foreign military assistance (primarily for Israel, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, the United Arab Republic, Egypt and Pakistan). Another $1.03bn outside the official Department of Defense budget is now needed for recruitment and re-enlistment incentives for the overstretched US military, up from a mere $174m in when the war in Iraq began. The Department of Veterans Affairs currently gets at least $75.7bn, 50% of it for the long-term care of the most seriously injured among the 28,870 soldiers so far wounded in Iraq and 1,708 in Afghanistan. The amount is universally derided as inadequate. Another $46.4bn goes to the Department of Homeland Security.
Missing from this compilation is $1.9bn to the Department of Justice for the paramilitary activities of the FBI; $38.5bn to the Department of the Treasury for the Military Retirement Fund; $7.6bn for the military-related activities of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration; and well over $200bn in interest for past debt-financed defence outlays. This brings US spending for its military establishment during the current fiscal year, conservatively calculated, to at least $1.1 trillion.
More to follow.
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