The New York Times By Catherine Rampell - 1083 Words

The momentum of obsolescence became increasingly stronger as the decades passed, and in contemporary society, the dynamics of planned, technological, and psychological obsolescence is unmistakable. Today, products are made of faulty parts, and have become gradually more expensive to repair. Consumers are now forced to weigh up the price of repair alongside the price of a replacement, giving them little choice but to pick the easier alternative and replace the item. An example of this modern triad of obsolescence can be seen within the â€Å"Apple Conspiracy†, where it is alleged that Apple releases software updates for iPhones that instead of enhancing the performance of the phone as promised, actually degrade it by making the phone slow, and decrease the battery life. Coincidentally, this often occurs when the newest model of the iPhone is released, prompting frustrated users to either upgrade their phone, or deal with a degraded product. The conspiracy’s major mainstr eam moment was an article in the New York Times by Catherine Rampell: â€Å"At first, I thought it was my imagination. Around the time the iPhone 5S and 5C were released, in September, I noticed my sad old iPhone 4 was becoming a lot more sluggish. The battery was starting to run down much faster, too. But the same thing seemed to be happening to a lot of people who, like me, swear by their Apple products. When I called tech analysts, they said that the new operating system (iOS 7) being pushed out to existing usersShow MoreRelatedCollege Is Necessary for a Successful Future Essay788 Words   |  4 PagesIt† by Patrice Hill, a staff writer for The Washington Times, employees who have a bachelors degree earn an average of 84% more than people with only a high school degree. In accordance with these numbers, the results of a study conducted by the Treasury and Education Departments in 2011 show that college graduates with full time jobs earned 64% more per week than high school graduates. A similar study conducted in 2013 showed that a full-time worker with a bachelors degree earns 79% more than oneRead MoreJournal Critique: The Good Wifes Guide Essay1126 Words   |  5 Pageshappily ever after†. The men went out and worked (the instrumental role), their salary usually covered the household expenses. The women stayed home (the expressive role), raised the children and took care of the house. Life was very simple. As time went on, the roles of the household began to shift with more and more women were entering the workforce. (Kunz 5-19) The three articles discussed present the differences and surprisingly similarities of past and present households. In May 1955Read MoreMankind: Naturally Good or Evil? Essay example699 Words   |  3 Pagesadults around to teach him how to act. Additionally, In Catherine Rampell’s article, â€Å"How Old is Old Enough?†, Rampell begins to wonder at what age a child should be held accountable if they commit crimes. Rampell dares to mention in her article, â€Å"And if you think separating the men from the boys (or the women from the girls) is difficult today, tracing the history of America’s conception of childhood just complicates things further.† (Rampell). By this, she means that there is a lot of uncertaintyRead MoreStudent Debt Crisis And The Housing Crisis920 Words   |  4 Pages There is a critical financial trend in the United States: student debt is at an all-time high. For the first time in mid- 2013, student debt rose to 830 billion, surpassing the credit-card debt (Clemmitt). Many economists and scholars compare the student debt crisis to the housing bubble, which resulted in a nationwide recession 2008. In a senate hearing regarding the current student debt crisis, Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan said, â€Å"The warning signs are there, just like they were beforeRead MoreThe Changes Of Marriage During The 1950s966 Words   |  4 Pageswomen had to fix their marriage. (Tartakovsky). Yet, marriage that occurs today people can get a divorce in America. Marriage is better today in America than in the 1950s because of more freedom and not being pressured into marriage in society. This time period 2015 for me is more preferable to live in for marriages instead of in the 1950s. Although marriage is a union between two people, there is a difference between the marriage roles, the ages when people got married, and the different types ofRead MoreBenefits Of A Solid Education1274 Words   |  6 Pagesduring an individual’s collegiate years. However, with the growing demand of education, the price is furthermore higher. Experts argue that many contributors have also impacted tuition costs; for example, state funding has been cut in order to support new i nitiatives, like energy and healthcare (Kantrowitz, 2012). In addition, blame has been placed on scholarship spending. H.E. Riggs argues that the overall spending toward merit students as skyrocketed fees for the entire population. Meanwhile GregRead MoreThe Relation Between Education and the Quality of Life1263 Words   |  6 Pagespeople are out of luck† (Rampell para. 7). With the declining economy, well-paying jobs have become scarce. The unemployment rate has skyrocketed, leaving millions of people in the United States struggling just to get by. As of January 2014, 10.495 million people were left without jobs, which is a 223,000 incline from December 2013 (US Unemployment†). Of the 16.2% of people unemployed in 2011, only 5.7% were college graduates that had at least a bachelor’s degree (Rampell para. 11). In eastern NorthRead MoreBlack Friday1198 Words   |  5 PagesOver the past years stores have been pushing their opening times and Door Busters up earlier and earlier. Now people barely have time to finish dinner before the great sales of the Black Friday shopping weekend begin. Why would stores keep moving their times up earlier and earlier? If Black Friday sales start earlier, then businesses should be able to make more money and people should be able to shop safer because there is more time to shop and because people won’t feel so rushed for the dealsRead MoreImportant Sociological Concepts1078 Words   |  4 Pagessupport (POS). Analysis of Authors Perspectives on the Value of a Sociological Background First of all, I know that in spite of the poor economy, my chances of getting a good job in my field are strong. A New York Times article (Rampell, 2011). reflects that humanities majors will have a tough time finding work after graduation. However, positions available for accountants and auditors is expected to grow Ã¥Å" ¨y 22 percent in the near future according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS, 2011). Read MoreCertified Public Accountant: Duties and Responsibilities1404 Words   |  6 Pagesthere are indications that jobs will be available and those positions pay a good salary and offer professionals a fine career opportunity. To wit, a recent article in The New York Times article (Rampell, 2011) shows that there are expected to be many positions open in the coming years for accountants and auditors. In fact the Times article reflects the fact that positions for auditors and accountants will grow by around 22% in the coming years. As the economy continues to recover from the recession